One Week Later

It has been a week since my birthday.

And I have to be honest,

this was probably one of the best birthdays

I have ever had!

Seriously!

My husband did a fabulous job of making the

entire day, special and full of surprise.  

2 weeks before my birthday, he had emailed

a couple of my girlfriends to organize a 

surprise party on Friday night.  

So this time last week I was eating at Bostons, 

with 15 of my fabulous girlfriends!!!

Friday was a day of pleasure and being pampered.

Darrin came home at lunch and stayed with Kru 

while I went and got my nails done and a pedicure too!

I even splurged and got the fancy flower on my big toe!

Beautiful! (thanks Kory and Shelley!)

I almost fell asleep in the massage chair!

Wow!  What a wonderful relaxing experience!

I believe all moms should have these weekly! =)

I would if I could!

When I arrived home, it was almost time to pick up

Kye from school, so we loaded into the van and headed

to pick up Kye, or so I thought!

When we began heading the opposite way of the school,

I was confused.

Darrin pulls up to a salon and tells me, "Get out, you have

a 3:00 appointment for a color and cut."

Seriously, he made me a hair appointment!

Handed me a couple of gift certificates and he was off!

"Call me when you are done."

When you haven't had your hair cut or professionally colored

in a year, literally, it takes a while to do what needs to be done!

So finally, I called Darrin and he picked me up around 6:00.

"We're going to go eat at Bostons."

I love Bostons, so I was thrilled.

We pulled into the parking lot and he told me he was going to 

drop me off and park in the back.  Thinking nothing of it, I said, 

ok and got out of the car.  I told the boys to come on and that was 

when Darrin said, "Nope, see ya later."

"What?"

"Just walk around, someone will find you."  and he pulls away.

I walked into the restaurant and that's when I saw the balloons, 

heard the SURPRISE! and saw most of my favorite faces in 

College Station waiting for me!

I almost started crying, but someone told me how cute my hair

looked and I was like,  "I KNOW!!!!" =) so I got over the tears!

I received some special gifts, including a wonderful cross for my wall,

a Bible that is super special and a scripture paper weight and more!

I love Bostons, I love my girlfriends, and I love girlfriend time!

It was GREAT!!!!  yummo food, fabo friends, and lots of talking!

what more can a girl ask for?  oh to have her hair freshly done, 

her fake nails on and a pedi too??? 

Oh wait, I had that too!!!!!!

It was a wonderful day!!!

Thanks Darr for making this birthday so great!  And thanks girls

for being a huge part of it!

And can I just tell ya, on Valentines Day, my real birthday, my guys

got me roses and a bracelet too!

I was spoiled this year!

The only thing I am sad about, not 1 picture! =( and if you know me, 

you know how important pics are, but will be keeping this one alive

through memory for a long time!!!

Another Piercing!

I have been wanting another piercing for quite some time.

I actually would love to get my nose pierced,

but Darrin isn't too keen on the idea.

So....

I decided to pierce my ear.  

High up in the cartilage.

I have wanted to kind of for a while,

but this past week with my birthday and all

I began thinking about it more seriously.

(I will blog about my wonderful birthday soon!)

Tonight I was with my friends, Cindy and Sydni!

And guess what????

We went and did it!

Asking the pro's, Cindy, advice!

"Where do I want it?"

Getting ready....

Take a deep breath....

and...

pressure...

(but totally not like epideral pressure!!!!)

Over in a second and not bad at all!!!!

Isn't it sooo cute!?!

And isn't it so me!?!

=)

I LOVE IT!!!!!

Mid-February Scripture Memory Verse

"Repent, then, and turn to God, 

so that your sins may be wiped out,

that times of refreshing may

come from the Lord."

Acts 3:19

Birthdays

I will have to begin by saying sorry, this post may be a bit random.

Somehow, blogging enables me to process somethings that get stuck inside my head.  If I can write it down, maybe it will make a little more sense, and sometimes maybe not.  But as the Lord continues to grow me, show me, change me, I am thankful for this medium to use to work it out.

My birthday is in a few days.  And whether or not I act like it, I hate my birthday.  I casually blow if off anytime it is mentioned; I ignore the calendar; I pretend that it is only Valentines Day and not another birthday.

I haven't always felt this way toward my birthday.  In fact, I remember vividly loving my birthday. Earlier in life, having sleep overs and friends over to play games and eat cake!  Great times.  The junior high sleep overs with all of their drama! =)  and then in high school with a special someone to celebrate it with.

On my 16th birthday, my mom surprised me in a school assembly with balloons and 16 "cookie" roses, yes they were cookies!  She always made things extra special.  I was embarrassed but loved it!  She knew me so well!

I can't put my finger on when I began hating my birthday.  I would suppose it was sometime after becoming a mom and inching close to 30 and then past 30.  

I remember feeling the same thing last year and funny how that seems like yesterday and not an entire year ago!  Seriously, time is going faster and faster!  Last year I flirted with this concept and this year I'm for sure!

I believe I have figured out why I hate my birthday:

With every birthday that comes it is 1 year closer to the age my mom was when she died.

I know it's stupid, but I'm convinced that that is it.

A sweet friend of mine was at my house today sharing about her dad and his death.  He was only 53. I said, "That is so young."  And it is...

My mom was 42.

So young!

Not too far off from where I am.

Crazy how powerful the mind is!  That is why it is so important to capture every thought and make sure it aligns with scripture and give it to God and ask Him to fill your mind with His thoughts!

So... not super excited about another birthday.

about finding more and more gray hairs!

Ouch!!!

This past Sunday's sermon was on love 

the agape kind 

the 1 Corinthians 13 kind

ooouuuccchhhh!!!!!

Yup! Ouch!

Not ouch, make me mad

Ouch, like, I am not doing so well with LOVE, CONVICTION!!!!

Not that any of us can do any of the above mentioned without Jesus!!!

I've heard it said many times, "Our ability to love others is from the overflow of our love relationship with Jesus."

OUCH!

Truth hurts, ya know! =)

My birthday is on a date surrounded by love.

In fact, on any given year, I really don't like having my birthday on Valentines Day.

But that is not what this post is about!  

We sang of Christ's love for us and that He loved us before we ever loved Him.

(Do I love family, friends, neighbors, enemies before they love me? OR do I wait for them to show me love before I love them?)

It was a good cleansing service.  

But man,

I HAVE SO FAR TO GO!!!!!!

am I patient?      the ability to be wrong without retaliating 

no

am I kind?           considerate of other's feelings, useful, do good

not often enough

do I boast?          bragging making other's think of my strengths

some

am I proud?        arrogant - making it all about me

too often

am I rude?          inappropriate tones, facial expressions

Jesus help me, way TOO often!!

am I selfish?       do what is best for me, want my way

yes

do I get angry?    quick tempered, agitated easily

YES, and I don't even know why!

do I keep a list of the wrong things done to me?

sometimes

do I always protect?

not always

do I always trust?

not always

do I give up?

sometimes

am I always hopeful?

not always

am I perseverant?

sometimes

LOVE NEVER FAILS!!!

LOVE NEVER ENDS!!!!

WOOFTA!!!!

OI!!!!!!!

I got me a long way to go!!! 

I have much to learn about how much God loves me

and

I have much to learn about how I need to love others.

But thankfully, I'm not doing it alone or in my own strength!!!!

I pray that I will allow the Lord to continue to do a work in me and mold me and grow me into who He wants me to be!  Jesus I need You help!!!!

February's Memory Verse

Psalm 90:16-17

"Show me, your servant, 

the wonderful things you do;

show your greatness to my children.

And let the beauty of the Lord

be upon us:

give strength to the work of our hands."