Best Birthday Ever.....

Whew!!! What a day!! Chris got home from New Jersey around 5am this morning. I was sleeping and didn't hear him come in. I was startled out of a deep sleep and almost punched my sweet husband in the nose as he was leaning down to kiss me as I slept. Sweet gesture but I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I was awakened a few hours later by a phone call from my precious nephew, Christian who called to wish me a happy birthday. The day started slow but Chris and I finally got out and headed to the grocery store. (yep, I grocery shopped on my birthday) Now, when we grocery shop it is usually a long ordeal because we shop every single isle of the store. But today it seemed to take even longer than usual. We bought our groceries and headed home and the drive seemed to take forever. Chris made a stop and a detour and all I could think about and finally said to him was "dear we have ice cream in the groceries that is going to melt if we don't get on home with it."  We finally made it home and started unloading everything. Ashley comes into the kitchen and says "mom I need you to come and look at something." I walk around the corner and my living room is full of people who yell "surprise!" I can honestly say without hesitation that I was totally and absolutely shocked to see everyone there. It took a few seconds for me to process that they had shown up for my birthday!! My sweet boy and sweet daughters had put together and pulled off a surprise 40th birthday party for me.

It all makes sense to me now. For a week, it seemed that everyone was avoiding me like the plague. I had mentioned to a couple of people that my 40th was coming up and these same people who are normally very talkative (i.e. the Bailey boys) clammed up and were quiet as church mice. I thought it odd but didn't think much of it. Jennifer had an excuse. She just got married and has been on her honeymoon.   Sabrina normally emails, calls or texts but I had not heard from her. We have all been busy getting ready for school to start so I wasn't concerned. BUT, Chris had not said really anything about taking me to dinner or any plans for my birthday (for those of you who know me well, my birthday is the one day of the year that I am very, very sensitive about and want it to be a good and special day). I was seriously beginning to wonder what was going on. I had asked Ashley and Allison, "do we have any plans for my birthday?" They both answered "I don't know."  Well all of those stinkers were either in on it or knew about it!!!! Even Stephanie was in on the whole thing. That sweet girl drove from New Orleans where she had been with friends to be here to ring in my Fabulous Forties. (this is huge because she lives in Nashville...not exactly a trip down the street) Rhonda and Lesley, my sisters from another mother were here too!! The evening was perfect!! Thank you to the rest of the gang ~ Lori, Doug, Lec, Hunter, the Baileys, Kristi, Austyn, Gooch, Brandi, Heath, Mike, Isabella, Christy, Jim, Brad, Robbie, Jason, Raegan, Blake, Kel, Lani, Sydney S., Nicholas, Sidney W., Mason, Gage, Alexa and Javan!!!! (if I left anyone out I apologize. I'm 40 now and they say the memory is the first thing to go)

A very special thank you to Chris and our girls for planning my special day and for the beautiful gift you gave to me. I have been looking at a peridot (which is my birth stone) ring for almost a year now and it is finally mine!! I love the three of you with all of my heart!!! This has been the best birthday ever!!! Words will never be enough to express what the three of you mean to me! To many more birthdays and Fabulous Forties!!!