The best Birthday ever!

On June 25th I turned 34. I was so busy preparing for family to stay with us the week before (8 people!), busy with work and doing a tiny bit of traveling, and I guess just life in general had me forgetting about my birthday. This is odd because I usually make anything about me a big deal! Especially the times when presents are involved. I usually have lists already prepared. Seriously, I do! Anyway, we had a great visit with my cousins and we went out for an early birthday celebration — we went out to dinner at Pazo. It was dee-licious. I told people that were coming to not get me gifts because it ended up costing $80 a person. Yes, you read that right. Anyway, we had a grand time and here are a few pictures of my cousins, sisters and I as well as my good friend Jenny out to din-din.

Why was this such a great birthday? I guess it was the combination of having my family in town around the time ofmy birthday, the great dinner we celebrated, the amount of my friends that wished me a Happy Birthday, the dinners that I had with my girlfriends to celebrate, and everyone’s thoughtful gifts that really touched my heart. That’s how I felt, touched. Everyone was so thoughtful. Here is run down of the gifts I received (not to boast but to show you how blessed I am). I don’t take for granted that the Lord has blessed me beyond anything I could ever ask for. He has provided me with a wonderful family, husband, children, my health, great friends, a really wonderful job; etc, etc. Here is a picture of most of what I received.

My girlfriend Becky got two of my favorite pictures from this year of my children framed in these great vintage-y white 8×10 frames. My parents gave me a gift card to Kohl’s and I was able to get a $210 luggage set for $80. My cousin Jennifer bought me the book, “Eat, Pray, Love” which I had wanted to read. My cousin Liz bought me this cool door stopper called “the knot” that I’ve had my eye on for a while. My sister Laura got me a great pair of sunglasses. My sister-in-law got me a great handbag and lip gloss set. My in-law’s gave me three books/magazines from Lowe’s: Decorating, Organizing, Landscaping. They also got me three mini-candles from Yankee as well as a Target Gift Card and a small dish of shells that smelled like the beach. Such great gifts! My girlfriend Jenny got me a J.Crew gift card, my other friend Jen got me a Pier I “Biscotti” Reed Diffuser (best scent EVER!), and a bracelet. My girlfriend Jodie got me this cute mug that says “BFF”, a really sweet sign that says “A friend is a person with whom I think aloud” by Emerson, a great pair of dangly silver rope earrings and two perfume splashes. Chad got me this great brown and pink tunic from The Tiger Lily store in Bel Air as well as a beautiful bracelet. My girlfriend Lydia got me this great blue glass candle holder. What she didn’t know is that I was wanting something just like it — I had read about it the day before in my decorating magazine and they called it a “wasp jar”. It’s so cool. I almost forgot about some things that I picked up for myself on my birthday while shopping by the water in Annapolis with my family. Here is what I picked up: “The Very Best of Frank Sinatra” CD, a wooden sign that says “Life is Good at the Beach” and a book titled “How to Walk in High Heels”

I really can’t believe how over the top nice everyone was to me for my birthday. I won’t forget all of the laughter over dinner, the fun shared with family at my house, and the generosity of my friends/family on my birthday. I thanked the Lord that He chose to bless me in this way this year as I turned 34, it truly was special.

~ by bethyoung on June 30, 2008.