Happy Birthday to Me!

Wow! One week ago today I turned 36! I guess I only know if I'm over the hill if I know when my journey is going to end. Or maybe I know because of all that stiffness I feel when I'm getting out of the floor with the kids, but maybe that is just due to my lack of exercise! =0) Regardless, I am getting older & feeling it, but then on the other hand sometimes I feel like a kid... or is that act like one?

Well, on the day before my birthday (last Sunday) I was up at the church decorating "my room" for VBS. Dano said he'd take care of dinner for all of us. =0) So, when I finally got home around 6 or something, we ate. Then as we were finishing up he surprised me with an iced brownie that he & Olivia had made for me! It was even decorated and had candles & everything! Wasn't that sweet? =0) The kids didn't even spoil the surprise. It was REALLY yummy, too! Then they even gave me some gifts. Olivia gave me a bag of Dove dark chocolate (one of my favorite things)! (Okay, she was actually with me at Wal-Mart when she got it for me. I didn't want to stiffle her generosity & thoughtfulness... ha ha.) Dano got me a Willow Tree figurine called Remember in memory of Seth. It is sweet. He also said something else was coming in the mail but it hadn't arrived yet. I was looking forward to that.

Well on my actual birthday, it was the first day of VBS, then we came home for lunch & naps, then Dano came home early so we could take a rental van back (about an hour from here... hopefully I'll post that explanation soon), then we ate dinner out... a nice treat at Chili's... then we traveled back the hour & put the kids to bed, then crashed ourselves! That is why Dano surprised me the day before!

Well, below is the gift that was coming in the mail. I've had this bracelet for years. I think I got it sometime after Derek was born while we were in TX at a place called Dixie's. (You can even visit them online: http://www.dixiesonline.com/ They are THE place for silver jewelry & charms. The slide & cross I wear all the time came from there.) Then I had a strand added for Emma just before our move to OH. Then when we went back to TX in May 2007, I had them make it two strands: one strand with Olivia & Derek and a second strand with Emma & Wesley. It also had their birthstones on it. It was just great. Well, I enjoyed it for another year, then broke it in April this year. boo hoo! Well, Dano snuck it away while we were in TN & mailed it back to TX to have them fix it & add Seth! How thoughtful & sweet. I just love it (and him). And they did it as a gift to us! Very unexpected & generous! I sure miss going to Dixie's. They are the sweetest bunch of people! (The bracelet is much prettier & less blurry in real life! The flash made it where you couldn't see it, so this was my other option.)

Well, I hope you are all having a GREAT day! Please pray for my friend Kelly from Ohio. Hopefully in the next day or two I will let you know why! Another GREAT gift to me! (non birthday related)

Love,

Melinda =0)