Celebrate Good Times

So I had a pretty wonderful birthday.

Thanks to some pretty wonderful people. 

I can't believe how completely blessed I feel. 

Here is the sum-up of my day :)

Midnight brought me a few great conversations with good friends who couldn't wait to call me for sweet birthday wishes. Bree included of course. It was so odd to be without her. To those friends and family, I say thank you. 

The morning was delightful. Bordo, Gina, Travis and Sherilan (the youth staff) took me to one of my very favorite places... Panera Bread. And with my blueberry bagel and cream cheese in hand, I realized how blessed I am to be at First Colony. 

So then back at the office, the ministry staff had a cake for me... delish. 

Trisha made me the most tasty strawberry cupcakes that I was given to bring to work... so I ate those too. 

(needless to say I was getting pretty full at this point.)

For lunch, I was so blessed to spend some time with Joyce Swanson, one of the sweetest, Spirit filled Mom's I've ever met. We went to this restaurant called "The Hobbit" which was themed after the Lord of the Rings. Cyndi (my baby sis) would have LOVED it. I don't know if I felt like I was in the Shire, but I most definitely enjoyed the experience. Joyce, you have made me feel so at home here. You and Deborah are so dear to my heart.

When I returned to the office, Travis and Katie were there... being sneaky in my office, not letting me in. :) So I waited until they called me in... 

Katie walked me into the office... and with the lights turned out, balloons filling the room and candles lit, they started singing ... very loudly (haha). I just stood there... hugging Katie the whole time they were singing... and I could barely hold myself together. I thought to myself, 

"Thank you God for Katie!!! and Thank you for Travis!!! How could I be so loved?"

As they finished the song... and waited for me to blow out the candles, I said, "Oh no! we need a picture!" 

and ran to get my camera... (haha whoops!) And Travis said, "You WOULD do that."

After that, they had me open a few presents... 

get ready to freak out with me....

You wont believe what they got for me.

It's way too much.

OKAY okay... I'll tell you. 

THEY GOT ME A GARMIN GPS!!!! (AHHHHH!!!)

Can you believe that??!

How are my friends so amazing to me? ! ! !

For real... WHAT were you guys thinking?

AHHH!!!!!!

Okay, so as the celebrating continued... I was getting pretty full, and emotionally drained as well. So before our birthday dinner... I went home and sat on my love-seat for a little bit and read my ridiculous amount of facebook wall posts (one of my favorite parts of my birthday of course... Come on... don't act surprised. )

The next part of day was quite wonderful. I went over to Katie's house, and we got dressed to go out to  fancy dinner. I had no idea where we were going, and I liked it that way. Travis and Jamie escorted us... and we enjoyed a lovely dinner at an really hip Italian place called Grotto, which was in Houston. 

And we ate, and ate some more! 

(I feel sure that I ate more on Monday than I've ever eaten in one day.)

I had a perfect filet of salmon with shrimp, mushrooms and

 potatoes. Oh. My. Goodness. It was fabulous. That's all I can say. 

Dessert was prime time. We all got something different, and shared. My gelato was fancy :)

                           

Getting all dressed up is just too much fun :)

Thank you for such an incredible day Katie, Travis, Jamie, Trisha, Joyce, Matt, FCYG...

I thank my God for you guys. 

What a wonderful life I live. 

I am now a whole pack of candles...

Joyfully,

Jess