I Have Now Entered the Last Year of my Twenties!!!

And I am already almost two weeks in! It just takes me a while to get around to blogging things sometimes. But I did want to share a little of my birthday and some of the feelings I had. It was such a good one! My cheeks hurt at the end of the day from smiling. When I look back at what I've become in the 29 years I've lived, I am truly happy and truly blessed. The greatest thing that has happened for sure is to be a wife and to become a mother of my three beautiful children. They are definitely my "greatest accomplishment." There's been a lot of talk lately how studies show that people who do not have children are "more happy." I really don't know how that can be!! I think if we define "happiness" as being able to do whatever we want whenever we want, it is a cheap replacement for the amazing capacity to feel unconditional love as we rear and raise children. What better way to try to understand God's love for us than to be able to take part in that love? I am so grateful to know how God intends us to find true happiness, and that is through having families! Well, on to the birthday!


My amazing husband decorated the hall and down the stairs from our bedroom with probably a hundred balloons. He had a yummy breakfast waiting from me of Martha Stewart's buttermilk pancakes.


He got me this new pot. I think he wants me to make him more soup...




Later that morning, I got to take pictures of my friends cute new baby, Gwyneth. It was fun to let our kids play and to visit.




She brought me these beautiful yellow tulips that I absolutely loved! Fresh flowers make me so happy! I enjoyed looking at them and feeling spring!




The day before my birthday, I had an official photo shoot with Coy. I got to edit this picture at one point in my day, but I don't know when I'll get around to all the rest! I guess I should be doing that instead of blogging. He is such a cutie. He makes me happy, too!




Later that night we dropped the kiddos off at my mom's so Russ and I could go out to eat. We changed our plans at the last minute so that we could try Tepanyaki. It was soooo good! Crazy enough we got seated right next to some family friends that I've known all my life. Their daughter shares the same birthday as I do. Then we got a huge surprise when the waitress didn't give us our check and told us it had been taken care of.... Some people are just too darn nice! I couldn't stop smiling as we left the restaurant.




After dinner, we came back to my parents' house and Russ had made me a German chocolate cake, my favorite! Yum!
Then my thoughtful brother, Patrick, came by and gave me these yummy things! They were a childhood favorite of ours.




Thanks so much to everyone that made my birthday so wonderful!!! I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family!