Friday night the "plan" was to take the kids to a children's museum. Rob texted me at 4:00 and said my meeting is over pick me up at the office at 4:30. So I told the kids to get ready we were leaving in 5 minutes. (I was finishing a blog post, that never got done or posted. Maybe later.) Next thing I know I hear the garage door open and a horn honking.
I am thinking, "what is that?"
Then Broderick says, "Mom, who is here? Happy 30th birthday Amy."
What!?
So I look out the window and see this car...
I open the door and find 3 ladies hiding. I seriously had no idea what was going on. See, my birthday is not until June 19th. I really thought we were going to the museum. I never expected a birthday surprise like this. They came rushing in my house, followed by Rob (who obviously knew all about this and helped plan it) and tell me I have 10 minutes to pack.
We are leaving!
What!?So they help me throw some things in a bag and off we go. It was a whirlwind! I get in the van and Carrie tells me we will be staying Downtown and throughout the next 24 hours we will be doing 10 different things all involving the number 30. (You see...that is how old I will be!)
#1 Go to Goodwill and find an outfit from 30 years ago and try it on. (Also do some shopping since you love to shop there.) Here you have it!
After much laughing and strange ladies asking us if we were hairdressers ("she's 30 and...")
we headed to our hotel to check in and then to a very yummy BBQ place downtown. We of course ordered dessert. When the guy brought it I said, "are you going to sing to me, it is my birthday ya know?"
Of course he didn't know so he said, "hold on" and came back with this yummy goodness. Him and some of the surrounding tables sang to me. It was great!
Next brought a carriage ride through some scary alleys but it was still
super fun! (Insert Carrie's deep crazy voice where italics are.)
When we got back to the hotel I had to write down 3 things I want to do in the next 30 years.
They were...
go to Hawaii...
go on a mission trip to Africa...
and pay our house off.Then the girls gave me 30 gifts. The last one was a necklace from Tiffany & Co with my initial. So thoughtful and my first piece of jewelry form Tiffany.
The ladies had to make a list of 30 words to describe me:
loyal, funny, compassionate, caring, stylish, mature, selfless, great listener, wise, good mom, submissive wife, kind, organized, servant, empathizer
, good cook, good friend, nice butt, thrifty, appreciative, beautiful, daughter of Christ, leader, efficient, laid back, spontaneous (except clubs), & excellent scrapbooker. (I don't know who they know, but I thought they were very kind things to say about me and I never want to forget it!)
Next on the crazy list of 30 things was putting 30 hair accessories in my hair.
Then they asked me 30 questions and if I didn't answer them I had to do a dare. I think I only didn't answer 3. So I had to chew 5 pieces of gum and then call the front desk and ask for more towels, go on the elevator and sing the national anthem, & dance to a song all by myself. Not to bad. I was a little worried, especially with these crazy girls! Day 2 brought shopping and a lot of laughter. Of course the list of craziness continued with dancing in a store for 30 seconds, taking 30 glamor shots of me and more.
The conspirators! Aren't they beautiful?
I am truly blessed to have some wonderful friends!
I could not have thought of a better way to spend my birthday. I know it took a lot of planning on every one's part.
I am forever grateful!
...the anticipation of wondering how such a long day would go.
1st grade has been a wonderful experience. For Broderick and I. He learned so much. Not just academically. I believe he is more patient, kind, and focused.
As I drove him to school I started crying. Just thinking about the sweet people that touch his life and then are so quickly out of them. His school is only K-1st so I feel like just when you are starting to get settled we are off to another school. (Thankfully Carys will be there next year.) Anyhow, he made some great friends and had a fabulous teacher. Now they are all divided up. I know he will make new friends and have a great teacher next year, it is just sad.
I always like to do something special for the kids on their last day. The tradition has become to decorate their bedroom door, give them a little gift, a special snack and then their favorite dinner. Broderick wanted pancakes for dinner so that is what we will have.
