Best Birthday Ever!

Save my wedding and honeymoon, this was quite possibly the best weekend ever! We went home to Sumter for my family's birthday party. I was expecting the traditional birthday dinner and bath product gift session of the last five years (I began asking Kris how much I stunk b/c people always give me smell better products...) What a surprise to have a wonderful 30th party! My closest friends and family were able to come, the longest drive went to my dearest pregnant cousin Emily at a total of 11 hrs in one day! Everyone drove quite a lot to be there, and I couldn't have been happier to be with all of them. Our good friends from church even left a brand new puppy at home alone just to be with us!

Abbie went all out and planned a Mexican Fiesta in honor of our up-coming cruise. We ate yummy mexican food, talked, laughed, and chatted alot, watched adorable kids. The table was set with Mexican Fiesta placemats and flowers.


Best Friends Forever! Everyone always is surprised that we haven't changed! We still love to have fun and laugh together, and will until we're old and gray with bionic hips!

Friends since middleschool! These girls have shaped my character and put up with me through thick and thin!

Matthew and Laura in the playhouse Mrs. Shu created in her old water-heater closet. She painted the picture and is going to install a slide as well. My neice Laura who is 6 now was a wonderful babysitter. One of my favorite memories is of her holding Venchenza rocking and singing to her. Matthew, Ruth's little man ran around the house in his mayor's outfit with the most adorable smile. All of the other kids were about the same age.
The only picture I took of Venchenza and her daddy (none of Ali :-()
My college and grad school buddy Ali's daughter Venchenza was adorable with her big brown eyes and olive skin.

Laura and Ella: look at those beautiful eyes! Ella, Laura's amazing little one signed for me and loved climing on everything.
Sam, Abbie's little boy was a little shy at first, and actually took a nap!
Gracie, Karanenas little girl was there in spirit and in her valentine's photo as she was quite sick! Bella had a blast running around licking everyone in sight. She loved all the kids, and tried to win Ella over with every hair on her head. It was so much fun to watch her run around so happy in her party dress.

Abbie organized three games. The first was a questionnare called Don't Drink the Water about cruising and mexico. My dear friend Laura won a plant! I failed miserably, but I still get to go on the cruise!!! The next game was my favorite: it was based on a game I have played my entire life called Queen. Usually played on Ma-Ma's front porch, the queen orders people to do insane things: usually obstacle courses, charades, singing, once sumo wresting with Emily's Jeff.... Well, we played "hot pepper" (aka hot potato) and whoever was caught with the pepper when the fiesta music ended had to wear the hat or accessory of my choice. My brother and cousin were adorable in the pink girls hats, Emily and Jeff sported large sunglasses and tried to kiss..., and others wore feather boas, leis, hats, etc. Of course, I got to wear the crown. Please check out Laura's site for some awesome game pictures!



NExt, Abbie blind folded me and had me hit the pinata (a large red shoe that I'd totally wear) and then I opened gifts: as if everyone driving long distances to see me wasn't enough!!! I was amazed that my friends actually know we quite well. There was no hint to the ususal you must stink gifts of rasberry lotion/body wash! hehehe. (You may think, oh no, I've given those before: they are nice gifts and appreciated. But one year I recieved 35 total!!!) I was so touched to open a picture of Bella with tea accessories (You ROCK Karanena), Magazines I will actually read (even the one on afro sheen)and sandals I really needed from Emily, awesome scrapbooking supplies I would have chosen myself from Laura, and a facial from my good friend Donna. I can't wait to use the beautiful crystal lazy susan from cousin Margie that is going to be great for all the parties I love giving.


Abbie arranged the most beautiful cut flowers I've ever seen for me: a huge vase of my absolute favorites that smell so good and look so beautiful. AND, when they die, I have potpori, and no one's surprised that they died! Mr. and Mrs. Shumaker who let us invade and destroy her home for the party also gave me truffles, chocolates, and bottled water and water additives that will make not drinking the water in Mexico oh so easy! As usual, my sister Ruth gave me the most awesome jewelry, and my neice Laura picked out a miniature rose plant I'm going to kill and some tirquiose jewelry I love. My parents wrote me the sweetest letters. My father managed to write his own letter (in his own handwriting!) about his favorite childhood memory of me. I was amazed and deeply touched. I was able to spend Sunday morning with Sam, then Ma-Ma in the hospital, who sat up for me, and I taught her some exercises!!! She looks good and is on the road to recovery. I am now home and have started packing for the cruise!

How amazingly blessed I am by all of you! I feel like I don't deserve to be this happy. I intend to make sure and remember this feeling of love and being so loved and remember that God loves us even more. I'll try to reflect His love in the way I treat everyone and give the praise back to Him. Thank you all so much for making my 30th so memorable and for being a part of my life. I am so blessed by all of you, my dear family and friends.