My Treasure

Sunday was a big day for me. It was the day I lept from my carefree (is there such a thing as a mom?) 20s to my mature and put-together 30s. Yes, it was my birthday. In actuality as I was explaining to my husband on a blissful kayak trip Friday afternoon, as I'm heading into my 30s I actually feel much less put-together and mature then I did back when I was in high school and college. Is it possible to regress in maturity and organization in one's life? My blessing of a husband relieved my confusion and guilt by offering up our children as my excuse for my seemingly disorganized and chaotic state of mind (and house) lately. Quickly I accepted this excuse, but I'm not so sure our little blessings are completely to blame. You may see some future posts in regards to my attempts to regain control and organization to my life and home, but I digress...back to my birthday.

Sunday morning started out with a hearty round of the "Happy Birthday" song from McGee and Daddy (and a few birthday phone calls too) and us going to church. We usually attend Saturday night, but we were out celebrating with friends and fireworks this week so Sunday morning it was. What a blessing it was to be there, enjoying my birthday with incredibly beautiful and powerful worship and a great message by our friend (and pastor) Ryan. After church we went home, played and fed the kids lunch and then I got ready to go out to tea with my SIL and MIL. Actually we had planned to have a low-key family day, just the four of us and go out to dinner, but earlier in the week my SIL Alanda said we needed to do something to celebrate my big birthday and asked if she could take me out to lunch or something. I hemmed and hawed, not wanting to change the plans that Daddy and I set up to just have a family day, but when I talked to Daddy about it he said it would be okay for me to go to lunch and then we'd still be able to go out to dinner together. Alanda asked where I'd want to go or what I'd want to do and then she thought maybe we could go to tea (we've been numerous times before and always really enjoy it, but I haven't been in a LONG time due to my dairy fast while nursing Miss Em). I said that would be great and at the last minute she asked if I minded if our MIL joined us since they were staying over after being out so late for the fireworks. So the plan was for the 3 of us to have a late lunch tea and then Daddy and I were going to go out to dinner that night. Well...

So we arrived at the tea house, called "Treasured Teatime", and as we walked in I hear, "Surprise!" and see my friends and mom all there to celebrate my birthday! Apparently my wonderful treasure of a husband sent out email and an evite and reserved the tea room putting together this incredible surprise celebration for me. I was, indeed, surprised and couldn't have been more floored when they all told me how Daddy got into my address book and emailed everyone asking for good dates and then put together an evite inviting them all. That was my husband who did that? What a guy! Really I shouldn't have been surprised considering two years ago he surprised me for my birthday and our anniversary with a 10-day Alaskan cruise (I found out 2 weeks before we were to leave). As my friend Mary said, "After an Alaskan cruise and a tea party, he's really set the bar high!" Very true indeed!

The tea was lovely and so much fun! They have all of these hats, boas and gloves for you to get dressed up with and then you pick out your own tea cup. Their selection of teas was vast and we were able to try any we wanted. My favorite turned out to be a Roobios - it was delicious! They served a full tea starting with a cool creamy strawberry soup (kind of like yogurt), then an assortment or sandwiches, roll-ups, breads, a couple of different scones (complete with devonshire cream and lemon curd - my favorites) and a few different delicate desserts. Just when we couldn't eat another bite - they brought out slices of chocolate birthday cake and sang to me.

What a special day to spend with the amazing women in my life and we missed those of you who couldn't make it! Thank you to everyone for my birthday presents and contributions towards my new camera lens and more importantly, thank you for enriching my life so greatly with your sweet friendships. Thank you Elizabeth for your kind blessing over the food and Alanda and everyone else who did such a great job making this a surprise for me. Finally, thank you to my incredible husband, my best friend and my treasure, who has always known, loved and accepted me for me. I'm often surprised at how well you know me (sometimes better than I know myself) and I can't tell you how amazingly blessed I feel to have your love and to feel so completely adored by you. There is no other person in the world who could make me feel the way you do. I love you my Superstar (very old nickname that goes back to high school and before we were dating)! I'm sorry you weren't there to see how much joy your surprise gift gave me, but I think you can get the idea from the pictures.

My Superstar, love of my life, stayed home from the party to watch the kiddos (although a tea room is probably not the first place he'd choose to be, however, he did attend tea with me a couple of times on our cruise)

What a surprise to find my friends at the tea room waiting for me!

Trying on hats

I loved mine - until I realized when looking at the pictures that it was blue and not black. It sure looked black in person!

Always lots of laugh at with these ladies

I love my family!

Thanks again everyone!

After the tea party we came home and spent some time with all of the grandparents before Daddy and I left the kids with Grammy and Papa and went out for dinner and a movie (a very rare treat). We ate at Dos Coyotes and then saw "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock. I thought it was hilarious and laughed a ton! It was the perfect way to end a fantastic birthday.