Surprise birthday parties are fun.

Whew. It's good to be back. But only because it's a short week! :) Now that I've made 2 quick posts regarding Christmas and New Year's, allow me to re-visit the third big holiday of the season: my birthday! So, I flew back into town on Thursday, Dec. 29th (the big day). I started the day off right: I got to see Amy and Kate and Maradee the nite before and celebrate Christmas and b-day with them in Little Rock. Then, Maradee was kind enough to get up at 5 am on Thurs. to take me to the airport! Shauna was sweet enough to pick me up at BWI at noonish--this is quite a feat 'cause BWI is waaaaaayyyy out there....and Shauna was at work, had to take off, etc... (Thanks, Shauna! You are the greatest Best Friend ever!) I wasn't feeling well all day, and the travel wasn't helping, so when I got home at 1:30/2 ish, I immediately went to bed. Slept till after 5 and got up to get ready for what I thought was dinner with Shauna at Portner's in Old Town. That's where we went last year for my b-day, too...kind of a tradition, I guess. I was a tad bit disappointed that my friend Anne wasn't going to be joining us for dinner as well (Anne had flown in from TX on Thurs., also, and wasn't feeling well--she told me she was joining us for desert at about 9-ish). Now my disappointment wasn't so much from Anne not being there (even tho I was disappointed about that, too) but mostly b/c I knew that the girls were getting me an IPOD and that there was NO WAY I was gonna get to open it till they were all there!!! (JUST KIDDING!!! kind of) So, I'm getting ready for dinner, Scott comes down and chit chats with me--never giving anything away. Shauna gets there around 6ish, takes her sweet time, never rushes me, we sit around, blah, blah, blah. We leave for the restaraunt and I'm steadily whining how I don't feel good, when is Anne coming, etc.... We get to Old Town and Shauna's like, "Oh, I have a message from Anne.....she's already at the restaraunt!" So, of course I'm glad to hear that. When we walk in the door, Shauna is looking around for Anne, and the hostess comes up and is like, "Are you looking for the birthday party? They are upstairs." Shauna played it cool hand Luke, man....she's like: "No, we are just looking for one other person." Of course, at this point, I do have a clue....and I'm psyched! We walk up the stairs, and SURPRISE!!! IT'S A PARTY FOR ME!!!!! My first surprise party! It was a blast! I got an IPOD shuffle, cd, books, ipod accessories, calender....all kinds of goodies! And the best part--I was surrounded by good friends. What a blessing to me they are. Both the ones who came and the ones who couldn't make it. I am very lucky. Thank you, Shauna and Anne, for my party. The best b-day party ever! Thanks to all my peeps who made it so special. I am very lucky--and what a great way to start the 32nd year of life--by being reminded that I am blessed. Thanks, peeps.

My b-day party

Blowin' out my candles! Thankfully, there weren't 32 of 'em!!!