Warning: Long Blog Post Ahead

...But it's worth it and there are pictures, so hang in there...please. Here is the blog I promised about the amazing-ness that was my birthday this year...along with a few things I have learned in the process. I am the most blessed person in the world. I have such amazing family and friends...and you all touch my life in ways you can never even imagine.

It all started with an early present from LE...who brought me this beautiful scarf back from Malaysia...what a wonderful and beautiful addition to my multi-national scarf collection. It has already been worn several times, and I can tell you that it will see much more use as time goes by. Thanks LE!!


Then there was an amazing day where I received flowers with a beautiful message attached that both encouraged me and brought me to tears...these beautiful flowers were the amazing result of my beautiful sister hearing me and acting upon that. What a blessing to be known and understood and loved in such an amazing way!! I know these were a big deal for you to give me, K, and I really, really love them...Thank You!!


Then there are my parents...who also heard me and understood me. They gave me a beautiful KitchenAid mixer...it is soooo lovely!! This is a gift I never thought I would get until I was married. I always hoped that marriage would follow college, and while married does not seem to be the next chapter in my book, I do have a KitchenAid. :) Thanks, Mom and Dad!! Oh, and my stuffed animal from my dad this year was another ring-tailed Lemur...these are my favorite animal...ever. And now I have two...need to come up with a name for this guy...any suggestions??


My beautiful and talented roomie, R, made this pastel for me...What a precious gift...I can't wait to get a frame and get it hung on my wall!! Thanks, R.


Then there was the wonderful tea party LE and K threw for me with my lovely girlfriends. The five of us had a lovely time eating scones, drinking tea, and watching Emma. After which we prayed together for our husbands. What a delightful evening!!

K gave me this beautiful tea cup...with a honey bee on it!!! And it matches the tea pot she gave me last year...and I may possibly be drinking tea from them right now...delightful!!

H, I'm sure knowing my love of flowers and coffee killed two birds with one stone with this beautiful gift. A giant coffee cup planter and some beautiful, bright flowers to boot...wow!! Thanks lovey friend!!


Then there was tonight...a couple of days after my birthday, and I was still receiving gifts. A beautiful hand decorated journal from K. I decided that it will be my New Zealand journal because I want a smaller journal to pack around...and there is a chocolate bar which her lovely roommate, B, gave me. Coffee and chocolate together = brilliance!! :) Also, note the verse that K gave me at the start of this beautiful journal...a verse that has been on my heart and mind for the last several days...thanks love!!


And if all that wasn't enough...the crew threw me a birthday party...complete with dark chocolate fudge cake, strawberries, and candles. Wow!! I figured something was up, but never in a million years did I expect that from them. I cannot tell you how deeply that touched me. Thanks, my fantastic friends!!

Cake with Strawberries

Birthday Candles

Now for a few quick thoughts before I need to sleep. I am really good at giving, but not so great at receiving...especially when I feel like a gift is much too extravagant. Gifts are not one of my main love languages. Words of encouragement, quality time, and physical touch are really important to me. And yet, gifts touch me very deeply especially when they are completely out of the blue and unexpected and meaningful.

A gift that means a lot to the person giving it as well as having great meaning to the person receiving it is one of the sweetest things in the world, though.

I am working on getting better at receiving gifts. There are two instances that come to mind to me where Jesus talks about giving. In one, He says that a father would not give his child a stone when he asked for bread, and he concludes with saying that if we humans can give good gifts, how much more can our Father in heaven give good gifts.

The other instance that came to mind was when Jesus was in the temple and he watched as people came and put large amounts in the offering. Then there came a widow who put in two small coins. She was the one He praised because she gave out of her poverty all that she had. She had a proper perspective on gift giving.

I appreciate all my friends and family who gave me good gifts out of their varying states of being. Your gifts have touched me and made me aware of how truly blessed I am. Thank you!!

Thanks for staying with me through this blog post...

Peace out yo!