Number 44

So you may or may not know that I celebrated a birthday last week.  I have to say, it was a really good day. I had to go by daycare on my way to work to drop off ice cream for Bella's Valentine's party later in the day.  Ms. Marilyn, the daycare owner, was having a rough morning.  February 11th is the day her momma went to heaven.  Although it had been 16 years, its still very hard on her.  I understand that.  We talked for a little bit about how hard this week is on both of us and I shared my story with her about the message Jace sent me at the first of the year.  Y'all, this made her day.  She was so grateful for me that morning, and my story. She said, "God sent you to me this morning because you never come here in the morning.  He knew you were what I needed"  And once again, Jace reminded me and someone else that its okay to laugh.  Later in the day, I received these from Ms. Marilyn...

Beautiful flowers and a heart brooch with the message...

"Its Okay To Laugh, Happy Birthday"  

I can't explain how great it felt to be able to help someone else with my story. Pretty awesome.

I also received these from my sweet brother Tony....

I've never had an arrangement like this.  Very cool & pretty!

The plan was to have birthday dinner for Christopher and I at Giovanni's later that evening with the family.  My sister and her crew weren't able to make it because they had too many activities going on so it was Daddy, Lena, Tony, me and my children.  We couldn't get a table until 7:00 but Tony told me he was going early to have a beer at the bar.  "Come early and I'll buy you a birthday beer", he said. While I was changing and freshening myself up, I had Chris text him to find out how early he was going, etc.  Chris told me he was already there (it was 6:00) and he had made a friend.  Not surprising.  We both joked that it was probably someone he already knew.  We head up there, walk in and make our way back to the bar since our table wasn't ready and find my brother Bryan sitting there with Tony.  Surprise!!!  I was soooooo happy to see him.  He came down to have dinner with us.  While we were at the bar, I snapped this picture....

Even after we were seated at our table, the gifts kept coming.  I mean gosh, I'm so lucky to have family give me their lemons and straws from their  drinks.  I'm such a lucky girl.  :)

I must also show you what my sweet niece & Goddaughter Makenna, aka Kenna Bug, made for me...

Isn't this awesome?  I absolutely love it.  Some of my most favorite pictures of us together.  

I will end this post telling you that my daughter LOVES to tell people how old her mommy is, especially since I finally hit the number forty-four mark because she gets to imitate the Geico commercial with Ickey Woods.  Have y'all seen it?  If not, I've uploaded it below for your enjoyment....

Any and every time my child hears or gets the number forty-four, she will hollar, "Woo Hoo, forty-four ladies, that's me!  Get your cold cuts, get your cold cuts..." And so she was especially happy mommy's number is now 44. I am happy as well because its another year, another birthday.  I am healthy, I am happy and I am one blessed gal.  

Y'all have a good one!