Happy Birthday

33 today.  It sounded so old when I was 18, but despite chronic fatigue, I don't feel "old".  In fact, I feel like I'm getting better with age.   

Okay, maybe I'm just liking myself more with age.  After this many years, I was going to have to accept it at some point, that I am who I am.  Little things change over time, and I know that God has been refining my character with more patience, love, kindness, faithfulness and self-control (though I still have a long way to go!).  However, my personality is what it is, I can either like it or loathe it  - only you can take it or leave it!!  

 

This morning was great, but partly due to a couple of things that happened yesterday...

Shortly before I left work yesterday I took a call from a florist who had a delivery for us tomorrow (I.e. my birhtday).  You may think I was jumping to conclusions that the flowers would be for me, except that the florist was the one my friend used to work at and Scott did some work for!  It was a shame that the surprise was dampened, but I was excited nonetheless.

Also, I got home from work before Scott and the kids, who should have already been there.  When I was putting Emma to bed I [innocently] asked what she had done that day, to which she replied "Um, well, I'm not allowed to tell you."  I was impressed by her obedience and said that she should not tell me then!

As we continued to chat she let slip that "we got you a nightgown and some slippers...".  I did not point out her little slip, enjoying how much pleasure she was getting in being the "giver".  I'm not always great at that so I want to encourage the kids to be "cheerful givers"!

This morning I got to open my gift from the kids, along with their home-made cards.  The aforementioned slippers (my request actually!) and nightgown also came with an in-car iPod device, a princess notepad, elepahnt water squirter, sand shovel and childrens sunglasses.  Scott later told me they picked everything themselves - shocker!

 The sunglasses (earrings and necklace were models own)

 

At work, my flowers arrived around 9:30am.  As you can see it was a beautiful arrangement and everyone was expressing admiration.

I could not praise my wonderful husband enough (or is it bragging that I am so blessed??!), as if no man ever sent his wife flowers before.  Actually, I don't think it happens as much as the movies portray and there is something sinfully satisfying about being loved so publicly!

And I was looking forward to lunch with my boss that we'd scheduled a couple weeks ago!

So it's not hard to imagine that I was genuinely gobsmacked when Scott walked into the office at noon and declared he was taking me to lunch!  (I was actually two pragraphs into writing this post!)

Totally bewildered I must have said "What?" about a hundred times.  Followed by "Wait - am I coming back?"  Apparently not!  Scott had contacted my boss on Tuesday and got approval for his lunch and half-day off.  The whole office knew!

i am rarely genuinely surprised.  The last time I can recall this level of [happy] surprise was when Scott proposed!  And I have to admit, I was so touched by this gesture it brought me to tears (also rare!).  Scott and I have hardly seen each other due to work, since February and we have not had time out by ourselves in well over two months.

I packed up my stuff in a daze and we headed to lunch.  Service was so slow, but it was actually a blessing - we eat so fast, dinner dates are over within an hour!  We could just sit and catch-up.  No guilt about the kids being ditched again, because they would have been with Nanna anyway!

If Scott had suggested that he leave work early (which he hates to do, especially with a new company), drive all the way into the city and take me to lunch for my birthday, I would have told him not to bother.  And that is why you don't ask me what I want - I have no idea!!  This was the best birthday ever!