My Birthday

First of all, thanks for the happy wishes and thoughtfulness about my special day. And really, it was VERY special.

I had a fun time celebrating with my in-laws last week in Ga for Brianna's spring break. And then on Friday when I returned I saw this on my friend Cortney's blog. I seriously jumped out of my chair and cried a bit. It has been hard being away from such wonderful friends; friends whom I celebrated everything with and birthdays were extra special. It's even harder to know and see that they continue to celebrate events (or non-events) and I'm not there to partake in their goodness. So what a treat--to be thought of even oh-so-far away:)

And then on the actual day I was surprised with a breakfast at my friend's house. It was intimate and lovely and I can't thank my new sweet friends enough!


And then I went to a movie with my baby girl who is not such a baby anymore (I LOVE the dollar theater). We saw Bedtime Stories and then hit our local goodwill for 1/2 off purses and bags day!


And then I came home to this:


A LEMON PARTY






My amazing husband actually baked a cake, people! He cooks, but does not bake (so this was super special).





On the Menu


fresh squeezed lemonade

caramalized squash and onions

cornbread

yellow rice with saffron

lavender-lemon chicken with a garlic lemon sauce
and of course, lemon cake with a lemon cream cheese frosting

****Hubby gave me LAVENDER plants!!! He drove 60 miles round trip to get it for me. It doesn't really grow here in the South, so he called atleast a dozen places, found someone who had them, and bought a special container and soil so that it won't die in this heat. Western Washington is the lavender capital in the US and we used to love to go pick it and dry it ourselves when we lived there. It's something I really miss and now it's by my back door. So lovely!




(a side note: Brianna loves Lavender. She always goes into my closet and squeezes the sachet I have hanging. And she has loved all the uses I have found for it--in our strawberry honey jam and in my eye masks that I make as presents. It occured to me yesterday that throughout her life when she smells lavender..she will remember me. That thought brought me to happy tears:)

So--yes, a very happy birthday to me!