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I didn't think I'd have as great a day as I did. Steve is in Boston until tomorrow and it's the first birthday in so many years that I didn't spend it with either him, or someone in my immediate family (mom/dad/brothers). So I was a bit sad last night and kinda had a whole, "Who cares about tomorrow... it's just another day..." mentality.
When I got up this morning, I still felt rather blah about my birthday. What fun is a birthday with no one to celebrate it with?
I had a missed call from my dad and a nice voice mail of him wishing me a happy birthday. It started my day off on a positive note. Our cleaning crew came today, so I was ready for them to come and Gus and I watched MMCH and played trains while they were here.
At 10:30, we met up at the local retirement village for a MOMS Club Senior Sing-Along with the kids. We brought some instruments and then one of our members played the piano and sang while the kids played their instruments and the adults sang. It was cute but Gus was being a beast. He didn't want to listen and he was throwing things and just not being on his best behavior. I was a tad bit embarrassed.
He wanted ALL of the instruments...
Playing the triangle
The kids and the seniors
We did have fun though, and I think the residents enjoyed themselves.
After we finished, Kirsten and Sam came back to our place and the boys played trains for a couple of hours. Gus and Sam had fun together and it was nice to just sit and chat with Kirsten.
While we were chatting, my doorbell rang. I got up to see if it was a package being delivered, and I saw a bunch of balloons through the glass door. It was Lesley. :-D
She brought me a balloon bouquet and had some signs to hang up. She said she had hoped to surprise me, but there were a few complications. The biggest was that the balloons would have flown away outside because there was no where to put them. LOL
Lesley, Me, and Kirsten
Door sign number one
Gus and a balloon
Happy Birthday sign #2
I was so surprised and touched that she delivered balloons to me on my birthday. She also brought Happy Birthday tiaras and I took a picture of me with her and Kirsten. I've sinse found out that Kirsten, Kristina, and Kathryn all knew about this plan... and Kathryn was being a lookout for Lesley. She told her when we were leaving the retirement home... and the plan was for Lesley to plant everything before we arrived, but with complications it didn't happen. Then she had hoped that Kirsten and I would be in the basement playing, but we were upstairs and Gus saw her through the door (he's my guard child). :D
Anyway, it made my whole day.
Gus went down for his nap after lunch and slept until 4:30. He got up and we played for a bit and then we headed to Spice to meet Lesley and her family for dinner. We had a GREAT night and I really enjoyed meeting her husband-- he's really funny and I think Steve would really get along well with him. The boys played well and it was just fun to get out and have people to celebrate my birthday with me. The only thing missing was Steve.
Not only was the company wonderful, but Lesley had a present for me! She gave me the Jack O'Lantern Scentsy plug in (so cute) and my favorite scent!!!
How cute is this????
When we were done with dinner and dessert, the bill came and instead of letting me pay for me and Gus, they picked up the bill. I was floored. So touched and it was so very thoughtful of them.
I really am overjoyed. I feel so very blessed to be living in this area and I love it here. I was so worried that we'd move and I would have a hard time finding my niche and that it'd never feel like home. Then I joined my MOMS Club and I really have felt at home from the first time I met people... it's just been wonderful.
Lesley is something else. I seriously love her. I clicked with her the minute I met her and I just knew we'd be friends. She's funny, sarcastic, super witty, smart and has opinions on things that are actually based on intelligence, and she's a friend unlike anyone I've ever met. I joke and say she's my soul mate... but she really does have so many things about her that I feel are cosmically (is that a word?) connected to me.
For a really long time, I've wanted to have "couple friends." You know, when you and your spouse are friends with another husband/wife duo. Once Gus came into our lives, I wanted to have friends that also had kids around his age, and we could do things with them... dinners together, movie nights at each other's homes, going out on the weekend and doing fun things together as friends. But, it's been hard finding people here that I think that not only would I want to do things with, but that I think Steve would also have fun. I have friends that I adore, but I don't know how their husbands would get along with Steve (and vice-versa).
I feel like I FINALLY found two people that should be our couple friends. Lesley and her husband Jason. I think Steve and Jason would hit it off... very similar interests and senses of humor. So I am hoping that when Steve and Jason meet this weekend (my MOMS Club has a family night on Saturday), they like each other and then we can start doing some fun things together with them. It'd be nice to have friends here in GA that we both like... and not just me having girlfriends.
I've been fortunate enough to have friends in my life who I have a strong connection with. Aimee, Anne, Wendy, Kristen, Kathryn... these are a few of the people in my life who I just feel a really strong bond with. This isn't to diminish any connections I have with other people, because I have a lot of REALLY good friends... but the above mentioned, are just my top-notch I can (and do) tell anything to kinda people. Lesley is now amongst that group. I think it's a pretty awesome group and while those friends are all very different, they all have something very special about them that draws me in and keeps me there. They've all been there for me during highs and lows... and I trust all of them 100% completely. I don't hold back with them.
Anyway, my day was wonderful because of the thoughtfulness of others and I feel very loved and blessed tonight. I pray that my 36th year is as amazing as last year and only gets better each day forward.
