Weekend Review: Party Time

This weekend we celebrated the birthday of one of my dear friends.  Lemme tell ya, this girl knows how to party!  Here's a pic of me in my outfit for the evening.  I picked this dress because it is Ashley's favorite.

And check us out here.  Between the two of us, we could open a dimple factory!  Or at least a teeth whitening business!

Although exhausting, this weekend was a great one.  I got to spend time with friends, meet new people, and eat some good food.  My Wolverines barely squeaked out a victory last night, and the Cowboys won this afternoon.  I hope your weekend was enjoyable.  Here's to another week!

*SJ*

Another Trip Around the Sun

I just got home from my birthday dinner.  My sister made my favorite - taco salad, and lemon cake by special request.  Best gift of the evening goes to my niece, Zoe, who is 7.  

Check out this adorable birthday card she made me.  Simple message, and one *I* forget all too often.  Meant so much to see it in her handwriting, though.

BTW, in case you were wondering what on earth is going on in the picture to the right: my sister is always giving me clothes and shoes that she doesn't wear anymore.  Pretty great sister, huh?  Well, she had a basket for me today, and the girls were walking around in the shoes - wearing their jammies, of course.  Zoe decided they needed to sit on the ottoman and fan themselves like "fancy ladies" so that is what is happening there.

These kids crack me up!  I am truly so fortunate to have them in my life.  I love watching them grow up into little people with personalities and ideas.  This was a great birthday, and I think this might be the Year of the Princess!

*SJ*

For Sarah Jane, On the Eve of Her 34th Year

Good Heavens, Girl!

What a year it has been!  You've seen unimaginable heartbreak, experienced anger, loss, and overwhelming acceptance.  365 days ago, you were on your way to Happily Ever After.  How could you have possibly known the year you would have?

It's been hard.  There have been tears - A LOT of tears.  But you're sitting here today, and you're a more whole person than you've been in a long time.  Maybe ever.  So many people are proud of you.  *I* am proud of you.  Here are a few reasons why:

*You are faithfully attending and involved in church
*You've lived on your own for almost a year
*You are learning who you are, and you really LOVE that girl
*You are surrounding yourself with people who are good for you
*You know your worth - and demand it
*You are stronger than anyone gave you credit for
*You haven't let the hard times get you down.  Instead, you have found true joy by realizing that not every experience has to be a 'happy' one to be a 'good' one.

Sarah Jane, I am excited and terrified for what this year has in store.  Each day is a fresh start.  A new chance to do great things and be great.  You have a great God to help you.  Look to Him, learn from Him.  Use the godly women He has placed in your life to help you.  YOU ARE HIS.

A few more reminders:
~~"The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain.  The Lord your God will bless you in the land He is giving you." --Deuteronomy 28:8

~~"I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning." --J.B. Priestly

~~"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore. Dream. Discover." --attributed to Mark Twain

~~"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." --Proverbs 16:9

~~"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter.  Try again.  Fail again.  Fail better." --Samuel Beckett

Don't forget to be good to yourself.  Be good to others.  Be great.  Be brave.  Happy Birthday, Princess.

*SJ*

Pre-Birthday Present

Birthdays are a big deal for me. I'm not particularly close to my family, so holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving are uncomfortable at best, depressing at worst. However, when I started dating Jay many moons ago, he always made a big deal about my birthday. We always went somewhere great for dinner, and the festivities usually included a big shopping spree.


Now that we're not together anymore, I knew better than to expect a big shopping spree this year. However, he still did something completely over-the-top and generous for me this year. He knew I had been talking about buying myself an iPad. In fact, I even took him to the Apple Store one day to test drive one and show him what it was all about.


Well, several days ago, I decided the nearly $800 price tag was too steep for me right now, and I really ought to do something more responsible with the money I had been saving. So I decided to buy a Barnes & Noble Nook for now and keep saving my money to pay off some other things.

Jay actually took me to B & N and paid for half of my Nook as my birthday present!!


And of course, I had to get a protective case for it. If you know me, you know I am a gadget geek. However, I am also a klutz! Hence, the need for the case. This one was designed by Johnathan Adler and I was drawn to it immediately.

I can't wait to start reading on my Nook. I was hesitant to get an eReader at first. To me, there's just something about turning the pages of a book, ya know? But now that I've had a chance to play with one a few times, I really think I'm going to like it.

Do you have an eReader? Do you like it? What are you reading now?

*SJ*