Bithday Smirthday.....

This past Saturday I celebrated my 31st birthday. Now all of you KNOW how I LOVE throwing and having parties but I do NOT like getting one for myself and I do not like people giving me gifts. I HATE surprises, it is one of my many control issues lol...That is why I was so THANKFUL Shane was OUT OF TOWN lol, sad I know but it is the little things HA!

Well apparently my daughter has been bitten w/the same party and gift giving thing that I have...I knew she had been asking questions and stuff but I was ok b/c I just KNEW Shane would not be available for her to use lol...However, I did NOT think about Shane's sister by another mother living down the road, aka STEPHANIE!!! On Saturday morning Paige came home from a "sleepover" at Lillies w/gifts and a cake. She had Stephanie take her on a shopping spree, where she spent her OWN money for my gifts, makes me tear up again typing this...Then w/help from Stephanie her and Lillie baked and iced my cake, otay cry w/me you know you want to lol....

She knows how PRACTICAL her momma is and bought all the things that I LOVE, p.j. bottoms, slippers, and lotion. She also knew I had been complaining about Kempton stressing me out, whoops, so she bought me a STRESS PACK lol (smells good by the way)...Lillie made me some really SPECIAL little cards that CRACKED me up, that girl is crazy like my Hayden!!! She is all about Beetlejuice and all over the card it said, "Let's chew on a dog"....and a whole lot of other funny Lillie phrases....

As if all of that was NOT enough my daughter gave me the BEST birthday card I have EVER received....I asked her if she picked it out herself, she replied yes, and I asked why she picked it...and she said b/c momma this is you...This is what it says....

MOTHER, YOU'RE LOVED AND APPRECIATED

CHILDREN DO NOT REALIZE

As children, we can't eomprehend or fully realize

The meaning of a mother's love,

how tender and how wise,

Her patience and her guidance,

her helpful, caring ways,

The special, thoughtful things

she does

to brigthen up the days.

Years go by, before we know

the depth of her concern,

The love in her ptrotectiveness-

it takes so long to learn...

But as we grow we understand,

for we look back and see,

Through older eyes and wiser hearts,

her love and loyalty.

It's these and many other things

that make her grow more dear,

More admired more appreciated

with every passing year.

You're a wonderful mother.

Your're a beautiful person.

You listen with your heart.

You're always giving.

You derserve the best.

Happy Birthday with Love

I LOVE YOU MOMMA. DADDY DOES TOO. HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT B-DAY!

LOVE,

PAIGE, HAYDEN, KEMPTON

THIS FROM MY 11 YEAR OLD, WOW.....Over the past 3 weeks I have been short, cranky, stressed out, etc....and this would NOT have been a card I picked out for my mom had she been as cantankerious (sp?) as I have been w/them....I had been feeling like a COMPLETE FAILURE as a parent, I STRUGGLE w/that thought daily...I could do better, I could be this, or I could be that.....but then God shows yet more mercy on me and sends my child to say, HEY YOU'RE NOT MESSING THEM UP TO BADLY lol...I really needed that card for many more reasons than listed above, b/c Paige is who I worry the most about. She is the oldest and has SEEN and HEARD more than the other 2, she has NOT always been raised in a LOVING home so I give this moment to GOD....I THANK him, yet again, for all the grace, mercy, peace, love, etc...that is continually poured out over me. I THANK Him for a daughter who is beautiful not only on the outside but on the INSIDE where it counts....How she has managed to be who she is in the midst of all my craziness is another God thing and I give Him COMPLETE and TOTAL praise for her spirit. I also THANK Him for a wonderful friend, even though she is SNEAKY!! Relationships have not always been my strong suit but now I see them as more evidence that He is still working on me and growing me more and more...So this I think was my BESTEST birthday ever :-)