So the day started off at 7:50, when she woke up. She came downstairs where I was making homemade rolls (her request) and after I gave her a birthday hug, she said she had a headache. I reminded her she wasn't planning on getting up for another hour, so why didn't she go back to bed, which she did. (Good thing, as the surprises weren't scheduled until 9!)
Here in order were her surprises:
9 - breakfast in bed,(cinnamon rolls) with presents of a new watch and fabulous smelling soaps and her homemade card.
10- new turquoise table and lime green rug for her room, which she loved. The chair - not so much, so returned that later in the day.
11- a massage at the Baltimore Wellness Center with our friend, Claire. She loved this! Afterwards she kept saying, "I feel as light as a feather."
12 noon - out to lunch at her favorite restaurant, Cosi
1 - home to pick up the chair to return, open some small gifts from her family, and get her grandparents' card with cash for a shopping trip to the mall
2 - While shopping (and finding a darling new dress and long white shirt that both look fabulous on her,) she received an I-tunes gift card and then got her ears pierced.
3:20ish ( we were late with all the fun we were having at the mall!) she had a cute
balloon tied to her dinner chair and received more clothes, which she loved!
4- We blindfolded her and our whole family jumped in the Suburban for her next surprise. We thought we had pulled it off, when she said, upon entering the airport, "I know those bumps on the road," referring to the 15mph speed bumps - and I could only think to myself why did I not think of this?! Anyhow, she kept her blindfold on, and I hopped out, and sent out the next surprise:
Cowgirl in the flesh!
MyGirl was surprised! She was speechless for a few seconds - "You came all the way from Utah??? I thought you were with Grandma??" (Yes, on the way to the airport!) It made her feel loved for sure! (Although, we know deep down, she had been hoping perhaps for a trip to Disneyworld, it was still Good!)
5 - A Vera Bradley journal from Cowgirl and the homemade rolls were ready!
6- Dinner and a homemade icecream/brownie cake, as she requested.
7- A new movie to watch together
8 - A picture of the Eiffel tower to go with her bright room
9 - A CD from her Daddy featuring songs fathers sing to daughters - really sweet, with Butterfly Kisses being the first one.
Where was the camera during all the evening activities? Forgotten, in the joy of being a family of six all together again. Truly I was just savoring the moments.
She loved her day. She was surprised and she will remember this day always.
The next week we all had lots of fun with Cowgirl, and us girls, especially did lots together.
We went back to the Azalea garden. This time there were fewer blooms, but the evening was perfect and we enjoyed walking around together.
We gardened, watched Little Buddy's baseball game, went to BigBuddy's high school concert, shopped, cooked, went out to eat, stayed up late talking, played a lot of games together, just everything a good week with the girls should be. All the kids all went out on Fri. by themselves to play ball and have a picnic while Mike and I went out for our own date night. The girls then had their own sleepover, with late night karaoke, nail painting, hair, and make-up sessions, and lots of laughter. Finally, after all these years, they are great friends, and when it was time for Cowgirl to go, she was mourned and missed, and still is! Especially by MyGirl.
It proved the adage that its never too late to work on a relationship. After 16 years, this one that had been growing slowly for so long finally blossomed brightly.
It was a great blessing for me to watch them love each other and enjoy the strength of sisterhood.
In all the good, there have been several challenges too. One, though, requires the collective prayers of others, so I share it here, and that is for the recovery of my dear friend, Amy, who suffered from not one but two strokes, of unknown causes. She is finally in rehabilitation this week, but its been an emotional roller coaster. I have to thank the Lord for letting us keep her longer in our lives. My children call her Aunt Amy, she has been so good to them. We all went to visit her on Fast Sunday and it was sweet. As a friend my life has been richly blessed by her love and wisdom. She still has many struggles. I pray for her daily. Life is good, but it is fragile. We are blessed but we endure hard trials. In ALL these things, we can only put our hand in the larger clasp of God and hold on tightly, hanging on when the road is bumpy as He somehow gets us to keep going when its easier to collapse in a puddle and quit. How can we thank Him enough for never giving up on us? For always being there in the darkest nights? I want to use my blog to praise Him more. He IS my rock and my salvation!
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