Happy Birthday, Mama!

Today is my sweet Mama's birthday.

I am so blessed to have a Mama like her.  

Happy Birthday, Mama!!  I hope your day has been wonderful, and I love you bunches!

Be Happy

Today is my Daddy's birthday.



Daddy, you are a one-of-a-kind, amazing person.



Be happy.















Thank you for being so wonderful!  I love you and wish you every happiness, today and always.  Happy, Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday, Ginger!!

Today is my sister, Ginger's birthday! I have never known a time without her, since she is several years (we won't say how many) older than me. :D I am so thankful and blessed to have always had her presence throughout my life.
She was my first friend (along with my brother, Ricky).  Although I was a really small, bratty, annoying friend.  :D

And now she is my best friend.

We have so much fun together.







I celebrate her, today and always.



Happy, Happy Birthday, Ginger!!  I love you!!

Beautiful

She would have been 89 today.



And I miss her.

Her smile, her eyes, her laugh. I miss holding her hand and hugging her. I always will. But her presence is still here. Not in the physical form, but her spirit and her love are easily felt.

We were blessed beyond measure to have had her with us as long as we did. It is still hard to let her go.



She sure did make this place beautiful.

But her beauty remains, and her golden thread will never break. Happy Birthday, beautiful lady.

Happy Birthday, Brian

The clock and calendar have brought us here again, to his birthday.



He is, of course, my very best friend. He balances me, motivates me, supports me, and loves me through both the shadows and the sunshine. I am beyond blessed to have this wonderful man in my life and to call him my husband.

Today, I celebrate him and everything he is to me, which is, well, everything.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Brian! I love you beyond measure.

Spark

Today is my sweet Mama's birthday! She is my spark, the lighter of my fire.



She taught me so much that aligns with this wonderful quote. She is my hero, she is full of fire and life. What an amazing role model she has been and continues to be.



On her birthday and always, I love and admire this amazing woman and I celebrate her. She is extraordinary.



Happy Birthday, sweet Mama!! I love you bunches!!

How Beautiful It All Is

Today is my Daddy's birthday! He is amazing.

image credit: freya art

This art reminds me of him--his protection, guidance, and love for me and my brother and sister. He has shown and continues to show us how beautiful it all is. His devotion and love for his family are unyielding. Today, I celebrate this man and all he means to me.

Happiest of Happy Birthdays to you, Daddy!!
I love you!!

In Praise And Celebration

Today is my big sister Ginger's birthday.

(That's her on the right--this photo is of us around 1980.)

Although there is a 10-year age difference between us, we always say we are twins born 10 years apart. We share thoughts, finish each other's sentences and are best friends. A few years ago, she gave me a book for Christmas, titled In Praise And Celebration Of Sisters and I adore it. There is a passage that reminds me of us, and of the bond we share. I thought I would share it today, in honor of her birthday:

"The bond between us was not made from flowers and loving sentiments - but sitting on each other's heads, borrowing each other's things, arguing in whispers in the early hours. From secrets, silly and serious, that had to be kept from Mum. From last-minute coaching for examinations - resentful and desperate. From shoutings and tears. From gigglings and raucous laughter. From plottings and from dire and dreadful threats and warnings.
We are grown now, established - but still I hear your voice in memory.
'Oh, don't be so ridiculous!'
'Don't be so wimpish. Stand up for yourself!'
'Think.'
'Sleep on it.'
'Cheer up, old love. Be brave, I'm right behind you.'
And you are. Always."
--Pam Brown



Happy, Happy Birthday to the most amazing sister. Our bond is forever, of love and devotion and protection. You are mine and I am yours. I love you!

Thirty-Four Means Celebrate More

Today is my 34th birthday. I have been celebrating all weekend, however. I read in the Birthday Rulebook that this is perfectly acceptable. I might continue the celebration all week!

On Saturday, our dear friends, Tia and Ken, came up for what Tia and I had deemed "Tia And Ami Day 2011". Her birthday is on January 17th, so we just sort of met in the middle and went out for a very nice dinner at Grits Cafe in Forsyth, GA. It was AMAZING!! Their tagline is "Southern Food With Flair" and it really was. Tia and I both had the Praline Chicken, which is pecan coated chicken, stuffed with forest mushrooms and spinach, with a goat cheese potato croquette. Yes. It was probably the best thing I've ever eaten. The wait staff was superb, and they even observed that we were celebrating a birthday (somehow they only noticed my birthday) and brought me a complementary dessert--chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream, with hot fudge sauce and a sprig of mint. Divine. Here is a collage of pics from the evening.

From Blog Pics

Then, on Sunday, my family had a wonderful birthday dinner for me! My Daddy made his awesome baked spaghetti and Mama made her should-be world-famous chocolate cake with homemade, cooked chocolate icing. It was awesome as usual!! Here are a few pics from that day:

From Blog Pics

Brian took today off to spend the day with me today, on my actual birthday. We slept really late, then he made pop tarts with candles (aww)! I had a lazy day and watched TV, listened to the rain and just enjoyed doing nothing. I got some beautiful cards from my family and Brian. Facebook told me it was my birthday and so many awesome people left me sweet birthday wishes on my wall (thanks, y'all!). Brian and I went out to get Chinese food for supper, grabbed a lottery ticket from Kroger (birthday luck?) and finished off the evening with some birthday apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Definitely an indulgent day!

From Blog Pics

My sweet sister wrote a lovely blog post about me here and Brian did, as well. I am so blessed!!

So, my 34th year is off to a great start! Thank you to everyone who made my whole weekend and birthday so special!!