Birthday SURPRISE! and the Adoration of Jenni

Its funny how I have been dreading my birthday so darned much these last few weeks, only to end up with the best birthday celebration of my life. But that's life, isn't it? Just when you think things are no good at all, you find that cloud has a silver lining. Yeah, I'm still one year older, but ringing in year 29 with the biggest surprise of my life (no, I'm not pregnant) was absolutely perfect!

Here's how it all went down... on Friday night, Will told me a pizza delivery guy was on his way (Yay, pizza!) and when he had me go and answer the door, it was none other than the sister of my soul, my best friend since my high school and college days, Jennifer, and her boyfriend John - and they were holding two boxes of pizza (Yay, lots of pizza!).

The last time Jenni and I were able to get together, was two and a half years ago, when Annelie was only six months old. As you might imagine, my shock when I saw her at my door was pretty intense. Yeah, I basically stood there with my jaw dropped for about two minutes, then walked around with a dopey grin for the rest of the weekend.

My birthday day was supposed to go like this:

1. Wake up
2. Make coffee
   
3. Give the kids breakfast
   
4. Kiss my hubs goodbye as he goes off to work
   
5. Putter around the house all day in my pajamas
   
6. Make dinner
   
7. Put kids in bed and sulk that I didn't have an ounce of adult conversation all day long
   
8. The end, day over
   

But instead, it went like this:

1. Wake up to the girls freaking out with excitement because their Auntie Jenni is here (she came while they were sleeping)
2. Eat leftover pizza for breakfast
3. Feel like a princess as Jenni treats me to a shopping day
4. Smile at my cute new shoes

*smile!*

5. Go out to lunch
6. Snap a billion photos during "Cooking with Jenni" class, in which Jenni teaches the girls to make Valentine's Day cupcakes

7. Eat more cupcakes than I should in one sitting and justify every bite because its my birthday
8. Go out to our favorite restaurant for dinner
9. Reminisce about the good ole days of our youth

Like, when we met at age 14

(she'll hate me for posting this picture, but I think its funny.)

10. Listen to lots of music that makes me want to put on a peasant dress and frolic through a field of flowers - such as Mykonos by Fleet Foxes


Jenni has been there for every major event in my life:

• In high school, we were cheerleaders together - me the flier, she the base. My life was literally in her hands and the trust built as a result was huge. I trusted her chuck me in the air as high as my 95lb body could go (pretty high) and still catch me. And she trusted me to not kick her in the face as I came down (in case you are wondering, she dropped me once and I kicked her in the face once... but that's all)
• In college, we had classes together and instead of studying, we planned a trip to Mexico.
• When she moved from California to Okahoma I was devastated to see her go... but we planned a road trip along Route 66 together to turn the move into a happy memory.
• When I studied abroad in England, she flew out to visit, and the two of us traveled through the UK and Europe.
• When I got married, she was my Maid of Honor.
• When she got married, I was her Matron of Honor.
• She's been there through the births of my girls...

• And even though we haven't seen each other for two and a half years, she was even there for us as we bought our first house in September... as our mortgage consultant.

Though I don't do fun stuff for holidays like Valentine's Day... Jenni spoiled us all with heart shaped pancakes for breakfast.

(like my plate? I got a new set of dishes from Will for my birthday!)

I honestly can't imagine a better way to celebrate my birthday. Thank you Will for inviting Jenni and John to stay! Thank you Jenni and John for driving in from out of state to make the start of my year 29 the most memorable birthday ever!

xoxo,