The BIG 3-0!

Somebody, specifically, the love of my life, my better half, the string to my balloon, the breather of life to my crazy ideas, the listener to all my dreams, and the dreamer who dreams them with me, the most amazing man I have ever met in my whole life, who keeps pointing me to Jesus, and who keeps forgiving me, who I have more respect for than any other man on the face of this earth, is 30 today. 

When he kissed me goodbye this morning, I said, "You are thirty! You are thirty! We are getting old." And he smiled back at me and said, "We are getting old together." 

Yes, we are getting old together, and it is wonderful.

The birthday boy had a practice softball game last night. The children and I decided we wanted to surprise him with cupcakes at the game.

My little Betty Crocker whipped up approximately 50 cupcakes yesterday. We topped them with chocolate icing and big white sprinkles, arranged them on a giant tray, and loaded them and our largest cooler (filled with roughly 75 bottles of water) into the back of my car. We quickly cleaned up all evidence and while waiting for The Engineer's arrival, crossed our hearts and promised not to breath a WORD of the surprise to him.

Of course, Little Man could NOT contain himself. Though he didn't give away what the surprise was, he made it clear there was a surprise...involving candy. So I whipped out a hidden bag of twizzlers and acted like it was the great surprise, which brought on tears and adamant insistence from Little Man that "dat is NOT de supwise!" 

However, we did manage to surprise The Engineer. He didn't know what the surprise was until we arrived at the ball field. Success.

It was great fun. Sister passed out cupcakes and napkins and water to everyone who would accept, including a few strangers.

Meanwhile, the men played ball and the children ran around having splendid adventures of the most unique type. Little Man had terrific plans to wear his vest, and only his vest. However, when I saw the vest hit a bit high and revealed belly button and a whole lotta skin, much to his chagrin, I insisted he wear the shirt, too.

The toddlers enjoyed the cupcakes, perhaps, more than any other age group.

I couldn't get Little Bit to look up. She was far to preoccupied with picking up and eating every crumb off the ground.

Post cupcakes, she found a marvelous stash of sunflower shells beneath the bleachers. And put some in her mouth. 

When the game was over, the men gathered round and sang Happy Birthday to The Engineer. He was embarrassed and I think very thankful. Birthdays make me cry. The goodness of God in keeping us, protecting us, preserving us, and giving us this wonderful gift of life. A gift I so often take for granted. 

Dear Engineer, I love you with all my heart! You are a good man. I have never had such profound respect for any other man in all my life. I thank God for you and the wisdom He has given you. I pray He gives us many, many, many more years together. 

Psalm 34:3 "Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together."

And now, birthday wishes from the chidlren:

From Sister: I hope you have a good day at work. I love you. I hope you get home faster than my bike. Happy Birthday, birthday boy! Bye!

From Little Man: Dad, can I please ride my bike when you get back home and I hope you have a good time while you're at work. Thank you Mommy and Daddy for my new bike. And thank you that Dad got to go to the softball game and thank you that my friend didn't have his cleats on 'cause I didn't have my cleats on and I wore my crocs, actually my flip flops. And thank you that Dad gave me that bike. Thank you that Mommy is still here and that everyday she is with me and Sister except when she goes to a baby shower. And I am eating a cup cake. Dear God, I hope my Dad doesn't get killed while he's at work from a shark or shark tooth. Or up in heaven yet. Amen. And thank you because he has teeth on his head. haaa haa haaaa! (big smile) (FYI, the bike was a Christmas gift from the grands and the great-grands...not mama and daddy.)

From Little Bit: Daaaaaa daaaaa!!!!!