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Today was my birthday.  It's one of my favorite days of the year.  Cuz it's all about me.  And I don't even care how selfish that sounds.

Last year on my birthday I did something I'd never done before.  I threw myself a surprise birthday party.  It was fantastic.

This year I'm doing something I never did before.  I'm spending my birthday in Atlanta.  My sister, her two littles, and I are staying with my brother and sister-in-law.

If you read between the lines there this is what you heard:  I have 0 people I need to take care of.  In fact, I spent the whole day relaxing.  I didn't do anything for anybody.

Here's the run down of how my day went:

12:00 am:  We're in the car almost to Atlanta

12:11 am: Tiana finally remembers to say "Happy Birthday!"

12:54 am: We arrive at Travis and Nell's

2:04 am: I'm laying in bed, sending a happy birthday email to my friend, Rachael.  

3:40 am: I recieve a happy birthday text from Larry.  Thankfully my phone is on silent and I remain dead to the world

6:01 am: I recieve a happy birthday text from Shandella.  See above.

6:45 am: Little girls wake up so big girls do too.

7:15 am: I get breakfast in bed

I forget the rest of the times but here's what else went down today:

I recieved one million "happy birthday"s on facebook and smiled over each one.  Thank you!

I took a long hot shower and someone barged in on me. This made me feel like I was at home.

I drank coffee from a super cool mug.

I went for a walk with my sister and nieces.  There were daffodils, hyacinths, and forsythia blooming.  Be still my heart.

I went to a park with my sister, sister-in-law, and nieces.  We met two brothers named Kye and Cole.

      

                                             

                                                                     

We came home, had lunch, and took naps.

We started watching "Frozen".

I talked to my peeps on the phone.  One child wanted to know everything I ate today.  I wanted to lie and say all fruits and veggies but I told the truth: donuts, cheetos, and chicken salad.  I'm old enough to make my own bad decisions.

Trav made us some deep dish pizza for supper.  And also cocktails.

Then we just chilled.

I'm now enjoying what is often my favorite part of the day.  The time that I am alone.

I LOVE the people I spent time with today.  And the people I couldn't be with physically but who I talked to on the phone or via text or facebook.

I really do love people.  I mean, the ones that I know.  I know the best people.

But I still crave that alone time.  I guess it's the way I am wired.  

So, I'm laying here in the dark on my brother's couch, pounding out a blog post and thinking of all of you with warm fuzzies in my heart.  Thank you all for making me feel so loved and special today!  And let's get this one last thing straight:  age is just a number.  I'm never gonna be old.

I Should Be...

It's not putting away groceries this time.  I should be doing a million other things.  You see, in 50 hours I am leaving my family for a week.  My sister, her two sweet babies, and I are leaving for a road trip.  Headed south to Atlanta to see our brother and sister-in-law.  Then over to Savannah to see Tiana's in-laws and meet a new little baby. 

And we are excited!!!

And I should be packing, doing laundry, making food, checking things off my list.

But instead I am blogging.  Because I am overwhelmed. 

 I may have sent my sister a text this morning saying this: "As soon as I woke up this morning my mind went crazy with everything I need to do in the next two days and I ended up in a fetal position wondering how I'll ever get it all done."

Sometimes I like to be dramatic.

So I tried to start packing.  Have you ever wondered how a (self diagnosed) person with ADD prepares for a week away?  The answer is this:  in piles.

Oh, sweet Jesus, I need your help.

In addition to the piles of stuff, I have piles of emotion.

In one pile we have excitement.  Tiana and I have never road tripped together.  Clearly, we are both amazingly fun and so this will be EPIC.

Also, as much as I love my kids, it will be refreshing to have a break from them.  Not gonna lie, yesterday at church I went to the bathroom just to get away from them.  Judge me however you will.

Thirdly, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY ON THURSDAY!!!!!  I love my birthday, I love being the center of attention on that day.  If you do not text me or wish me a happy birthday on Facebook I will know and remember forever.  The end.

In another emotion pile we have stress and tangled thoughts.  This is why I need lists.  They are my savior.  Ok, Jesus is my savior.  But lists are his right hand man.  Deep breath, it'll all get done.  Probably.

The last emotion pile is sadness.  This one didn't crop up until 2 or 3 days ago.  It's been 12.5 years since I've been away from Larry for this long.  5.75 years since I've been away from my oldest three kids for this long.  NEVER have I been away from Jake for a whole week.

I'm gonna miss my peeps.

But someone else is going to make food for me all week so that brings me right back around to the excitement pile :)

Hospitality Part 2

This morning I read a cross reference for Romans 12:13.

Matthew 25:35 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in."

Which prompted these thoughts:

Hospitality is not a 4 course meal.  Hospitality is not champagne and caviar.  Hospitality is not perfectly decorated, perfectly clean, perfectly PERFECT.

I have been hospitable and been offered hospitality in a variety of different ways.  The following examples involve many of you, do you remember?

Hospitality is drinking coffee on the front porch rockers.

Hospitality is sipping tea at the kitchen island with dirty dishes in the sink.

Hospitality is chatting while you pick strawberries under the warm spring sun.

Hospitality is sharing a frozen pizza while talking about life.

Hospitality is a quinoa and egg casserole at the dinning room table with the pink carpet strewn with toys.

Hospitality is taking a nap on a black leather couch after an early morning airport run.

Hospitality is laying on the floor using your friend's laptop while they fold laundry.

Hospitality is Lucky Charms and couch cushion forts.

Hospitality is chocolate cake with applesauce and a game of skipbo.

Hospitality is sandwiches with fresh garden lettuce.

Hospitality is brownie sundaes and decaf coffee.

Hospitality is a campfire and hot dog buns that taste like mothballs.

Hospitality is popcorn and games and 9 noisy kids on a snowy night.

Hospitality is soaking up the sun sitting by the pool.

Hospitality is sitting around a big table with a bunch of girls, jalapeno popper quiche, and cinnamon rolls.

Hospitality is a sleep over in your Jr High youth leaders basement and watching a movie you'll never forget.

What is your favorite way you've been offered hospitality?