Balistic Birthday Weekend! :D

(Landon with his Valentine from Daycare. He loved it!)

I truly was dreading my birthday weekend. I almost cried at work a few times the week leading up to it because it was so depressing. My friends that were supposed to spend my birthday with me either got asked out by some guys or had guys come to see them, and I am the odd duck out in my family because everyone else is married. So I was just getting down in my "woe is me" moment.... little did I know what my birthday weekend would entail the fun filled, laugh until I ran to the bathroom, exhausted from doing so much in one day excitement!

I had a couple of visitors at work on Friday. Tiffany came down and gave me a couple of awesome balloons (that Landon is still playing with a week later!) and a card from everyone at work. Then Cheryl popped in and looked like she could have been from a flower/gift delivery place with all the things she had. She is so thoughtful and loving, there's no doubt she's my adopted sister. I love her to pieces. After giving her a little look around at my place (which she's never come to see me at before) she gave me a hug and left me with all the things she'd brought in! Balloons, candy, dove chocolates, card, tea lights, a gorgeous "Family" picture frame, and a huge smile that was left in her wake.

Then I found out that my sisters, Jenny and Leah, with my niece Samantha, planned to take me out to see the movie, He's Just Not That Into You on Friday night! I was so happy to just do something. It was so much fun and I loved the movie although it was raunchy in 2 spots... the theme of the movie was great though, especially for me! I loved GiGi's relationship and friendship with Alex and how that all happened. It was my favorite! Sam watched the kids for us so that we could go without the distractions that always come with kids in theaters. :) But what surprised me even more is when I showed up at the Leah's house to join the group going, Sam gave me a orange rose! I was so shocked that he would be that thoughtful. I was touched and grateful that my brother-in-law thought of me even with all th chaos that was going on that weekend! Thanks Sam again!

I went home and read some of Breaking Dawn after Landon was down for the night and then went to sleep. Landon kept having bad dreams that night and kept climbing into bed with me, so when I heard a knock on the door (after many text messages from Family and Friends wishing me happy birthday) I had to scoot my arm from under his head (which woke him up anyways) and stumble to the door to see who the heck was knocking! My landlady usually waits till midday, but when I looked through the peep hole, it wasn't Sandy. I opened the door and was wincing from how bright it was! My mom stood there in the doorway with a huge smile on her face and said, Happy Birthday! Your surprise! Then she jestered toward my brother-in-law, David's, truck with something wrapped in tarp and tied down... I couldn't recognize what it was until my mom said it... my grandma's piano! We have been trying for ages to get that thing over here from my mom's house to mine. I was the only one of the girls that took an interest in learning to play the piano, and after Landon was born and crawling around I invested in piano lessons that just started me off! But I was sooooooooo surprised! I couldn't believe it! I loved the shock factor, but hated the bed head and pajama attire I was in. Landon of course out of a dead sleep too, flung himself into his NaNa's arms and was a pill the rest of the day. :)

Afterward my mom told me she was staying with me for a couple of nights and going to church with me the next day. I was giving a talk in church in Sacrament Meeting about Fulfilling the Purpose of the Relief Society and thoroughly enjoyed studying for it and preparing for the horrible onslaught of nervous, trembling voice and shaky, sweaty palms, but felt a little better now that I knew my mom was going to be in the audience. :) Plus she offered to come with me to Ellensburg on Sunday morning (which I will forever be grateful for) because it was a little awkward to meet James' friend. Thanks mom for always making me laugh when I don't know what to do. :) I was so happy on Saturday morning, that I felt like I could burst from the inside out. I got ready and hurried to make it over to Leah's house so that we could take the kids to feed the ducks at the pond by the Columbia River.

We ran errands, ate McDonald's and laid the kids down for nap, went to the park to feed the ducks and picked up a flower delivery from my home teachers which was as sweet as they come! Thank you Brother Smith and Aaron! Then my mom dropped me off at Famous Daves to have dinner with Leah, Thomas, Jenny, Sam, and Maria and her husband. We had such good laughs there as well as AMAZING RIBS and CORN BREAD!!!!

and then went to go take the kids out bowling , but nixed that idea and went for Baskin Robbins instead because of the 40 minute wait with 5 kids.... not happening. It was so fun. Then home afterward and sleep soon following a little more last minute studying on my talk.

That night I found out from my ex that he was going to be bringing a friend of his... well not any friend, a friend who was a girl. hahaha... I can laugh about it now, but at the moment I was angry. I didn't know why I was angry, but I was. I was sideswiped and didn't see it coming and in less than 10 hours would be faced with seeing her. James told me that she was a lesbian and the one who watches Landon when he works at the male gay bar as a bouncer on Saturday nights when he has Landon. That sounds so weird to say out loud... definitely not something that I ever thought I would have to say. So I was kinda wanting to meet the person who watched my son when he wasn't with his father, but in his father's care; and at the same time I wish that I didn't have to cross that road yet. I guess you are never "ready" to have your ex bring a member of the opposite sex with them regardless. It went fine of course. Landon was so happy to see his Dad though... he's not seen him since before Halloween, so it was long overdue! He was extatic to see him and it was good to see him excited to go with his father.

So we get back from Ellensburg on Sunday morning and I made some last minute corrections to my talk, and we got ready for church at 1pm. We went and I gave my talk, hurried to put together a lesson for the YW's MiaMaids and then before I knew it Church was over. We went over to Leah's house and had a family birthday gathering. We celebrated Jenny's, Linzey's and my birthdays together. It was nice and fun. I was filled with the tuna casserole before the BBQ meat was already done. Then everyone dispersed and mom and I called it an early night. We got home around 6:45 and my mom was out around 8pm. I went to sleep at 9pm... that is a record in my book, but my body thought it felt like 3am... funny huh? The one night I can do whatever I want because I don't have Landon, I slept.

My birthday was filled with surprises, family, laughs, smiles, dancing, and playing the piano for the first time in a long time. It was good and I don't think it could have gotten any better. Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday and made it special for me! You are awesome sweethearts!