Happy 39th Birthday!

Wow, who doesn't love Facebook on your birthday! I'm very thankful that Facebook does the birthday thing. I don't think I've ever had so many people wish me a Happy Birthday in the 39 years I've been around. Thanks so much!

Reflecting back some of my best birthdays were as a child. My parents always did a great job of letting me know that I was special and important to them. My mom would always bake me a cake and turn it into whatever form I'd like....a clown, a teddy bear, a cat. Thanks Mom! I also remember that I could have friends over and have decorations and the like. My dad would be a clown at many of my parties or he would bring the firetruck home so we could play on it. Dad, thanks for always being the life of the party! My brother would always get to bring "one" of his friends to my party. He's a cool guy and I love him alot. Thanks Billy, for being the best brother a sister could ask for!

I think after I had my Sweet 16th Skate Party at Skatetown things started to change after that.

What is it about getting beyond 16..... I think birthdays change.

I remember my 19th birthday because I was a new mom with a beautiful baby girl that was 3 weeks and 2 days old.

I remember looking forward to my 21st birthday, so I could legally do some things that I was already doing. What's funny is after I turned 21, those things weren't that big a deal after that.

Age 30 wasn't that big a deal, probaby because I was still 17 in a lot of ways in my mind.

Age 32, I remember being in Fredonia, New York, which is where I'm originally from with my parents and my new husband, Daniel Bennett. He bought me a pair of gold hoop earrings that had a row of diamonds in them. I loved the gift so much that when I lost one of them at Destin Beach a year after, I had the other one made into a ring so I could wear it on my finger. It's the only other ring that I wear other than my wedding ring. Went to Niagara Falls with my parents and got to go up into (can't remember the name) this really tall restaurant that overlooks the falls on the U.S. and Canada sides. My parents watched Breeanna so we could go up there.

I remember my 35th birthday, my husband threw me a surprise party at the church. I'm thankful that I'm still friends with all the people that were there.

I started writing a journal July 2006, so I do have a journal entry for my 36th birthday. It doesn't say what I did but it does show me that I was questioning who God is and what I mean to him.

What I remember about my 37th birthday, because I have pictures, is that I had a mickey mouse cake made by Marilyn Gingerich. She makes the best cakes, Sorry Manga!

Last year, my 38th, I went to work with Daniel and got to go shopping. The only reason I remember that is because I made a journal entry about it.

So, in hopes to not forget today.......Today, my 39th birthday, I woke up knowing that God loves me even before I was made, Daniel loves me even if I don't do one thing for him today, my parents love me even though I know I've disappointed them throughout the years, my children love me even though I'm not a perfect parent, my grandson loves me because he thinks I look funny and he knows I'll feed him when he's in my care, my friends love me because if you are my friend then I've shared my inner thoughts with you and you still want to hang out with me and thanks to Facebook, I know that people are thinking of me today!

I woke up at 6:00a.m, took a shower, walked into kitchen to a fresh cup of coffee and 2 cards. One from my parents, who are in New York, that had the flash dance music inside and one from my husband that had Simply Irresistible music inside. I might be an 80's kid!

I went to work with Daniel today. (I'd much rather work with him on my birthday then be without him!) We rode to Mobile, Alabama so he could go to the Choice Books warehouse and load up on books. Breeanna was with us. I enjoyed checking my husband's phone periodically to see who on Facebook wished me a Happy Birthday. Last count was 30 people. Wow.

Went to KFC for lunch, what's cool about that is I remember my Grandpa Pelton taking me to KFC alot when I was little, so it was good to think of him today.

Went to the Belair Mall in Mobile and bought 2 shirts from the Disney store for $3.20 a piece, went to New York and Co and bought a dress and an outfit with money from my parents. Bree was my assistant. She picked everything out for me to try on, she is a card!

Left the mall got in a traffic jam trying to get out of Mobile. Talked to Dianna, my 20 year old, on the phone and she said, "Did you see what I posted on my Facebook wall this a.m.?" No, I didn't, so I checked that out and got a little teary eyed. She wrote, "So let's see....39 years ago today one of the most amazing women EVER was born. She's a beautiful woman of God, a devoted wife, and one of the best moms that my sister and I could have ever asked for. (And yes, in that order!) She has always supported me and loved me unconditionally no matter what. She's honest, passionate, perfectly imperfect, and still is living loved by the King!!! I love you, mom!! Happy Birthday!"

That was cool!

Received an e-card from Dara which was very funny!

Received a phone call from Chris P.

Again, received many Happy Birthdays on facebook and some very sweet comments from some very great friends!

Met my brother, Billy, his wife, Dee and my niece, Lily at Cancuns Mexican Restaurant in Chipley for dinner. Yes, I wore the hat and they sang to me! I got 2 cases of pepsi products from my brother, Go Pepsi and Go Billy and Go Dee for the sacrifice! LilyAnna made me a card with the help of her mama!

Breeanna, my 8 year old, asked me if I had a good day. I said, yes, because I spent it with 2 of my most favorite people. She said, "You mean 3, God, me and daddy."

Finally, back home at 9:00p.m. Reflecting.....

I woke up this morning not expecting anything and God allowed this birthday to be the best birthday I've had yet because HE showed me through the people that I do relationships with that I'm getting something right. This is so awesome because I am someone who wants to get it right but never thinks that I have. Thank you God for making me!

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--how well I know it.......You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" Psalms 139 13-18 (NLT)

Living Loved,

Elizabeth-7-16-09