Birthday Week

As is usually the case, my silence here on the blog is in no way indicative of the cacophony in my life lately! Let's hit the highlights, shall we?

Last week I turned thirty. Thirty years old. I keep looking in the mirror for signs that I'm older. I find myself in (rare) moments of stillness searching for something, some feeling that I've matured, some deep wisdom that has been granted, or even some heavy weight of pressure and responsibility. Thirty. So adult. But I don't feel any different, I don't see or feel any sudden changes. I'm still me. Just me. One more year or one more day. I'm just always me. I really find that more comforting than you'd expect.

Birthday week (and we really did celebrate all week) was awesome! We kicked it off with a little party on Saturday night. Fifteen or so friends both old and new, some of my favorite people in the world, gathered (I should really say squeezed) around a table with good food, great drinks, live music. The evening progressed to our house, where we were equally squeezed, for cake and margaritas and just so much laughter all night long. I felt incredibly loved, and incredibly blessed. As Keith and I saw our last guests out and closed the door behind them a sweet, slow song came on over the iPod and we ended up slow-dancing, sliding around the living room sleepy and content and with hearts very full. And then we turned on a really loud rap song and did a booty-shake dance that scared the kitties, so we chased them all around the house shaking our bums and laughing so, so hard.

On Sunday we got together with friends for the Super Bowl. More great food, more big laughs. Monday night we had the small group over to our house for breakfast-for-dinner and sharing more of our stories with each other. We have been blessed with this amazing group of new friends and this period of getting to know each other, of really taking our time to share our stories with each other one by one has been so rich. I have a lot more to say about it, but I'll leave it for another time.

Tuesday, my actual birthday, required a work trip to Austin for a meeting that lasted all afternoon.But since we were already in Austin, we spent the evening celebrating some more at The Highball and at Alamo Drafthouse. We saw The King's Speech and let me tell you, there is a tight race between The Social Network and The King's Speech for best picture this year in my book. When we got back to Waco there was a huge box waiting for me, full of birthday treats from Mom and Daddy and Grandmom and Pop. Including money for these pretty babies!

On Wednesday Keith received an invitation from Belmont University to come to Nashville for a formal on-campus interview. This is serious!! And we are so excited. Please be praying, he leaves Thursday morning and comes home Friday night, with a pretty intense interview process scheduled in between. Also on Wednesday I was promoted to Marketing Manager at my job. A real honor for me. If we end up leaving Waco this year it's going to be wonderful, but it's also going to be so bittersweet!

On Thursday I was out of the office all day for another meeting (this time in San Marcos) and when I got back the flower fairy had delivered these.

From dear, dear friends! Thanks Erin and Kelly!

From my first true love, my sweet Daddy, who always sends me a gorgeous Valentine!

Thursday night and on through the weekend we tried to keep things pretty low-key, resting and getting things done around the house. Because this week is going to be another really big week as the cacophony continues.