Another Year Older . . .

. . . But thankfully not deeper in debt!  ;-)  Michael asked me earlier this month what I wanted for my birthday.  My answer?  These people celebrating with me!

My beloved, our friend Arnold, our sister Allison (in the blue), & her friend Catherine (who we really like & were so happy she could join us) 

Michael had a hard time catching me with my eyes open.  Apparently, I close them when I smile or laugh.  Which I did a lot this particular evening.

 Sweet T & Angie - such precious ladies!

Lynn (you should visit her blog) & Sweet T (whom you've heard a lot about!) 

Leslie - pretty in pink (you should visit her blog, too!) 

Amber & Brett - proud new parents of a handsome baby boy!  One of Michael's favorite words to describe me is "feisty"; Amber's feisty like me!  ;-) 

Is this not the most precious couple?!  This is Jon & Sommer - Yep!  That Sommer!  One of my absolute favorite people in the whole world.  Nice to put a face with the name, huh?  She's just as pretty on the inside, too.  And her husband is absolutely as nice as he looks.  They are such a great, godly couple!

And this little fella?  Why, he's "my nephew" Josiah, Jon & Sommer's little boy.  I adore him!

Now, I thought that I was clear when I asked these precious people to come celebrate with us that I did not want presents.  They brought them anyways along with some very sweet cards.  I was grateful - & felt so loved - but really just them being there was present enough!  However, I did love my cards & gifts!

Allison got me these beautiful little bowls, even making sure to get one in my favorite color!  Sweet girl!

Our pastor & his precious family.  This past summer, they took a family photo & posted it on Facebook.  I told Michael - & later Sweet T - that I wanted to print it out & put it up in our home.  I love them that much!  So, Sweet T surprised me with this Christmas family photo!  I didn't even have to pirate it!  It's already in a frame next to our sofa.  It's a blessing to have a pastor's family that you love so much that you want to have a picture of them in your home!  (Sorry my picture of it is so blurry; to see a better version - & fully appreciate it - visit Lynn's blog.)

I fairly squealed when I opened the envelope containing this little gem!  See, one thing I haven't told you yet is that Lynn is a very accomplished photographer!  So, for her to give us this gift, is truly a treasure indeed!

Where exactly do you hang your first-ever scarf (& first-ever houndstooth piece of clothing - Roll Tide!) to photograph it?  Let me tell you, doorknobs don't work.  And I don't like pictures of myself if I can avoid them (which, in this case, I can).  So, lamp it is!  A dorky position, perhaps, but a lovely present, don't you think?

This picture & the next one have a special story.  This is Michael's gift to me, one for which I have yearned for years.  He's never had a reason to buy it before now, though.  The other day, we went to Cracker Barrel, & as he paid the bill, I strolled over to the Willow Tree display & proceeded to sob over all of the pregnant mama & baby figurines.  I wasn't vocal about it, but the tears were flowing freely!  Michael came over & said softly, "You can't stand in the middle of the store & cry!"  ;-)  So when I walked into our bedroom to find this & a homemade birthday card, you can bet the tears began again! . . .

And then, that evening, I opened up Sommer's gift to me last to find this figurine - one of the very ones that I stood in Cracker Barrel & boo-hooed over!  She had conspired with Michael to get this for me, even chatting with him through her husband's Facebook account!  I don't really have to tell you my reaction, do I?  I felt very loved that she would care enough about me to do this.  Aaannnddd, just before I opened these gifts, she asked me what Michael got me & was regaled with the above story . . . all of which she already knew, unbeknownst to me!  Sneaky girl!  ;-)

This hasn't been the easiest year of my life - dealing with Ginger's death & grieving over infertility - but it has been a year in which God has shown me His all-surpassing grace & mercy.  And He has brought great joy into our lives by giving us the precious gift of our little M&M!  He has also given us the gift of all of these wonderful people, people whom we love & are so grateful to be able to share our lives with.  All in all, another year older has meant another year of experiencing God's loving presence & another year of getting to love others & be loved by them.  If I do say so myself, we live very good lives!  Soli Deo Gloria!