52 weeks...: 4/52

I CAN'T BELIEVE HE DID IT!!! My amazingly sweet and wonderful husband threw me a surprise 40th birthday party. Early in the month I wondered if he would try and I was totally convinced that if he did I would know it, so I looked for signs. Well, all I got were signs that made it seem like there was no way. I wasn't disappointed that he wasn't throwing me a surprise party because that is such a huge undertaking. Besides my girlfriends and I got to have an awesome birthday breakfast that morning, then pedis and shopping at Kohls. It was a perfect day1

He had a friend talk me into doing a mini session around 3:00 that day. She was smooth because somehow she got me to do a mini session, with a puppy, in not the best light! It turned out to be an awesome session. I called a friend (who had left me a message on my phone) on the way home and as I was talking to her I pulled onto my street and saw her in my driveway. I had my suspicions, but she had a good cover (she had dropped by to give me a card) and I didn't want to let myself get excited that there was a surprise party after all and at that point walk in a be disappointed. I walked in to the house to a house FULL of my sweet friends and family. I was so overwhelmed in that moment that I turned right around and walked back out! It took two tries for me to get up the nerve to walk back in and then the tears flowed freely, especially when I realized that two of the people most dear to me had come. Jennifer drove in from Austin and Jan flew in from California. I can't even describe the emotions I felt. All of the anxiety that I was trying not to feel over turning forty melted away and I felt nothing but intense gratitude for the blessings God has given me!! It was one of those defining moments when you catch a glimpse of just how much God truly does love us!!!