Happy Birthday Wishes

This is ME at age 5 as the Flower Girl in Jimmy and Bobbie Shoemake's wedding!













Today is my birthday and I am overwhelmed with all of the "birthday wishes" I have already received! They started a couple days ago and have continued to come in on Facebook, Plaxo, text messages on my cell phone, Birthday card websites, US Postal Service, and at the Texas District Evangelism Center office!!! Oh yeah! I even got some birthday wishes from people on "Gaither.com". I don't even know these people, but they are helping make my day wonderful, also. To think people who do not have a clue who you are is taking the time to write a birthday message...that's so kind! I feel so loved by all my friends and family! I am having a WONDERFUL DAY because of YOU!

Wendell will be tied up most of the afternoon with a Texas Bible College (TBC) board meeting, and tonight we have the TBC graduation banquet, but we will have a good time. Never in a million years would I have ever dreamed I would be in LUFKIN, TX celebrating my birthday, my husband working in the district office, going to a TBC banquet, and receiving birthday wishes from all over the nation! WOW! Life has a way of surprising a person, for sure! But, I'm enjoying the surprise!!! That is what's even more surprising! :) I have always lived with the belief you should accept those things that come your way and enjoy life "as is". You might as well or you will be one miserable person, and I sure don't want to live in misery!

For the last few days we have had "neighbors". Bro. and Sis. Jordan from Daisetta have been here working on their 5th wheel, so last night we were invited to join them for some ice cream and strawberries. We had a wonderful time visiting with them. They pastored the church in Ranger, TX about 29 years ago. We arrived in Comanche, TX to pastor there while they were in Ranger. We had a lot to talk about and had fun doing so. I really don't know what people do who lose "life" friends. I LOVE having people around me that I've "known" or have "known about" through my life!

Yesterday, I received a really "sweet" birthday card from my friend, Tracie. On the front are "cupcakes" with toothpicks holding up the letters to spell "Happy Birthday"! She said, "A birthday in a card just for you - balloons, cupcakes, confetti and ice cream!", and in the card was a "gift card from Marble Slab"! YAY! Thank you, Tracie for the gift. I wish you were here to help me celebrate, too. You're so sweet to think of me in this way! Love you!

Wendell told me last night that there are gifts at the office for me, but wouldn't bring them to me since yesterday was not my birthday! :) I love how he is so "precise"! LOL! I guess I'll get them sometime today. I think they are from Bro. and Sis. Russo. They are so considerate!!!

I'm rambling...but what else is there to do today? I am going to do "exactly as I please" since it's MY day. :)

When my mother was my age I thought she was OLD! How did I ever think that? Now, I know she wasn't OLD...just "well seasoned". :) Really, when I think about it, "OLD" isn't all that bad. In fact, I'm enjoying my "age". I remember the year I turned 40.....I was saying to my brother Keith, "I cannot believe I am 40 YEARS OLD!" His answer has stayed with me through the years..."Well...I guess you could consider the ALTERNATIVE!" He made me see "life" through different eyes. I sure didn't want the ALTERNATIVE! Keith had a way of making life less stressful and more happy. Oh how I wish he were here today to tell me the same old story, same old joke, and to hear him say, "Hello Beautiful!" :)

I'm sure I will be blogging more later, so I'll say goodbye for now. I'm on my way to have lunch with my husband. I'm having a good day!!!!