on friday, i recieved my first birthday gift this year. in my mailbox was a small package from my mom. in the package . . . was a junk journal. ok - first off, how have i never heard of a junk journal before??? they are a thing. and a very cool thing! second - my mom made this one! just for me! her friend makes them and my mom had said she'd like to buy one for me for my birthday. her friend told her she should just bring some ephemera and come make one for me. so, the two of them spent some hours together, creating a junk journal to send my way. i will have so much fun adding thoughts and quotes and washi tape and good things to this lovely gift. and the third amazing thing about this, is that while my mom had decided to make a junk journal for my birthday, i had been making her a folding book for her birthday! {that will get its own post one of these days!} both of us were using paper and glue and pretty bits to make each other birthday gifts. fabulous!
on monday, there were two wonderful packages in my mailbox. one from my husband . . . which contained a set of undergarments both pretty and comfortable . . .
the other from lori hetteen. an out-of-the-blue gift. you guys, what an awesome surprise. she didn't even know it was my birthday week. she just knew that ben is away on a detail and wanted me to know that she was thinking of me. that i'm not alone in the saying "see you when i see you." so - her gift is a double portion - thinking-of-you and inadvertant-birthday gift.
early monday evening, maddie and isaac went to run an errand. i was cooking supper, and our friend kyla was on her way over to join us. after we all ate supper together, maddie and isaac asked if they could just give me my birthday gift or if they had to wait till thursday. i told them it was up to them. they went to maddie's room long enough to write in the card they had bought, and came back to the kitchen with a beautiful card and bag of wonderful things. it is so awesome to be known so well by my teenage children, and to see their heart in what they bought for me. also, i'm pretty sure maddie spent almost all the money she had made while babysitting on saturday. that feels pretty amazingly wonderful to me.
on tuesday, my friend allie's husband came to town for work and delivered some things we had left behind when we moved. allie also had him deliver a birthday gift. and i think you all may be able to see why my smile burst into a joyful laugh! what a fun connection!
and today the sun is shining. and i have plans for playing outside with my kids and dog and some friends this afternoon. i know i will get to talk to ben on the phone at some point this evening. these days leading up to my birthday are lovely. i am truly so very blessed.