Birthday Blessings

First of all, I want to express my thanks for the kind birthday wishes, emails and phone calls! I've had such a wonderful weekend starting with a lunch on Thursday, then dinner and continuing on with a trip to Seattle.

A special delight was a handmade card with finishing touches by our Prairie Rosebuds  . . .  as well as a surprise facetime call with their dad and mom.

On Thursday evening we enjoyed a beautiful dinner on a patio in Whiterock with our girls and their hubbies, of course.

We watched the sky turn color and finished off with desserts to share.

On Friday the girls and I drove down to the Seattle Outlet Stores while their hubbies gave them a break . . . and me the gift of time with my daughters. We had so much fun, it was decided that this has to become a yearly trip. We ate, shopped, had pedicures, talked a lot, cried a bit and laughed a lot. I already said it was fun, right?  So good to have this uninterrupted time, the kind we have not had in a long time!

It was mentioned that the last time we were all together in a hotel room was in Jakarta exactly five years ago. At that time it was Kari, Kristal with baby Natalie and I, who ventured out to Indonesia for ten days. Upon our return, Julene joined us on the first leg of the trip from their home to Jakarta, where we had an overnight layover in a hotel. We had breakfast the next morning on my 50th birthday, said our goodbyes early afternoon and, after two flights totalling about 19 hours with one layover, still made it to Vancouver to have the evening with my H! It was the longest birthday I've ever had and such a crazy way to add hours to the big day!

When I think about that day, it seems like it was just here . . .  and yet, so long ago.
Five years ago . . .
the only way to see my grandchildren was to get on a flight or long road trip.
. . . both of our moms were widowed, and lonely.
. . . I was preparing ESL lessons for moms of international students
. . . I was reading my daughters' blogs, not quite sure about "web journaling"
and definitely had no idea I'd like to write.
  I did not know of a recipe book coming up
 . . . of new friendships and opportunities just around the corner
 . . . of major family moves and the chance to become involved in their day to day lives
. . . or that my mom would be given a second chance at love.

On Sunday morning I picked up on the thought from Philippians 4:8, " Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

It's a good verse to think on in this day and age when, by all appearances, we try to avoid time to just think. We like the idea of being continuously entertained . . . with the TV on, wearing earphones as we exercise, checking our iPhone every chance we have. It may just look like we try to escape the idea of having to deal with only our thoughts.

The encouragement  to spend time in reflecting and remembering came as a surprise. Maybe there is something good about writing  . . . it gives me reason to think on these things.