Creative Ideas: Birthday blessings!

When my toddler awoke me way too early this morning I realized that we finally caught the stomach flu in our house. It has been passed from family to family this winter, but somehow we dodged it... until today. Happy birthday to me, I thought at 1 am as I cleaned up mess after mess. My son is a trooper when it comes to being sick, though, and for that I'm grateful.

I had all kinds of plans today to celebrate - meeting friends at the library, free lunch out with my birthday coupon at Fuddruckers, a friend coming to make dinner here --- and I cancelled them all. Hopefully we won't spread this one any further, yet I know that's out of my control to some extent.

So after all the laundry and disinfecting, I thought I'd sit down and share a few ways sweet friends & family have blessed me. You might keep these in mind for creative ideas in the future as you plan to honor your loved ones on their birthdays!


My sister-in-law hosted a surprise birthday dinner at her place Monday night. She baked Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Sheet Cake, which I'm still dreaming about. Why didn't I beg to bring any home?!


At the same dinner my father-in-law blessed me with a new zip-up jacket, Kohl's gift card and cash. He knows I like to shop!

Early this morning my dad sent an email message reminding me of my birth story and what he & mom were doing before I arrived. I mentioned before that I grew up on a farm, but have you ever heard of rendering lard?! Yes, that's what sent my mom into labor with me! I love hearing my birth story. What a gift.

A friend sent a package from Arkansas that miraculously arrived on our icy doorstep yesterday. I say miraculously because we hadn't received mail for over a week?! She always sends musical cards that are a trip.



Other friends brought me a sweet card and a big bag full of yummy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Yes, food is the way to my heart! These will be saved in the freezer for me to enjoy one at a time during my afternoon tea. Mmmm!


Another friend dropped off a gift which included a new set of farm animal cookie cutters and some incredibly creative letter-imprinted pink sugar cookies. She knows I'm obsessed with making cookies and decided to feed my "habit" this year!




Yet another friend brought her handmade, pastry chef grade cupcakes by since she couldn't cook me dinner in our germ-infested household. Sweet heaven and hallelujah!

Drumroll, please: possibly the icing on the cake so to speak? Hearing my 3-year-old spontaneously break into the birthday song when I brought my cupcake to the table after dinner. He could hardly eat anything, poor little sick one, yet he remembered to sing to me
all by himself, finishing with "and many more!"

I am truly blessed! Thank you Lord!