HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have had such a freakin' amazing birthday! These last few days have been a rockin' way to end such an incredible year and today has been an amazing start to what, I believe, will be a God-inspired year of amazing stuff! This is how it's been for the last few days and what it will be like for the next week.....

On Wednesday (Feb. 9) my amazing housegroup threw my an awesome surprise party!

On Thursday I had a date with my dad and made some really good chili! We ended up going for a walk at the Forks and realized that I have to take advantage of the times that I do get to spend with him. We had a good time and the good, solid times with my dad are way too few and far between.

On Friday I went out with my sister and had an awesome time with such incredible conversation (I LOVE YOU, KRIS!). We went to see a movie and ended up having coffee at Second Cup (You didn't just read that all you Starbucks junkies ; ) on Osborne and it was great! You're super-fantastic Kris and I couldn't have been blessed with a better sister!

After my date with my sister, my amazing friends Matt and Rachelle picked me up and we grabbed slurpees and candy and went to wash their car. Then we ended up on Home St. watching a 2004 homemade tree planting movie with Matt and his tree planting friends....It was crazy fun and we ended up getting home at 3:30 am. Good times meeting people and hanging out!

Yesterday (Saturday), I went out for lunch/breakfast with my mom at Red Lobster. We celebrated our birthdays together and she bragged to everyone we met about how I was born on her 28th birthdays and it was the best birthday present she could ever have asked for. She's sweet! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU MOM!!! I love sharing a birthday with you! She wore my birthday lei all day long and I was garbed out with my birthday hat! It was great! Then we, too, went to see a movie. I'm definitely movied-out and all fed-out for a while!

Then that evening I had a birthday date with my dad. Once again, I was truly excited about the good times that we do get to spend together because times aren't always peachy....the night started off really rocky and I was struggling with frustration...rrrr....but it ended up getting better in the end. Thank you, Jesus. We ended up going skating at the Forks and the ice was psycho but I didn't fall once!

After I got home Matt and Rachelle actually came over for a sleepover! It was great! They are the most wonderful married couple in the world! (Except for Kristi and Shane, of course!) It was good to reminisce, chat and get to know them even better as a couple!

This morning (MY 20th BIRTHDAY) my friends Rachelle, Becki and Tenniel came to church with me! Church was great - I got to dance (which was sketchy at first but God is good!), John mentioned my birthday three times during the service which made me laugh and turn red (but I did secretly love it because I love birthdays!) and I got to play with Jacob and Rachel who always make me smile!! I love those kids! After church I got to go out for lunch with Joel and the girls, drink a massive virgin marguerita, buy myself a hat and a bag, have amazing conversation with people I love about God and life, and then get the wind knocked out of me (in such a GREAT way) at church in the evening!

What a great birthday it has been! This next week holds such excitement, as well! Tomorrow I'm going on a hot date ; ) Happy Valentine's day to all of you love birds out there! I won't tell you who I'm going on a date with....I leave you all in suspence!?! Even though some of you already know...oh well. Then on Tuesday I have some friends from Steinbach taking me out for my bday. Yea! Then on Wednesday my housegroup is going out for supper! Yea to ethnic foods. And, last but NOT least, on Thursday at 1:45 in the am I am headed for Kansas City with the worship leaders and such from my church!!!!! I'm super pumped! Wow...it's going to be good! God, I already say yes to what you're going to be doing there! Amen.

That has been the amazing last few days of my teen life (sniffle, sniffle....good-bye teens...) and the incredible start to this next year of being 20. Part of me is a tad bit sad...but it's just a freakin' number. I'm super excited about what God is doing in my life and what is in store!

Thank you, Jesus, for these last 20 years. I pray, Father, that you would guide, protect and refine me in these next 20. I pray that this year will be one of such growth, confidence in Your love and such life! I love you, Jesus! Amen! Once more for the road, HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!