Labor Day '09

It may go down in history as one of my absolute favorite Labor Day weekends.  I had a beautiful power birthday (31 on the 31st).  I felt like I was turning 12.  Everyone called, emailed, wrote.  My coworkers made me cake, my 2 year old kissed me and kissed me and told me he loved me, David and the boys brought me flowers and lunch at my office, Micah took me on a date (Rick's Bakery and then Target - perfect) and then the love of my life drove me away on our scooter to a hole-in-the-wall Italian joint for meatball pizza and amazing beer. We finished the evening on the porch of our good friends and old neighbors, David and Opal.  Great day. Oh, and my husband gave me a perfect gift - he's good at that.  I lost my Bible that he gave me 10 years ago on the plane to Beijing.  He replaced it with 1 that is 10 times better.  

This past weekend we drove up to KC to be with family and friends.  As always, one of the biggest joys and blessings in my life are my parents and siblings.  I'm still perplexed as to why the Lord chose me to have the best family in the world! ;) Our good old friends, the Meisels, flew down to join us.  Jared purchased tickets weeks ago to surprise Rach for her 29th birthday (I'm proud of myself for keeping it a secret - I've proven to not be so good at that in the past).  We couldn't have had a better time.  

Jared, Rachel and Judah are just doing dandy in Chicago and our time together was sweet - some of the sweetest times we've had in the past 8 years of being close friends.  We enjoyed making and eating good food, Rach and I shopped together, the kids played their hearts out, we spent many hours with my family and enjoyed their home and the pool.  

Saturday was Micah's 4th Birthday.  I know everyone says this, but it is hard to believe how quickly time flies with these little ones.  As is quite common in our life right now, Micah had his party all planned out.  A lobster party.  That is all he wanted. I think the pictures tell the story quite well.  Thanks to mom's party favors, the cookie store down the road, friends and family - he had the best lobster party a 4 year old has ever had (and the only lobster party I'm aware of). 

I have many more things that come to mind when trying to summarize the past week, to keep it short and to jog my memory 10 years from now, I'll just list them - 

Bacon wrapped figs (is that right Rach?)

Blue Bird cafe

Chicken livers

30% sweater discount

Ganors in the pool

Judah - "uhoh and DoooDah"

Levi's ringpop sharing

Fajitas

Brookside

Irish circle

Lil's and the smoke detector

Dutch babies

Braum at Jardines

KCK and David's guitar on the back steps

Its hard to believe we got it in all in 1 weekend and still had time to feel relaxed.  Thanks to mom and dad for their wonderful hospitality and baby sitting.  Thanks to JaROD and Rach for making the trip, for your friendship and the memories we've made together. 

p.s. - Jared and Rach don't typically dress Judah in pink. That was the only floatie thing available.