you

you are.
a comforter. a comedian. an example of Christ.

you share.
your thoughts. your feelings. your life.
with me.

you keep me.
grounded. laughing. living life to the fullest.

you make.
strangers smile. others feel at ease. mistakes and are quick to ask for forgiveness.

you see.
the big picture. the beauty in nature. the importance of traditions.

you show me.
grace. love. God's heart where i don't always see it.

you think i'm.
better. prettier. smarter. more talented.
than i think i am.

you listen to me.
cry. vent. dream.

you bring.
spontanaeity. fun. relaxation.
into my life.

you know.
my strengths. my flaws. my heart.

you believe.
that you live with two princesses. that you can accomplish anything you set out to do. that God's love for you is real. and huge. and limitless.

you help me.
parent our daughter. clean our house. "close my windows".

you are.
my true love. my best friend. my husband.

i love YOU, charlie. thank you for the past 7 years of marriage. and the past 12 years of life together.

brought to you by the letter "p" & the number "30"

Yesterday was my birthday. The big 3-0. I haven't really had the chance to sulk about leaving my 20's behind because of all the happy things this birthday's brought me.

party...
I actually started celebrating last month with my 90's dance party. My dear and slightly older (her birthday was in March) friend Whitney and I were co-celebrated by several friends at what basically turned out to be the party of the year. I mean what could be better than dancing under the stars, music reminiscent of our middle and high school days, a Chick-Fil-A nugget tray, "Cha Cha Slide" and "Soulja Boy" on repeat, and one of Millie's world-famous cakes? Nothing, I tell you. It was truly a winning combination. Thanks to Whit for breaking it down with me birthday style. Thanks to our sweet husbands for planning the event. Thanks to Millie for really planning the event (just kidding Charlie and Matt...I know it wouldn't have happened without your "vision"). Thanks to our wonderful friends who came and m.c. hammered the night away with us.

presents...
My birthday festivities continued this past weekend when my family got together for lunch, complete with homemade icecream. Yum! While we were in Greenville, one of my best friends, Sara, gave me her birthday gift. It is a photobook titled, "Thirty Reasons I Thank God You Are My Best Friend". It was definitely one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received. And 30 reasons are a lot of reasons. You try to think of 30 sincere things about one of your friends and see if you can do it. Betcha can't. But Sara's thoughtfulness abounds. She probably could have done 60 reasons. But, I bet she's glad I'm not 60. I am too, for that matter.

I was also surprised with a gift from one of my other best friends. My sister did it again...another huge bouquet of multi-colored roses delivered to me at work. They are so beautiful! And I am so grateful. For the roses, but especially for her. She also spoiled me with a shout-out on her blog yesterday...complete with her precious children singing "Happy Birthday" to me. Ya'll know I think she is amazing. And she comes home in just a few weeks!!

And to top it all off, my sweet husband gave me a gift that I have been hoping for for a long time. I didn't think I'd be getting one anytime soon, so this was quite a surprise. I am so excited...and he was just as excited to give it to me. Thank you, Charlie!

I received several other special gifts as well as cards, emails, texts, and messages that truly made me feel loved.

picnic & phoenix...
I know I am pregnant, but I think I ate for more than two yesterday. My day started out with a Chick-fil-A biscuit delivered by my sweet friend Amy--always a great way to start the day! Then, Melissa brought the kids to my school and we had a picnic lunch in the cafeteria. Melissa's homemade chicken salad and chocolate cupcakes surely put the school pizza to shame. She has always made sure I have special treats on my birthday. Last night Charlie and I got to go on a dinner date to Phoenix, one of my favorites--so yummy!


potty...
Well, it's hard to post without including a story about Maddie. In addition to all the gifts I received, she also got a package in the mail on my birthday. Her very own potty seat. It is very plush for extra bottom comfort. And it has ducks on it. And now Maddie can sit on the toilet without falling in. All that to say, it's pretty much the coolest thing she's ever seen. As soon as she opened it, she wanted to try it out. I put it on the downstairs toilet and she sat, smiling ear to ear. And she sat. And she sat. And she sat some more. But not without entertainment. She went through about 8 magazines from the basket in the bathroom, and whenever I stuck my head in to check on her she said "Not all done, Mommy. Not all done." In fact, once she even added, with her finger pointed toward the kitchen, "Go cook, Mommy." After about 15 minutes had passed, Charlie got home and she was excited all over again for him to see her sitting on the potty. Finally after about 5 more minutes, we hear, "All done, Daddy!" When Charlie went in to help her, he discovered that she had scooted off the toilet by herself and begun to pull her bloomers and skirt back up. And she had pee-peed! Well, not actually in the potty. More like right in front of the potty. On the floor. And on her clothes. And on her reading assortment she had tossed on the floor. Oh well...almost:-)

So, all in all, turning 30 hasn't been so bad. I am just so thankful for all the blessings in my life and the way God has expressed His love for me through the relationships He's given me. Those are definitely the best gifts.

thank you for the books, neen neen!

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jesus loves me...

addendum

So, a few of you have mentioned to me how funny you think the picture of my sister and me are in our Halloween costumes. This is not us, people! Didn't you read my post about how we would never wear such things? However, I have to admit, it would be pretty hilarious if this was us. Chewbacca and Yoda. Wow. So, no, we never did Star Wars. But, Jenny did do "Space." Seriously. I am determined to find poloroid evidence over Thanksgiving. Until then, may the force be with you.

18 reasons

I see my school number come up on my caller ID on a Friday evening. Straight to voicemail you go, school person! When I check my message I hear that it is Maria from our front office. She explains with a heavy accent, "Ms. Kelly, I am calling to tell you that you have a gift at school. Well, I don't want to tell you what the gift is, but I think I have to tell you that it is some flowers. In a box. Because I think that you need to come get the flowers so they won't die. OK--bye bye." A gift? Flowers? Delivered? I have been at a conference for the last part of this week, so I haven't been at school. Charlie, of course, knew that, so I knew they were not from him. As we drove over to my school this evening to pick up my "flowers in a box", I guessed aloud about who they could be from. My suspicions proved correct when I read the sweet card. My sister, Jenny, had sent them. Jenny, who, in case you have forgotten is doing missions in another country. Jenny, who despite the hours and energy she is putting into lesson plans, loving on her students, learning the language, ministering to her community, living in community with her roommates and coworkers, was intentional about finding a special way to encourage my heart. So, I used my flower-arranging skills (I just wrote that in my best Napoleon Dynamite impersonation, btw) and then took some pics of my gift.
Wait, there's more.

Told ya. Yeah, 18 total to be exact. So, in honor of my 18 beauties that are looking so cute in my entryway and kitchen, here are 18 reasons I love this girl:

1. She is probably the most selfless person I have ever met in real life.

2. She doesn't think this is true because she is probably the most humble person I have ever met in real life.

3. She always looks for the good in people. Always.

4. She is honest.

5. She has strong opinions about the stuff that matters. She is not afraid to share those opinions and always does so in a non-threatening, accepting way.

6. She has a heart for the poor. The ones who lack money, the ones who lack spirit, and the ones who lack both.

7. She listens without judgment.

8. She is a gifted dancer.

9. She has so much compassion and empathy that she feels way more people's hurts than just her own.

10. She loves my daughter so well.

11. She has learned how to pick on Charlie. And she loves him well too.

12. She is silly.

13. She knows my junk and loves me anyway.

14. She is creative.

15. She seeks to serve others.

16. She loves SYTYCD, singing praise songs, boy bands, Skittles, languages, french fries, live music, Diet Mt. Dew, learning about other cultures, having a tan, The Office, dangly earrings, , making crafty stuff for other people, dancing, the beach, and the mountains...just like me.

17. She is strong and brave.

18. She values every relationship she has. Especially the one she has with Christ.

If you know her, you know all this stuff is true. If you don't, betcha wish you did!

Now, since she's probably all bashful and kind of wishing I hadn't written all of those things about her, here's the other way I can say "thank you".

Some of the best from our fall "photo shoot"....

Love you, Jen. Love you Neen Neen.

costuming it up!

How fun it is to wear a costume? To be something or someone that is not you for just a night. I remember the anticipation of Halloween every year...it wasn't that I had any special affinity for the holiday itself. I wasn't ever into scary movies or even the candy that much. But the costumes. Oh I was into the costumes. Probably partly because of my creative parents and grandpa. They always made sure I had an original costume in the age of the vinyl smock-style outfits with the plastic mask and the character's face on the front. A la...
I know several of you all had those, so, please don't get offended. But seriously...please tell me why anyone needs a face on their face and on their chest. I also loved the masquerade of performing. There's just something magical about eyelining those little tails on the corners of my eyes while wearing a very regal, very poofy tutu. And of course, Jenny and I spent countless hours playing dress up. I can't even begin to tell you how in-depth we went with some of our "shows". We're talking multiple acts, playbills, you get the picture. Since Jenny was six years my junior, I was often the director/producer/choreographer, and of course the co-star. Maybe someday I'll post some photos of us in all our grandeur.

So, I think it's safe to say that I will try to foster that in my daughter. Of course I want her to find contentment in the way God made her, but I hope she will use her imagination and creativity, not only to have fun, but also to dream big.

This year for Halloween, I still got to call the shots (I may not be so lucky next year). Her costume was a hand-me-down, but I fashioned the wig myself...this is the closest I come to any craft involving yarn/thread. I am including some a pic from last year too. Wow. She'll be printing playbills and directing shows before we know it.

"raggedy maddie"

2008

"the chicken"

2007

Also, this year's video footage was just as hilarious as last year's. I tried to post clips of the chaos from both years, but I couldn't get '07 to load. So here's 2008...Especially amusing is the chain reaction of crying babies. Note that Maddie is keeping her distance.