A Belated Birthday

It has been rather difficult these days to find time to sit down and write, and I am long overdue in posting pictures from mine and Kathy's birthday.  Our birthday celebration was actually strung out over an entire week since illness in the family prevented us from having the "official" party on the original day intended.  But it actually turned out to be really fun.  The more surprises the better!

Our birthday was on a Sunday this year (August 31).  Kathy and I both could not have chosen a more perfect way to spend our special day other than to be in God's house with his people worshipping together!  When we arrived home from church that afternoon, we walked in the house to find the table all decorated:

Very creative, is it not?  Since we wanted to hold off on the cake until the party the next weekend, Rachael came up with an ingenious, last-minute dessert:  chocolate cookies from the freeze with M&M's on top, arranged on a cupcake stand.  They hit the spot perfectly!

A friends also left these flowers on my desk at the office that same day:

The following Tuesday, the office staff took me and Kathy to lunch.  We really enjoyed the afternoon together!  We look so much like each other, don't we?

When the whole family was finally able to get together, we pulled out the presents and iced the cake.  Rachael and all her little helpers banished me and Kathy to the outdoors while they prepared some surprises.  

We both LOVED what they did for us!!!  Pink gerber daisies happen to be one of my favorite flowers.    There were surprises in our chairs when we pulled them out to sit down at dinner.  Perhaps my favorite part, though, were these little pictures all over the table that Benjamin made all by himself:

Aren't they cute?!

It's so refreshing to have children help you celebrate your birthday because they keep you young.  If it weren't for these precious little ones, putting the candles on the cake and blowing them out  wouldn't be near as fun.

And of course, you always have plenty of help when it comes to opening the presents!!!

Something must have been really funny...

Grace is our cuddler - and also the first thumb-sucker!

Rachael's selfie.  She's the family clown if you didn't already know!

Before leaving that night, Essie and Benjamin made this table centerpiece with our balloon.  Like I said, kids keep you young!  

What a celebration!  We thank the Lord for these memories and look forward to seeing the memories he continues to build in our lives in the years ahead.