Surprise Surprise Surprise

My cousin called me about 2 weeks ago, and let me know that I would need to be ready at 1pm today. She was going to take me out for a belated birthday celebration. She said, I am going to blind fold you and take you somewhere very special.

So, true to her word. 1pm, she showed up at my house. We got ready and headed out the door. I said, "I'll just put my mascara on when we get there!" She said, "No, go ahead and do it now, we will wait until it dries and then we will put on the blindfold." SO, we get on the interstate and she hands me my blindfold. I put it on and put my sunglasses over it. It didn't take too long, but soon we were at our destination. She told me to keep my blindfold on and she'd lead me to the destination. I could hear someone talking. And I said, "OH MY GOD, people can see me!" She said, no they are far away. Then I heard a click of a camera! I said, OK Jeni, why is someone taking pictures?" This whole time I'm timidly taking steps at her direction. Then we enter a building and I hear meowing and barking. I thought... we must be in someone's house. Then she says, "OK, take off your blindfold." I took it off, and looked around the room, and saw Olivia... a beautiful little girl that I babysit (or used to, she's all grown up now)... and I burst into tears as they yelled SURPRISE!

It wasn't a birthday celebration at all! It was a baby shower, for the new baby... which we've determined is LUKE and not Lily, based on all the old wives tales. I was so surprised, and it took me a very long time to stop crying. After having a very stress filled week and really being miserable about things that are happening outside of my control... it was so amazing to see a few of my closest girl friends and my mom's family sitting in this room celebrating my new baby. I was overwhelmed with happiness.

We were at a new tea room that opened not long ago, down the street from my parents neighborhood. It was so quaint and beautiful, but not pretentious! We had SCONES, my favorite! I had a chocolate chip scone and an Orange Ginger scone. I had the house blend tea, which was caffeine free, and delicious!

They really went all out for my new one! And my friend, Pamela, has been trying to keep me from buying the crib, because she knew about the shower, and didn't want me to by the crib before seeing what I got... I'm so glad she did! Now I can spend what I would have spent on a crib at Walmart, on a the REAL crib I wanted from Babies R Us! How exciting is that!?! I'm so excited about getting this for the baby. I also got enough to get the bedding I wanted from Target! OR, I might spend that money on the dresser/changing table that matches the crib and then go with an inexpensive but VERY adorable set from Walmart for the crib bedding.

I am amazed at how precious my friends and family are. They just are so selfless and giving. What a blessing, on a week when I was feeling so down in the dumps. God is Good... even when we are at the end of our whits. He knows what we need and WHEN we need it. Amazing, for sure, that's Him!

SO, THANK YOU JENI MAY, for such an awesome party, for such a fun surprise, and for being such a precious person and cousin! I LOVE YOU!