Turning 30

I'm 30!!  

I cannot even express the joy my heart felt on my 30th birthday.  My grandfather said it best at my birthday party, "the best present you could have is all the people here who love you."  That is so completely true.  I loved having all the people I love together.  God has blessed me with incredible family and friends and I am so thankful to all of y'all who were there to celebrate my birthday and missed all those who couldn't make it (especially you, BethAnne)!  Love you all!  


My wonderful friends Dana, Kyle, and Michael threw me a 30th birthday party and it was absolutely amazing.  I'm definitely a planner...birthdays, holidays, special occasions, beach trips...I love to plan.  So I gave up the reigns of my Type A personality and let them take it.  I will have to admit it was actually quite nice to have others handling the details.  

And they definitely paid close attention to all of them.  They had balloons on the mailbox and they had my name on them.....

Table decorations.

Everything was so wonderfully coordinated.  I mean, I might have said something about the cake colors coordinating with the plates, napkins, and decorations....maybe.  But really, they did more than I could have asked for.  This came after, of course, Michael and Kyle made fun of me at my 29th birthday for sending out my own invitations to my birthday party, that I planned.  They may recall this differently, but, and I quote, they said, "we are planning your 30th birthday."  I don't think they really thought I would hold them to it. I did.  And luckily Dana stepped in and made it happen!  

My sweet, sweet sister-in-law made my cake!  She does an amazing job on all the cakes she does.
I was sad she, my bro, and the kids weren't able to make it, but everyone loved the cake!

I also have the most wonderful parents.....the best mom and dad I got!  They came down the weekend before, they live about 3 hours north of me, and helped me get flowers planted, limbs cut, gutters cleaned and so much more.  Then drove back the next weekend for the party.  Dad got up early Saturday morning and smoked ribs, amazing ribs!  Mom took me to get a manicure and pedicure, it was a fun day of preparing for the party.  She even put a slide show of pictures together of me from the last 30 years.  Those of you who know me have no doubt that I loved it!  I can't thank them enough for all they did.  Your baby does turn 30 only once, right.  That is unless next year I decide I want to start going backwards when I can't bare to face 31, ha.  

Like my parents, everyone else in my family lives around the Memphis area so they don't get to come down much.  It was such a blessing that both sets of my grandparents came down for my birthday, to see my home, go to church with me and take me out to lunch.  I do not take for granted the time I get to spend with them.  I know how blessed I am to have them here, so for them to be at my birthday party and celebrate with me meant so much.

Papaw (dad's dad) and Pa (mom's dad)

Granny (dad's mom) and Gran (mom's mom)

Not only family came but my best friend from home Renee and her husband and parents came too!  We have been friends for well over 10 years.  She's more like a little sister to me and her parents are definitely like my 2nd mom and dad.  I can remember years of going to their house for dinner, spending time over there for special occasions (like every time Renee was on homecoming court), and her mom even packing lunch for me when we were in high school.  Love that family.  Renee got there and stepped right in helping with everything.  

Mr. Johnny and Mrs. Teresa (Renee's parents)

Renee!  Not sure how, but I didn't get a pic of  Renee
me and Tommy.  :(

And there is of course my roommate from college.  We lived together 3 years in college and a year after.  I like to claim her as the person who could live with me for four years and still love me, ha.  She and her husband drove from Chattanooga, TN.  They get the award for driving the furthest!  I definitely love these two and hate they are 5 hours away.  Not for long though :).  They will moving closer to me soon!  

The soon-to-be Boiko's made it from the MS Coast!  So glad these two came and I was able to spend some time with them.  They will be getting married in September and couldn't be happier for them!  Now if we can only get that last beach trip scheduled before y'all get married!  
















A lot of people turning 30 freak out.  I was just excited.  Excited because I have had 30 years of incredible life.  Not because of anything I have done but because of Jesus.  He saved me years ago and everyday I can look at my life and know exactly where I would be without Him.  His grace and mercy that He has extended to me is beyond my understanding because I know I'm completely undeserving.  But He loves me.  


"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heave for you..."  1 Peter 1:3-9


I have had a lot of incredible experiences over the last 30 years and continue to look forward to the 30 things I'll be doing throughout this year.  Thanks for going on this journey of 30 with me!  



Here are a few pictures from the party