Like it's Her Birthday

This might have to be a 2-parter... because I'm tired. And I need to go to bed so I can wake up tomorrow and exercise (either go for a run or do Jillian Michaels. It's all dependent on the snow). 

But, as you all know, it was my birthday yesterday. 

For the past few years, I've dreaded my birthday. It seems to simply have a lot of emotional things that are attached to it--the day I came home from my mission, the day I got called as RS pres--everything kind of changes around my birthday. So, I've really struggled with trying to have fun.

So, when my friends Lucy Q and Linds told me that they wanted me to have a good party, I recited my history and they vowed to help this one rock. 

And they were right. I will never doubt their magical powers again.

But rewind...

The party actually started on Friday when I got to work and this is how my cubicle appeared:

My friend, Becky, was kind enough to have arrived early and decorated. It was so low that I had to bend over to get into my cubicle. My newer co-workers then walked into my cubicle and said, "Is it your birthday?"
I almost wanted say, "No... it's just a new decoration for my office. It was a little bland. Here's your sign."
But I refrained.

For lunch, my coworkers from the magazines took me for some Thai food. INCREDIBLE. They also gave me some gifts:

Basically, I'm incredibly blessed to be surrounded by such generous and humorous people. Truly. And so grateful for a stash of candy at my desk now.

So, that was Friday. And I would move along to my actual birth DAY... but I'm exhausted and need to retire and get some beauty sleep--because it takes a lot of sleep to get this beautiful... but to preview. Just one picture. Of Lindsey and Julie. 

I can't express how much I love these two. Julie and I play Words with Friends on our iPods (well, her iPhone and my iPod touch... the game is Scrabble) and we're obsessed with the Peanuts comic strip. And Lindsey? Well, she's amazing. I don't know if there's anything that she can't do. I love her no-nonsense attitude and her outlook on life. In the past month as the three of us have been together, shared laughter, gone to the temple, and simply talked, I know I've found "kindred spirits" (yes... I have been watching Anne of Green Gables. I know you're jealous).

Maybe tomorrow I'll post the rest. We'll see. I have FHE... we're adventuring down to Provo. And if we time things right, I'm going to get a J-dawg. My first J-dawg ever. I'll need to bring my camera for that!