Is 30 the New 21?

What a great weekend! I pulled off my first surprise party! Melanie turned 30 last month and I gushed about her here. I wanted to give her a surprise party but I was at Disney and LOTS of her friends are involved in college athletics....which means her birthday is at a really inconvenient time! How dare she?!

So I got her to the house on the premise of a purse party....she really doesn't use purses but it was all I could come up with.

The challenge of Melanie's is trying to find her friends from ALL over the country. She went to college in Iowa and graduate school in Louisville. Thank the Lord for Facebook and google. That is how I found a few "core" people that helped me located the rest. When she came around the corner and saw her Louisville girls, she knew something was up!

SURPRISE!

Melanie got some really fun gifts. Dad even did his own shopping and gave her some nice "Tupperware" aka old butter tubs! Dads are the best!

The sisters! Thanks to Sandy and Kathy for helping me put this thing on!

Is 30 the new 21? It sure looked like it in my backyard! You're only as old as you feel and everyone felt YOUNG that day!

Happy Birthday, Tiger!

Little Sister

It's my baby sister, Melanie's, birthday today. Not just any birthday, it's her 30th! That's right, the baby is 30! Funny that I remember the day she was born and also remember not being able to remember her name!



Melanie has become such an incredible and accomplished woman that I rarely think of her as my little sister anymore. Instead I think of her as my peer. We are very similar in many ways but compliment each other in our differences. She has motivated me to start exercising....a fantastic feat in itself! She and our sister, Sandy, have inspired me to return to school. When did I turn into the slacker of the family?! Melaine recently purchased her first home. A great accomplishment for any single woman!


Melanie is also a very private person, keeping emotions in check. However, she shined when mom was sick. She was with me on mom's last night. Helping me care for her in the final hours. I still remember looking over from my sleeping spot on the couch and seeing mom sleeping across from me and Mel keeping watch in the chair. Mel was strong and gentle through it all.

Happy Birthday, baby sister! I hope we have the oppurtunity to celebrate 60+ more together!