Birthday Extravaganza! Part One ;)

Super washed-out video thanks to the tons of windows and an amateur videographer (who am I kidding?), but nonetheless, it was absolutely amazing that a random group of people would sing "Happy Birthday" to me. They were just singing the song out loud, and I said to them that it was actually my birthday, and they addressed it to me. (: Pretty sweet! The guy on the right even took out our trash and wished me a Happy Birthday! ;)

What's really sweet about it was that I was so worried that my birthday would be a really tough experience. It kinda marked the one year anniversary (if you can call it that) that everything went down with my parents and we've had zero communication since. I was worried that the hurt of not having my parents involved in my life anymore (small pity party for me: I wonder how they could so easily break off from their daughter despite my best efforts to repair our relationship?). So, I prayed. I prayed that I would be able to have a good day, but I asked a special request - one that I didn't expect to have fulfilled. I asked that (and I know I should never ask for a "sign") Heavenly Father would bless me in a small, but special way, that I'd be able to know that He (my Eternal Father) loves me, cares about me, and recognized that it was my birthday that day.

I'm 27 (now) and birthdays are still a HUGE deal to me! I love them. (: With all the activities planned that day, I was feeling rushed and a little stressed, so when these guys sat down next to our table, I was a little (a lot) annoyed. They were loud and I was worried that they were going to be rude (obnoxious). Much to my surprise, and a direct gift from Heaven, they threw me off guard and became the answer to my silly prayer; it really touched my heart, as funny as it was. You can't see it, but one of the group even crazily danced to the song. Everyone was staring at me with wary looks (yes, slight admission, it made me love it even more!) and the group was asked to be quiet by management, but they made my birthday so sweet!

Not to mention the cheesecake and balloon that awaited me at home from Rand after I dropped Elise off at school! (: More will come on what we did that day - and sadly, I realized that I take way too many pictures of my kids! ;)