30th Birthday "Bash"

So my actual 30th birthday was spent driving home from Nashville just in time to grab a casual dinner with the twins, and pick Ava up from a birthday party in time to start bedtime routines.  Sunday was low key day at home with what was supposed to be a quiet family dinner . . .only to spend it trying 3 different places to eat before we settled on Applebee's because Ava wanted to eat there.  

And thus begins the story I think we can laugh about now?  

See . . I didn't have large expectations for my 30th.  Truly. 

I knew both my sisters lived out of state and after dialoguing some, that we weren't going to be having any big plans with them.  I didn't need anything big but had hoped to enjoy the feeling of a little something special for the day.  So to have both days a little too everyday : ), I will admit to going to bed sunday night a "little" down. : )  

After holding it in because I didn't want to cry about it and be "that" wife, I finally cried. : )  I lay there crying, telling him I hadn't expected anything big, but had at least hoped for a present and a nice dinner with my family.  The poor guy just sat there quietly as I cried (trying to debate his options I'm sure) until he finally picked up his phone, pulled something up on it and handed it to me.

To my dismay (not comfort), I was staring at an invite list to a surprise birthday party I knew nothing about for the next saturday.  

Ryan had covered every base (we were supposed to be at potluck that night and he had talked to the host and arranged all the details there for us to meet) and gotten my friends to play it off perfectly as well.  He had planned every single details for the weekend after my birthday . . .and not as many for the weekend of my birthday. He thought he was showing me something to make me stop crying.

But no. I cried harder . . . . because now I had ruined the surprise.

Poor men.  We are so complicated. ; )

So after a not so fun night, a good night of rest : ) and a whole week to be excited about it, we headed to dinner with some of my closest friends.  It ended up being such a fun night.  It was even so fun to have my dear college roomie and friend, Kasey, drive down from Chicago and be there.

An incredible dinner and fun conversation with friends

Some of my dear friends - we missed the ones who couldn't come!

From there we headed out for frozen yogurt - it was kind of nice to just sit, hang out and enjoy our desserts sans kids. : )

Mindy and me

What can I say, this man did a fabulous job making my 30th birthday one that felt special and giving me what I valued far more than the event or surprise itself - a fun evening with some of my favorite people.  Sometimes it is crazy to think we have still lived more years apart than together - I couldn't imagine walking through this life with anyone but him.

Started off rough, ended sweet.  And that is all that matters. : )