We slept in, then I drank coffee in my bed while I watch the Food Network and Facetimed with the best friends a person can have. During this call I cried and belly laughed. It was awesome and wonderful.
I was supposed to be in Fredericksburg this weekend with those friends. Ten years ago we went to New Orleans together, and for months we've been planning this trip to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the NO trip and another decade of our friendship. This weekend was literally the only weekend we were all free in the entire spring semester. Times have definitely changed.
Later my niece Charli called me from my mom's house, and I face timed with mom and Charli, and I loved seeing their faces.
Trey picked up breakfast from Another Broken Egg, and after I enjoyed my Benedict and city grits I decided to tackle the wild disaster that is our side yard. I dug and pulled and raked and dug for about two hours. It's almost completely cleared out, and I feel super accomplished about that. I wish I had a burn pile for what I pulled up, but that's likely frowned upon in the CG.
Dad called to tell me happy birthday while he was on his way to buy a gander. He asked if I felt older, and I told him I probably will tomorrow because of the yard work. Seriously. I may not be able to get out of bed tomorrow. Pray for me.
After my yard work, I showered and sat down to watch an episode of Call the Midwife. Suddenly I heard horns honking and wondered what on earth was going on outside! The boys and I ran to the door to find the first grade teachers and music teacher from SC outside parading by the house. I was shocked! One of them, Venette, has the same birthday as me. They paraded by her house and then came to mine. It was the nicest surprise I could have gotten! I especially love this teacher kid's poster that her mom sent me a close up picture of later.
Sidebar: When they left Venette's house, she hopped in her car to come by my house, only to see that her class was on their way to parade by HER house, so she got out of the car and enjoyed her class parade! What a fun day of parading!
I came back in the house (maybe fighting off a tear or two) and started watching my show again. A little while later, Tucker called from the driveway. He was about to go to work and discovered ANOTHER PARADE! Venette had gotten in her car and directed her class parade to my house! I got to see a whole class full of awesome first graders who I knew last year as kindergarten kiddos! I waved and laughed and it made my heart so, so full to see them! Venette organized them all to do something so very spontaneous and kind, and that's why she's so amazing at what she does!
We ordered dinner from Mad Taco, and my sweet husband sat on the porch with me watching the Billy Bob's concert to raise money for the Texas FFA Foundation. For hours we watched Texas Country artists - Aaron Watson, Cleto Cordero, Randy Rogers, Cody Johnson... it goes on and on. There was a chill in the air so we lit the fire and enjoyed the music.
Finally the boys came home - Tucker from work and Keaton from fishing. When they found us outside they each pulled up a chair. Together we heard Parker McCollum, Tracy Byrd, William Clark Green.
Tracy Byrd sang Keeper of the Stars and it was like prayer sitting on my patio with the three biggest parts of my heart.
We had a family sing-a-long to Will's "She Likes the Beatles" as we watched the sliver of a moon take over the sunset. And it was perfect.
Then we enjoyed the delicious German chocolate cake Trey made from scratch. It was beautiful and yummy. Perfect.
To close out the day, my in-laws created their own parade to wish me happy birthday from the driveway.
Today was not what I had planned, and I had been making plans for the trip I was supposed to be on for months. But it was wonderful. Friends, family, good music - all the things I love most.
When Wade Bowen played in the concert tonight, one of his songs was "Sun Shines on a Dreamer."
The sun sure shone on this dreamer on the day her 30th birthday became a teenager. It was a fine day.
The end.
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