23 is MY Year

Today is my birthday... and let me tell you, it has been wonderful.

I'm not going to lie, I was a little bummed that this was the first birthday I was spending away from my close friends.  Think about it- I have been in school for the past 19 or something birthdays and was always surrounded by my friends on this day.  Now, I am living with my grandparents and aunt on the commune (we jokingly call it that..it seems like everyone in my family has at least lived in this house at least once!) working a big girl job as a teacher! So there's no more coming in to a decorated locker, like in high school, and there is no going out to the bars tonight, like in college.  I was not sure just how this birthday was going to go...I was pleasantly surprised :)

I woke up, got ready for work, and came in to have breakfast with my Grandmother.  There sitting on the table was a grapefruit (I always have a grapefruit for breakfast) decorated for my birthday.  I seriously laughed out loud.  I knew my loving, creative, and eccentric aunt was up to that.  It was so cute!  And then I was called into the living room by my Grandpa, who is in a hospital bed in there, so he could sing happy birthday to me.  I don't know how many birthdays of mine he will see so I really cherished this.  I had already been so surprised and I hadn't even left for work yet!

My birthday grapefruit!

When I got to work, all my great co-workers came in to tell me happy birthday.  And then my boss came in and said she would order lunch for me!  Anything I wanted (well, in my town that means Dairy Queen, Subway, or the local Mexican Restaurant)!  So I had a great subway lunch on her.

During lunch, the secretary came in and delivered flowers my dad had sent to me.  He sent me a dozen tulips- because tulips always remind him of me because they were blooming outside the hospital the day I was born.  Best Dad EVER!  I will post a picture of the flowers as soon as they bloom!

Throughout the day, I got probably 100 "Happy birthday, Miss Farmer!"s.  The fifth grade even came and sang to me!  And my sweet 1st grade religion class all made me birthday cards.

When I got home from work, I was so surprised.  There were birthday balloons tied to the mailbox and onto a big pot of flowers half way up the driveway.  I was so excited I pulled over and took pictures of both!  And this may seem strange but my driveway is a quarter mile long, so there were lots of places to put balloons.

Balloons on the mailbox!

And more halfway down the driveway!

And when I came in, my Grandmother and Aunt had the table decorated for my birthday and a Mexican feast in the works.  And more balloons inside too :)  There even was a chocolate cake...my favorite!  The food was amazing and the cake...to die for!  I think I might even go get another piece.

Make a wish!

After dinner, I walked to the mailbox to get the mail and cut down my birthday balloons.  Inside I found a great card from my best friend, Chelsea (btw..if you don't follow her, you are missing out)!  It is friends like her I miss the most on days like today.  But I know we will be reunited in Chattanooga soon for lots of karaoke and drinks!  She wrote this blog post for me today.  Almost made me cry at work!  Check it out.

These guys all came over to wish me a happy birthday on my walk back to the house.  I am pretty sure they thought I would feed them, but I'll pretend they were singing happy birthday when they were mooing.  I'm telling y'all, I live in the sticks!

"Happppppy birthday to Mooooooo!"

So with wonderful friends, family, co-workers, and students, I have had an amazing birthday.  This birthday has far exceeded my expectations.  I am so blessed.  More to come about my celebration in Nashville with Mom and Dad this weekend.