I'm 30!

I turned 30 yesterday. Thirty. It's so strange to say that. Dean asked me if there was anything I wish I would have done by this age that I didn't get to do. I said no. For as long as I can remember, I've said that by 30, I want to be married with at least one child. Well, there you go. I have a wonderful husband and an amazing daughter...and an incredible group of friends and family. What more could I ask for? I am so blessed.

Friday afternoon, I left Ayla with my parents and did some shopping all by myself. My parents gave me a gift card to TJ Maxx. Score! Love that store. Anyways, I went to a couple places...it's rare that I am by myself during the day. I almost felt a little lost but it was nice to be able to look through clothes and not have to hang shirts back up after Ayla pulls them off of hangers and I didn't have to worry about her trying to escape from the dressing room while I tried things on. :)

Dean planned a party for me on Friday night. (Thank you, Dean! He knows that I don't like to plan things for myself...especially birthdays...being the center of attention makes me a little uncomfortable. So, he did all the work and I just got to show up.) We went downtown to Sake Bombers (the upper level of Blue Sushi). It was so fun to see everyone! Thanks so much to all of you who came by to help me celebrate. It really means a lot to me. Before the party, Dean and I went to dinner at Spaghetti Works and on the way there, I said that I was really happy about the people who would be at the party later on...except that my best friend, Jamie, wouldn't be able to make it in from Des Moines. She had been telling me for quite a while that she wouldn't be able to come...even texted me that afternoon to apologize for it.

Well.

Dean and I were just sitting there, finishing up our drinks when I happened to look up and see Jamie walking towards our table. It was one of those things where you know you know that person, but since you're not expecting to see them, it doesn't quite click in your mind who it is at first. I was so confused. I jumped up and gave her a hug and actually got tears in my eyes because I was so excited to see her. She made my day. :) She had planned on coming all along...sneaky, sneaky, Jamie (and Dean). The crazy girl ended up driving home at midnight through strong winds, rain, and hail. No one ever said she wasn't stubborn. ;)

Ayla spent the night with my parents that night and on Saturday morning, Dean's parents went to go pick her up so she could spend the day (and night) with them since Dean and I had a wedding to attend. We went over there to spend a little bit of time with her before having to get ready for the wedding. She says, "happy day!" for "happy birthday!" Love it.
The following pictures are at the wedding reception:

One of the girls came up with the brilliant idea to pick me up and hold me across all of them for a picture since it was my birthday. I wasn't too keen on that idea, but I don't think I had a choice. Their faces in the next picture crack me up...they all look like trouble.
With the beautiful bride, Jaime!

We went to Dean's parents' house for dinner tonight--Barb made a baked ravioli casserole. It was awesome and then for dessert, we had ice cream sundaes. She knows me all too well. Pasta, cheese, and ice cream. What more could you need in life? I'm still so full right now, I can hardly move. Ayla had a few bites of my sundae and I think those few tiny bites somehow managed to give her a bit of a sugar-high. She was so goofy and giggly on the way home and once we got here, she went crazy with my birthday balloons. She loves them.Thank you again to all of my friends and family for making this a great 30th birthday weekend!