Birthday Blessings And Bloggy Buddies!

I told you all about my special day with Yvette and Tina. (If you missed that post, you can click here to read about it.)

In that post, I told you all that I would show you the birthday gifts that they brought for me, as well as tell you about my Tina's Vera Bradley purse in "Frankly Scarlet" that I want very badly.

Sigh.

So without further ado, here are the pictures of my special gifts.
I love, love, love pretty gift bags, so, of course, I took a picture of these.



Aren't they pretty?

Yvette, knowing how much I dislike them, loves to tease me with frogs. So, she gave me this stuffed frog that belonged to her grandmother who recently passed away. (I thought that was so sweet.)



I will have to add this frog to my collection around the house that reminds me to "Fully Rely on God."



Yvette also gave me the romantic movie P.S. I Love You along with the tissues that I will need for the uncontrollable sobbing that she said I would most likely do.



Sigh.

These wonderful gifts were also accompanied by a card that throws me a big loud birthday kiss! I loved it! ;)

Shannon and I were supposed to go see P.S. I Love You at the movies around Christmas, but life got in the way, and we never made it to the theater, so I was thrilled that she bought this movie for me. I love me some romance!;)

Tina's gifts were also absolutely perfect. Well, I mean if you don't mention the cotton balls.



(Shiver.)



I'm kidding; I loved that she thought of doing that to tease me. She knows about my "issues" with cotton balls, so it was hysterical to see a bag of them along with the other gifts.

(Shiver.)

Tina is obviously (like Yvette) a girl after my own heart. She brought me the Mamma Mia soundtrack, along with a Starbucks gift card.



Sigh.

I had just been tempted to buy that soundtrack at Target on the very same day, so imagine my surprise when I opened her present.

Sigh.

Last but not least, here is a picture of my Tina's Very Bradley purse in "Frankly Scarlet."



Sigh.

Since she seemed to know exactly what I would want for my birthday (not counting the cotton balls of course), I just felt certain when I saw Tina walk up with my that purse, that she brought that especially for me. But we got so carried away with talking and giggling all night, that I think she accidentally took it home with her instead of leaving it with me.

So Tina, don't feel bad about taking off with my Vera Bradley purse in "Frankly Scarlet." Now that you know my address, you can just pop it in the mail to me.

I'm just saying is all.;)

Even though I loved all of the gifts that Yvette and Tina brought me for my birthday, the greatest gift that they gave me was the gift of their friendship. I was so touched that they both took time away from their families and drove all the way out to Crazyville just to make my evening special. There is no better gift than that, my bloggy buddies.

~ Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends. ~



Tina and Yvette, thank you both for making me feel so special. You are two of the loveliest ladies that I have ever had the privilege to meet. You are both such a blessing to me.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward

One last thing before I go, yesterday, my son brought in the mail, and I had a postcard from my sweet blogging buddy, Valerie. She recently went to the "Siesta Fiesta" in San Antonio, Texas, with her daughter Kristen. And while she was there, she bought this card to send me.



And this is what she said.



Sigh.

Isn't she the sweetest thing? Valerie, thank you for thinking of me and for your prayers. You are a doll, and I'm just crazy about you. Thank you so much for your kindness to me.

Sigh.

James 1:17
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

F.R.O.G.

When I was recovering from my recent back surgery, Yvette sent me this little package of "happies" to cheer me up. :)



Thanks, Yvette!:)

Yvette loves to tease me with frogs, because she knows how much I dislike them.

I put the Fozzie Bear that she gave me with my Fozzie Bear collection. (I have issues.)

The little frog key chain (which by the way when you squeeze it, it makes the funniest sounds) I decided to use as a Christmas ornament. I thought it would be a nice reminder every year of Yvette's unbelievable kindness to me.

Sigh.

But the little bag full of colorful plastic frogs, I had no idea what to do with.......until now.

Since several bloggy buddies pointed out to me that "frog" in the Christian world stands for "Fully Rely On God," I decided to use these disgusting little colorful frogs as a reminder for me to do just that.



So, I placed them in different spots around my home, so that I would constantly be reminded to focus and fully rely on God, as opposed to focusing on the circumstances that are happening around me and only relying on myself or others.

Here is one of the frogs at my computer desk....



On the table beside the couch....



In the kitchen....



In the bathroom....



(I'll just need you to ignore the hair on the sink. Thanks!)

I even hid one in the laundry room....



And last, but certainly not least, I placed one on my bedside table. That way I would see the frog when I first wake up in the morning, and it would be the last thing I see each night as I go to sleep.



As long as the frogs stay out of my toilet (click here to read about that nightmare), I think I will be okay with them all over my home. ;)

Proverbs 3:5
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;"



Thank you, Dianne, for this beautiful picture.