Erica's Notes

My niece Erica has gotten into making cards and loves to write notes to people. As if I needed another reason why she tugs at my heartstrings, this really bonds us together as aunt and niece because it's something that I love to do as well.

Last year I was amazed that a three-year-old would spend an hour or so making Valentine cards (we made some together), but now, I can see that she has a real love for crafts and art and it's fun to see the creativity she displays.

When Erica gets it in her mind to make cards for someone, she doesn't want to make just one. When Daniel was sick right before Christmas, she wanted to make him some get well cards/notes. I think he ended up with seven or eight before it was all said and done.

The cards pictured below were some that Erica made for me in January. I love the pictures she drew and how she wrote "I (heart) Y" inside. She also decided that I needed to write on the front of "Aunt Nette's Bible" after she had made the card complete with a ribbon sticking out as a bookmark.

And the one with a Q-tip taped onto the front:  she explained that she had included a handle for me to carry the card easier. So thoughtful!

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I will look forward to lots of card-making with Erica. It is always fun to have someone to share a hobby with!

My birthmonth

It's my birthday (month)! I just like to claim the whole month, not to be greedy, but because I can't fit all the celebrating in on one day. In fact, the celebrating started a whole week early this year when my friend Tiffanie surprised me by bringing over a little cake for me when I invited her to watch an episode of "Downton Abbey." I love fun surprises like that!

Then the next day, my friend Kathy B. came to my house for a small get-together and brought me a beautiful pink calla lily! Another unexpected gift to help me begin the birthday season!

A couple of days before my birthday, another friend, Shirley, came by the church office and brought birthday treats for both me and my co-worker, Sondra (it was Sondra's actual birthday that day). Shirley had thoughtfully chosen an assortment of scrapbooking stickers for me to use over the weekend at a scrapbook retreat.

For my birthday weekend, I got to do something I love to do:  scrapbook for hours with friends. Lots of laughter and chatter and eating went on, and maybe a little dancing. I got a lot accomplished and was surprised yet again with a birthday cake and a sweet time of affirmation and love poured out to me at dinner on Saturday night. I am very thankful for the many friends that God has placed in my life and these women who were around the table that night are blessings to me.

On Sunday, February 3, my actual birthday, I got to wake up leisurely (still at the scrapbook retreat) and got pampered by my friend Carol fixing my hair for me (I asked her if I could come to her house a few times a week to get my hair smoothed). We headed back to Nashville and I got to spend a relaxing afternoon at home with Daniel before we headed over to celebrate with our family.

There was a little event called the Superbowl that got scheduled on my birthday this year. I don't recall them consulting me, but it was fun to get together with our family for some make-your-own-nachos (complete with Jeanette's yumm-o guacamole) and my special-request cake, Mom's apple cake. That cake deserves a post of its own, but it is my favorite cake!

The girls were so excited for me to get to their house and the minute I walked in the door, Erica looked at me and without saying a word, ran to get her footstool and brought it over to reach for the gift that she and Mary Lane had picked out (and cards they had made). Since Jeanette wasn't home yet, I politely diverted her attention and told her we'd wait to open the gifts. A few minutes later she said that I was going to want to sew something with what was in the bag (what?) and then later in the evening, she asked me if I was going to write her "lots of thank-you notes"! I had to smile because she loves to make and receive notes, so that was something she was thinking about.

Usually, I am a little melancholy on the day after my birthday, with it being a whole year until it's my special day again. But this year, I knew the celebration was going to continue with some treats at work on Tuesday and some other celebrations with friends continuing throughout the month. 

Oh, and then there's the free stuff you can get if you just sign up at the right places. So far, I have enjoyed a buy one, get one free meal offer at Zoe's and a free beverage of my choosing at Starbuck's. I still have a free taco waiting for me at Oscar's Taco and a free treat at Sonic. The sopapilla's pictured above were a freebie from Chuy's, just because we mentioned that we were there celebrating two of our birthdays.

Like I said earlier, I am so thankful for my friends (and family) and how they make me feel loved and special on my birthday. I hope that I do the same for them when it's their special day!