44 on the 4th

Four years ago, 3 of us were up very early in the morning decorating our friends house in honor of her 40th birthday.  We were trying to be very quiet and not get caught.  It isn't easy for us to be quiet and it didn't help when the street cleaner decided he wanted to have a lengthy, but entertaining, discussion with us. He pulled his monster sweeper up to the curb and yelled his half of the conversation over the noise it was making and we, in turn, felt compelled to yell back.  Still, we were able to decorate and dash without being caught.

Fast forward to today and our friend is again celebrating her birthday.  This is a special one because she is turning 44 on the 4th.  I have always heard that when the date of your birth matches the age you are turning it is your golden birthday.  I turned 28 on my golden birthday and this friend turned 4 on hers.  However, there are some people who are extra lucky and get to have a double golden birthday. Like our friend today.

 I tried to take a picture where you could actually see her holding up 4 fingers on each hand,
but she wouldn't let me because she just got up and "looked gross". 

Both of my sons get to have double golden birthdays.  One had his when he was 11 and one when he turns 55.  We were trying to decide if anyone has ever had a triple golden birthday.  Do you think there was ever someone born on the 1st that turned 111?  That would be REALLY LUCKY!

Well, this morning we decided to decorate a little later and avoid a rendezvous with our friend from the city.  That wasn't a very good idea.  We ended up decorating the house, undecorating it in an attempt to go undetected when we discovered the friend was on her way outside, and then decorating it again. We were caught first by a couple of boy scouts (her son and his friend), then by a police officer (the father of the friend) and finally by our friend (when she failed to stay and visit at the church when she dropped the boys off to go to scout camp. She drove up just as we were walking home and chased us down the street).  Oh well, that way we got to give her a Happy Birthday hug!  I hope her day was GOLDEN.

Today I am thankful that

even though the 3rd member of our decorating committee didn't feel up to helping us this morning, she did let us come and help her clean her house and then shared protein pancakes with us and visited.

the youngest son arrived back safely from his whirlwind trip to San Diego.  Moms worry when their kids drive long distances by themselves.

I was up early enough to see these beautiful cactus blossoms.

These flowers are only open in the cool of the morning.  If you sleep in you miss them.