So Blessed!!!

Thank you SO MUCH for all the wonderful birthday wishes that you sent my way yesterday!! My email, cell phone, home phone, blog and blogs of friends were overflowing with love from family and friends both near and far!! Talk about feeling the love! You were sending it and I was feeling it and each of you played an important part in the celebration of my birthday. Thank you so VERY, VERY MUCH!!

I had the priviledge of spending the day with many of my extended family who live 5 hours away from me. I don't remember the last time this happened and it was a special treat!

The morning began when my mom's youngest sister Marg and my cousin Heather took me out to breakfast. We had a great visit together and it was so good to see them as I hadn't seen them since early January.

The afternoon was an adventure that unfortunately didn't quite turn out as we had hoped but we still had fun. Over the Detroit River which separates Windsor and Detroit, the Red Bull Air Races were scheduled. Due to the high winds (that you can hear in this video I shot of one of the few planes that flew by) the races were delayed until Sunday.
Oh well, it was a gorgeous afternoon to sit by the riverside and check out the Detroit skyline. This view made me smile as I thought back my introduction to Bloggy Bashes when I met Connie, Stacy and Krista for the first time when we met for the Detroit Bloggy Bash in November 2006. Such GREAT memories!! (Also, if you look at this picture carefully you can see towards the right, 2 red and white inflated pilons floating on the river. If the weather had cooperated the planes were going to race between a series of these pilons with their wing tips less than 8m above the water!! Cool!!)

After the wait for the races we headed back to my cousins place where an annual family party was just getting started. What fun!! Thanks so much Tim and Shelley for hosing the Ryan Rumble once again!! Visiting with my cousins, aunts and uncles as the laughter of children rang out around us was wonderful! Hannah will have a lot of little cousins to play with as you can see from these pics. It's neat that even though I'll become a mom at an older age, my family still has lots of little children around that she will play with too. Can't wait!!

In the middle of the party Uncle Tim took my new nephews (Dave and Trish's boys) to the police station that he used to work at. Josh was ok to go into the cell as long as Auntie Cathy was with him. Once the door slid closed he wasn't too sure so we made it a quick photo op and got out of there. I'm pretty sure he's been cured of a life of crime in the future based on his reaction in the cell. :o) Here are the boys checking out the police cars: Justin

Josh
During the party, my brother David and cousin Tommy went out and picked up a 'thoughtful' (lol) birthday gift...a Dora colouring book, princess wand, tiara and pink floral lei! It was fun to open and as much as I tried to take them off over the night, the kids kept reminding me that I needed to wear the items and 'helped' me put them back on. The wand ran into a little trouble but Peter helped fix it. Check out the bandaid he used on it. Too cute!! The cake was a celebration of both my birthday and Dave and Trish's wedding. It was fun to share it with them! Congrats Dave and Trish! If you think being the birthday girl might mean a little respect...you've got it wrong. I noticed my uncle pick up my camera but had no idea that this was what he and my brother had planned! David felt I would be sweeter with icing smeared across my face! :o) My cousin Bridget and I. The only 2 girls in a sea of boys....and we're the best of friends! How many more sleeps Bridge??? HAMD!!!

The evening ended with fireworks which the kids loved! After a great day with my amazing family, I went back to my aunt and uncles and read all the wonderful birthday wishes you had sent my way. The perfect ending to a great day! Thank you again friends!! You are so special to me and I am SO THANKFUL that the wait for Hannah has allowed me to get to know so many new friends. You are loved!