Oh No! Say It Isn't So! I (finally) Turned The Big FOUR-O!

Wow!

A beautiful black & white extravaganza!

I wasn't really dreading turning 40... but I WAS kinda dreading the party celebrating it.

The day after Christmas is a tough day to ask people to do something. I didn't want to put my friends out (ESPECIALLY the ones planning it!!!)

So I buried my head in the sand and blissfully carried on my December preparations & celebrations in denial while my amazing husband, friends, and Mom planned away.

I DID have the job of shopping for a red dress & shoes... I secured the dress early... the shoes were a booger and Miss M and I finally found them on my birthday - the day of the party (phew! couldn't have done it without her!!!).

It was BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!... Could NOT have been prettier! The black & white, the tulle, the flowers, the lights & lanterns, the apothecary jars filled with treats, the candles, and the CAKE (nore on that later)... It was a real grown-up party (I guess that means I really am a grown-up now that I am 40?).

It was gorgeous and I could've gone home happy after just seeing the decorations... but NO... there was a party to follow. People came and ate and seemed to have a good time. I even had a good time (D said to him, I never even look like I feel or am uncomfortable - I should go into ACTING, for sure!!! :) It was fun though and I felt very loved... again... especially by D, Shel, Suez, & Tyra.

THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And now on to the pictures thanks to official Momarazzi photographer extraordinaire, Shelly!

Me & my LOVE - definitely the "Host with the Most"!!!

Oh Baby!

Me & my party planner sistas - look at their amazing decorating talent!

Me & my personal shopper

The delectable, all edible work of art, by MASTER baker (for love, not money), could-have-her- own-Ace-of-Cakes-show: Tyra

Cake topper - spectacular individually handmade gumpaste flowers & sparkly fondant balls (by Sophia) & fondant rolled by Leon (truly a family affair)

Me & Ty

Mom & Dad

The gorgeous yard - check out the lights & lanterns

Me resting my wimpy feet with Suez & Charmane

Eating tacos (appreciate the all WHITE flowers - with one red rose tucked in - so creative!)

Serving tacos - Mmmmmmm

The toast (look at the beautiful decorations!!!)

B&W toast at a B&W party

Antols

Gurzis

The whole Maslyn clan

Forced family fun (haha)

Tired from a LONG night (& day!!!)

Thanks all!!!!!!!!!!

What a FUN, happy birthday for me!

xo

My Church

These are my girls.

These are with whom I fellowship and study the Bible and pray and find community.

This is my church.

In back: Shelly, Lynn, Jen, Andria, Me, Suez / In front: Kim Kathi, V.

Love you!!!!!!!!!

Lazy Beach Days of Summer

We have been so grateful to have been able to get to the beach so many times this summer! The air temp has been pretty mild this summer and the water temp has been pretty warm - a very enjoyable beach summer!

These photos are all compliments of our own personal Momarazzi, Shelly with her awesome eye, amazing camera (on "sports mode") and endless patience to stand there and take 1,000 photos in ONE DAY!!!! (Thanks Shel!)

Waiting for the waves

Walking on water?

Whoops!

Jump rope with sea weed

3 jumping at a time

Dad & Bub

Mom

The whole gang

Josh & Deevs mugging for the Momarazzi

Dad "sponging"

The waves were pretty big

Surfing?

Catching a wave together

Friends since Moppet Days (Deevs & Josh)

Friends since Moppet days (Miss M & Jordan)

Waiting to skim board

A LONG day

Dana (the Queen of Snacks) & Mom

Turn it Around

My Women's Bible study group just finished Beth Moore's newest Bible study (Esther).

It was a very good study.

The theme was:

Reversal of Destiny (or "Turn it Around").

Each week we talked about how it was "tough being a woman" in various ciurcumstances but then Beth Moore (via DVD) taught from Scripture how the Lord turns those various tough scenarios around.

To finish out our time together, we got together and ATE (of course!) and created "Turn it Around" books where we could write the tough scenarios and God's turnarounds for them.

  (Although the books turned out so darned cute - THANKS SUEZI -  that many of them are now going to be photo albums and prayer journals.)

Here are the scenarios and some photos:

* It’s tough being a woman in another woman’s shadow (Overshadowed)

TURNAROUND - Psalm 91:1 - He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

* It’s tough being a woman in a world where beauty is a treatment (Underrated)
TURNAROUND - Eccl 3:11 - He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set

 eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

* It’s tough being a woman in a mean world (Overwrought)
TURNAROUND - 1 Tim 1:18, 19 - …I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.
* It’s tough being a woman thrown a giant sized weight (Under Qualified)

TURNAROUND - 1 peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Deut 23:5 - However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.

* It’s tough being a woman in the tight fist of fear (Under Attack)
TURNAROUND -  

Deut 33:29 - Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places

Neh 4:14 - …"Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."

Isa 49: 15, 16 …I will not forget you. See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands”
Ps 139:10 - even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
* It’s tough being a woman who can balance passion with patience (Over Anxious)
TURNAROUND - Is 30:18 - Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you

 compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

* It’s tough being a woman who feels responsible for the “how” (Over-Responsible)
TURNAROUND - 2 peter 2:9 - If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
Ps 103:14 - for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
*** It’s tough being a woman… BUT it is TRUST that turns it all around.

*** It’s tough being a woman… BUT TRUST REVERSES THE DETOURS OF ADVERSITY INTO THE HIGHWAYS OF DESTINY.

We missed you Jen, Lynn, Stephanie, Andria, & Sharon!!!