To me! Isn’t that fun? 🙂

But I promise, I wouldn’t blog about this day–believe me, reaching the mid-30s mark isn’t a noteworthy milestone– except that I am blessed to share it with three of my favorite people in the world. Two of them were actually born on the same day I was, so we are truly “triplets” in a sense. Let me tell you about them.

Donny Godsey, the father figure in this picture, stood as a groomsman in our wedding. He and John became fast friends in their seminary days. His wife, Courtney, worked with me at the time, and the two of them concocted a scheme to get their friends John and Kelley to meet because “Hey, wouldn’t they be a cute couple?” Other events, and God, conspired to bring us together before the Godseys could arrange the meeting, so they can’t claim matchmaking success, only great vision. These are our “South Carolina friends” whom we try to visit once a year or so. Sometimes they come back to see us. But it’s much more fun to go there, where they have ski boats and 4-wheelers and a cabin in the woods at their disposal. We have…uh, Dallas.

Donny runs his own videography company, C3D Studios, and has recently succeeded in creating and producing his son’s cooking/adventure show for kids, “Fun Food Adventures” (which I mentioned a few months ago). They also homeschool their beautiful, energetic, and creative children. Donny is that friend John can count on no matter what, no matter how far, no matter how long. Happy birthday, Donny!

And then, there’s Erin Blaydes Anderson. My old Pine Cove pal, who invited me to meet and love her family, then move in with them when I started seminary so long ago. We went from huge phone bills between UT Austin and LSU to sharing her old bedroom at home one summer. We were glad when she went back to school! Erin was my maid of honor (she even sang in the wedding), I was her matron of honor (I wasn’t asked to sing-hahahaha), and for the last 6 years we’ve enjoyed trading off babysitting (until I moved up to the hinterlands). Our children are friends, her sisters are mine, her parents consider me theirs, etc.

Erin is a type-A, hardworking military/pilot’s wife, who often served as a virtual single mom when her hubby was gone for training or duty. She is so proud of him!

She works from home so she can be “Mom” as much as possible. And though her first abode upon returning to Dallas from college was an apartment in central Dallas, she wasted no time in finding a house in Lake Highlands–that NE Dallas community that bleeds black and red–about five blocks from her parents.

Erin is that friend I can count on no matter what, no matter how far, no matter how long. Happy birthday, EB!

When I was single and living with her family, January 31 was a major event. There was no way my birthday would be forgotten, considering that it had been a banner day in the Blaydes’ house for a great many years. You see, Erin was born on her father’s 26th birthday! So she was used to sharing her day with someone else before I came along. Pop, as I call her dad Bill, always said he gave up having birthdays when Erin was born. So when we turned 26, he got his birthday back! Dang.

I already had two dads–my father and step-father–but I was young enough when I “joined” the family that I wasn’t sure about calling Erin’s parents by their first names. Within a couple of months I’d come up with “Pop,” which he apparently enjoyed, and our other friends adopted. Since his grandchildren have been born, he is now “Papa” and his wife Sara is “Nana.” And he’s been like another father to me, and then to John, who asked him to be a groomsman in our wedding. Pop is a special part of our lives, made more special by our shared birthday.

A few highlights: Pop works in real estate, has been married almost 40 years, and has served Lake Highlands as a Dallas City Councilman these past 4 years. He dotes on his grandkids (my kids included), loves to fish and read Clive Cussler books, and gives the greatest hugs. Happy birthday, Pop!

I’m celebrating today at home, since it is freakin’ cold outside and I don’t want to get out it in. I did warn John that I don’t cook on my birthday, so maybe he’ll bring home a pizza or something :). But mostly I’ll be doing my 30-something routine–changing diapers, watching Clifford the Big Red Dog, fixing lunches, getting tackled by toddlers, picking up toys…enjoying my lot in life. It’s pretty wonderful.