Surprise Birthday Meal - 14th November 2014

OMG! OMG! OMG! where do I start with this post, I will try and start at the beginning.  A few weeks ago Juile said she was taking me out for a meal for my birthday, which is not till December but due to all the Christmas hype we where going out earlier, which suited me just fine.  That was all she told me, she said it was going to be a suprise and that she would pick me up and not to have any tea.

So I was completely in the dark about where we were going! who was going to be there etc, etc.

So when she arrived I even tried to get it out of her where we were going but she still didn't say anything.

Anyway, we arrived at ASK Italian and to my utter surprise the gang was there, I really don't know how they managed to keep is so quite is beyond me, but they did and I'm so glad they did.

I was with Sam and Sheena the week before and had talked about Julie taking me out for a meal, but they didn't say a word and it was just lovely seeing them there, and being part of my birthday celebrations.

So after the shock of they all being there we had a lovely meal and a laugh.

 So after the meal we order dessert and the waitress brought me this

The lights went down and the whole restaurant sang me happy birthday.

Then Julie said let go over the road for a coffee, so we crossed the road and ordered some coffee, and we where just settling down and them Julie gave me a present and said it was from everyone.  

It was a struggle getting into it. but as soon as I took the paper off I started to cry, it was a album -

- why cry at a album you ask??  - well each one of my lovely friends had done one or two pages about our friendship.

Now people who have met me know I love to talk, but truly I was speechless, I wanted to run and hide and have a good cry, a very, very happy cry, but I wanted to cry, well I did cry but I kept it contained, but at the same time I wanted to hug and kiss each and everyone of them for this album.

It was Julie's idea and she has done me proud, this is just spot on, something that I would never have done myself or even thought of, but somethings that they each had a hand in doing.

I remember reading somewhere about the power of having handwritten journalling on your layouts … and to be honest I never really understood it, but sitting here and reading these little notes … I now know what they mean … these messages are very personal from each of them just to me and they all have true meaning … I'm so grateful for these friends.

Love this photo of Sam and I at a Scrapagogo retreat

and Julie had even added some photos of my Preston friends, which was just lovely.

Whilst there I couldn't read any of the words has I know that they came from the heart and would be very touching, so when I got home I read and cried and looked at every photo, embellishment, sticker etc with the delight of knowing I have made some true friends that I will treasure for ever and ever and so thankful that they feel the same way about me.

Both Jon and James enjoyed looking at it and they loved it, not as much as me, but they both said it was fab.

It now has pride of place in my living room, it won't be in my craft room, because I need to look at it and ponder from time to time, and also show it to everyone who visits - lol.

I thank Julie for my night and planning and all the hardwork in organising it, I thank all the girls for sparing some time to celebrate my birthday, but most of all I thank each of them for being my friends.

I end with this lovely photo of Julie and I - thank my love, it was very much appreciated, you are a star and one very special lady, thanks for being my friend, love you loads xxx

I will share a few of the pages shortly.