Where do I start???

I said I wasn't going to blog ever again because I had gone too long and there was too much to catch up. But, I have changed my mind. I have got to document all of this because I never want to forget it all. This is the Summer that I found out how much I was loved. You know how people say that they wish that so-so could have heard all of the nice things people say at their funeral before they died? I feel like I have heard all of those nice things or, more accurately, felt all of the nice things people would say at my funeral this Summer. I never want to forget that. I am not sure I can finish it all in one blog so I am going to just try to catch up as I can before I have to get up from the couch that I have lived on the past few weeks.

I'll start with my trip to the Philippines (which seems like FOREVER ago). First thing, Magiboo wasn't there. He had gone to spend the Summer with his mom in Manila and they thought he would be back before we left but he didn't get back. I have since learned that his mom has enrolled him in school in Manila and they don't know if he will ever come back to Salamonge Sur. Things are different there. The courts aren't very involved, there are no social services. I pray for Magiboo everyday and it breaks my heart to think I may never see him again but my only option in this situation is to trust that God knows best. Not too long after I got back there was a typhoon that went through Manila and I just stayed in bed crying and praying and watching the news. That is when I decided I had to give the Magiboo situation to God. We had eleven baptisms on our trip and I met all of the new boys at PTC. I love those boys and my PTC family. I had so many fun times and memories that I wanted preserve but I let too much time lapse. Maybe one day I will pull out pictures and that will trigger things but for now I have too much other stuff on my mind. Part of my heart is in the Philippines and probably always will be.

The next thing that happened in my life that I want to remember forever is my birthday weekend. July 18th I turned 29 + 1 (It's my blog so I don't have to type it!). A few months back Louise, Leigh, and Michelle all surprised me by saying that I needed to take off my birthday weekend and that I needed to pack one dress and one casual outfit. Here are the things I thought. The first thing I thought was that we were going to the Braves game. Almost immediately I realized that couldn't be so because Louise would be seven months pregnant and Louise hates outdoor events because, even NOT pregnant she is the most hot natured person I know and pregnant she is like a walking heater. So I really didn't have an idea for the casual idea. As for the dress outfit, I figured that they had reservations at a nice restaurant in downtown. I was wrong!

We left on Saturday morning (the 17th) and all I knew was that we were gong to Atlanta. Off we go on I85 North and right through Atlanta we went. I was very confused. We ended up going to Adairsville, outside of Atlanta. This is where Leigh's boyfriend, Nathan, is from and where Leigh gets her hair done. Leigh had been after me for a while to get my hair cut and I hate to get my hair cut. It literally makes me sick to my stomach. It's not like I love my hair and spend lots of time on it. It stays in a ponytail 95% of the time. I just hate to cut it. I can't explain it, I just hate to cut it. So, when we pulled up to the salon I started making my case that I would get my hair washed (LOVE TO HAVE MY HAIR WASHED!) and trimmed but I was NOT getting it cut! Needless to say, I walked out of there with about nine inches cut off and a totally new hairstyle. Leigh's reasoning and the idea of how hard the long hair would be to take care of during my upcoming recovery convinced me to just cut it off. I donated the cut off hair Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program. This is my eighth time donating my hair and I now donate through Pantene's program instead of Locks of Love for two reasons. One, you only have to donate eight inches instead of ten and second, they make wigs for adult cancer patients and Locks of Love only makes wigs for children.

Next, we headed back towards Atlanta. We stopped and did a little shopping. Leigh had already bought me a new dress for the trip and I bought some new jewelry and new shoes. The shopping was super fun! Next we went and checked into the Holiday Inn Express that is right off the interstate and right beside the Braves stadium. You probably think that now I thought that we were going to the Braves game but I knew that Leigh had lots of points with Holiday Inn Express where she got rooms for free and this one was convenient to all of Atlanta. When we got checked in we immediately got ready in our dress outfits and back in the car we went. They took me to the FOX THEATRE to see Phantom of the Opera!! If you have never been there, you have got to go! This was my second time to go and I LOVE the theatre! It was just awesome! I fell asleep thinking my birthday (the next day) would have a hard time living up to that day!

On Sunday morning we woke up and had a worship service with the four of us in the room. Then, they broke the news to me that we were going to the Braves game! I was super shocked because I was SO SURE we weren't! So, we got dressed and loaded up the car and then walked to Turner Field. You have to know that I love the theater and I love concerts and I love lots of things. But, there is nothing that I love as much (and have loved my whole life) as I do going to Braves and Vols games! I had always wanted to go to a Braves game on my birthday and what better one to do it at than this BIG birthday! I was SO excited but it didn't take long to realize that it was HOT for a day game at the Braves game! We had awesome tickets but before we could even get to them Louise was feeling the effects of the heat. God bless her. She was so sick from the heat and as soon as we got in the stadium, straight to the medic station we went! Turns out her blood pressure and her sugar were ok and after a few minutes in the cold AC and a cold bottle of water she was ready to go. What a trooper! I hope that if I ever get pregnant I am half as tough and active as she has been! No wonder she looks so good! The game was SO fun and the Braves won big! After the game we capped off the weekend with a meal at one of my favorite places and a Braves game day tradition- The Varsity! Perfect! I will post pictures from this adventure soon!

It is almost one am and this has not been one of my easier days in this recovery process so I am going to wrap this up and take it up tomorrow. I'll pick up in my post twenty's!