This is just one of the bouquets of lilies!

Then, after the pretty flowers were given to me, he handed me a big box…. and inside of that was a smaller box, surrounded with pamphlets of literature about diamonds, etc… then naturally my eyes got really big when I saw the two big sparkling diamond stud earrings!! What girl wouldn’t want to wake up to flowers and diamonds?!!! *sigh*

One of my bday presents.

Then after church, Brian and I enjoyed some of my (our) favorite Cold Stone Ice Cream (bday cake remix- so appropriate) on a park bench next to a nice little pond in Plano in pretty weather. Perfection.

Obviously it was time for a lengthy nap before heading off to a fancy dinner at Ruth’s Chris steak house. We each enjoyed a very delicious and perfect, to say the least, steak dinner, then shared dessert #2 for the day; Chocolate Explosion, compliments to our waiter’s request.

Brian and me at Ruth’s Chris celebrating my 23rd bday & our 1 yr anniversary. Don’t be fooled by the Luby’s decorations in the background…

It was quite a wonderful birthday I must say. I have such wonderful friends and family!! Thank you everyone!

This week Tom Thumb was having a sale on their Gerber Daisies (some of my favorites!) Woohoo!! I bought a set of pink ones for $7. They’re so pretty they look fake. I had a friend over for dinner last night and she was reluctant to believe they were real as well. I put a vase of them on my dining table, and my coffee table.

There is something about flowers that just cheer up a room!

I just finished reading The Kite Runner. This book was not a typical book you’d find in my “to be read” stack of books. I passed it up several times in book stores, but I finally gave in when my grandma lent it to me. Khaled Hosseini is a great writer. He writes in a very simplistic manner so that it is easy for someone who is uneducated on the Afghanistan culture to understand. This book illustrates a beautiful story of ultimate loyalty and honor of one friend to another, as well as, between family. There were many times that I couldn’t believe a child could be so loyal and brave for another friend. It was as if the child was exemplifying Christ-like characteristics. The end of the book provides quite a pleasing/lovely twist/revelation.

“The Kite Runner tells the story of Amir, a boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, who is haunted by the guilt of betraying his childhood friend Hassan, the son of his father’s Hazara servant. The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of the monarchy in Afghanistan through the Soviet invasion, the mass exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime.”

Throughout the novel Khaled Hosseini paints a beautiful picture in English, but provides a word in Pashto or Farsi occasionally as a reference.

I would usually fend off such a “cultural” novel (even though I really enjoy learning about and experiencing other cultures), because I usually lean towards the fiction mystery thriller novel as a form of entertainment. But I think I’m slowly enjoying reading books based on a true story, as well as, memoirs, etc…

At first I was ignorant to see I didn’t have an immediate direct relation or something common with this culture. However, I am very glad I read this book. It was very educational and not to mention incredibly eye opening. I definately suggest you reading it! It’s a great novel for anyone of any culture to read. It all goes back to the principals of friendship.

As Donna Stuart says in her blog: The title track “Albertine” is actually a young girl’s name…whom she met while visiting her sponsored children in Rwanda. This child left an impression on Brooke… one that stirred a sense of urgency and left her unsettled. Flying home from Rwanda Fraser writes, “I will tell the world. I will tell them where I’ve been. I will keep my word I will tell them Albertine.”

This video below is titled “Shadowfeet” from her album, Albertine.

My long time friend, Monica, flew in town to visit me while Brian was out of town. She was my date for Patrick’s wedding. We had a blast being giggling as we have always been. I don’t know what it is, but when I get together with my best friends I can’t help by laugh non-stop… and that’s how it SHOULD be!

Sunday before I returned Monica to the airport we ate at my FAVORITE sushi restaurant in Mockingbird Station, Reikyu Sushi. I can’t say enough great things about the place or the people that work there….not to mention the amazing presentation of the food! My favorite dish is the vegetarian avacado rolls, with mango sauce. My mouth is salivating just thinking about it.

“M” for Mockingbird Station… AND Monica….

There’s no “M” in my name…

Mom & Gammy were in town for a R&R weekend a couple wknds ago and stayed at the Mansion on Turtle Creek. It was a very nice hotel!! We ate at Houston’s on Friday night and they got to see my new apartment. I visited them on Saturday after volunteering at TRANSFORM for my church.

My cousin’s baby, Scarlett, is blossoming so quickly! She is so much fun and is pretty much always happy. VERY rare for babies!! Go Scarlett!!

Take a good look…..

and take a better look below… I did NOT add “black” color to her lips.
Apparently my hand-held digital camera has a “gothic” mind of its own- hahaha.
I couldn’t stop laughing when I saw this. Scarlett, our little gotch child.

Mmm.. RED paint!