Birthday Bragging

So I haven't blogged in a WEEK and that seems like a long time to me now! I know, I have a social media problem.

But know that if I haven't been blogging it means a.) I'm actually doing my homework that I should be doing instead of blogging or b.) actually interacting with REAL people face to face as opposed to interface.

This week happened to be the latter. It was my 29th birthday, y'all!

And who knew 29 was so AWESOME!?

I wish I could say I wasn't accustomed to celebrating my birthday multiple days in a row, but I kind of am. I just have awesome friends and family who make it so. There has been many a year that I've been surprised with more than one birthday celebration. Por ejemplo:

- sophomore year of college when my friends blindfolded me and drove me 3 hours to Hamilton, VA. What's in Hamilton, VA, you ask? I don't know- I was BLINDFOLDED. But I do know that there was an IMAX theater because they took me to see the Nsync IMAX movie!! And THEN the following day, I was taken to lunch by my two roommates while more friends gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and waited there for me with a cake!! (I wish I had pics to post, but alas- this was before digital cameras, people)

- or the time my parents surprised me by driving down to DC with both of my grandmothers in tow and I was greeted by them and 15 or so of my closest friends at Maggiano's (again, pre-digital!)

- or the birthday octave which occured in the convent. My co-postulant and I celebrated our birthdays in the same week and so we celebrated each birthday (and every day in between :)

So I don't mean to BRAG at all, but I kind of win at birthdays. And this year was no exception.

It started on Wednesday when a friend coaxed me to joining her and some other YM peeps out in VA for some drinks ($3.00 margaritas? Twist my arm! ;) and thus began the "Birthday Vigil". After an hour of some lovely conversation and tortillas, I hopped in my car to meet my bestie and co-blogger back in Silver Spring for dinner. This was certainly a great start on the eve of my birthday. But oh, no! It didn't stop there!

I had just gotten home from dinner and was greeting my roommate, when I hear a knock on the door. It is not uncommon for us to have our friend/neighbor stop by at 11pm when he sees our lights still on. And so I wasn't surprised when I saw his smiling face, but I WAS suprised to see the 4 additional faces standing behind him with cake, champagne, and flowers!

And so we had a birthday vigil. Which turned into a birthday triduum ;)

My roommates had planned a dinner party for my actual birthday on Thursday with- seriously guys- my FAVORITE people. It was such the perfect mix of women's prayer group ladies, youth ministry friends, new friends, old friends, college friends- all on a Thursday night!

I also got some AWESOME presents- my friends know me well:


Yes, that IS an '@' symbol. Those of you who are familiar with Twitter and/or my obsession with Twitter are aware of why this is all things awesome and appropriate.

And here you will see a "Pants on the Ground" T-shirt, the McDonald's "Frankie-Filet-O-Fish" Fish ("Give me back that filet-o-fish! Give me that fish!" Oh, yes. It sings, folks) movie tickets, martini glasses, spa gift card, and more....

Again, not bragging. Just overwhelmed by the love.

And God bless those of you still reading, but there is still MORE!!!

I was not clued into the two preceding days'o'fun, and so I had planned on my own a little get together of sorts myself.

See, 29 to me is many things, but it most certainly is the culmination of my twenties, no? And so I thought it only appropriate to party like it was 2004 and pretend I was still 23. I invited my friends to join me at one of our favorite spots from our early twenties.

But to bring us into 2010, and well, just because it's ME...I made my friends dress up like Lady Gaga.

And again, because my friends are AWESOME...we went all out:

yes, those ARE cigarettes taped to my sunglasses. I don't ask you to understand. If you are a pop culture feen like me, you get it. I know, however, that not everyone loves LaGa. But this happened to be probably one of the best ideas I have ever had. The people at the bar absolutely loved it.

And thus concludes the Birthday Hat Trick/tri-fecta/Triduum/what have you. But the weekend continued to be win as we celebrated another friend's bday on Saturday and then capped off the weekend with some outlet shopping!!! (Yup, sure did not get ANY studying done this weekend. Whoops!)

I made a grown up purchase that I am proud of and believe will send my twenties out in style:
My very own Coach purse!

Please don't take this post as bragging about material and superficial things. I really just wanted to give tribute to my friends and show how truly loved I felt this week.

This week definitely more than made up for the many months of wondering "where is God in all of this?" It is evident He is HERE- in the community He has given me. I know others have accomplished different things in their 20's: marriages, babies, houses, the like. But I have come to an awareness about a lot of things, experienced some fantastic places, had some intense journeys, and established some "holy and fabulous" friendships ;)

I say "holy and fabulous" because this was apparently a phrase coined by my friends on Saturday night in my absence after I had left my friend's celebration. It is certainly a phrase I want to aspire to. Perhaps it can be the title of my memoirs? ;)

Anyways, all this to say, I have holy and fabulous people in my life. And I am grateful. Thanks, everyone, for a fantastic birthday week! ;) It was certainly a gift from God above all else.

I can't wait to see what 29 looks like. If this is any indication, it will be above and beyond and an absolute blast.

Peace,
Julia