So, so, SO much to say

How on earth am I going to condense my thoughts and the events of the past few days into an easy to read blog that won't put you, dear readers, into a coma? Let's give it a try, shall we?

My birthday was positively fabulous (and it had to live up to last year's limo & party filled extravaganza, which was huge!) Turning 41 was made less painful because of the wonderful people in my life, who spoiled me, as usual, in the following ways:

• I spent the weekend at a friend's cabin on the water not too far from home. Three of my dear friends came along with me and we had the best time. It was sunny and 80 degrees the entire weekend! We played games, watched movies, walked on the beach, ate way too much and of course, talked and laughed our faces off.
• Kim asked my friends, family and the youth I've served to write me a letter for my birthday. The letters were filled with memories or things they loved about me and put in a binder. Throughout the day, Kim, Lynda & Joyce would ring a bell and we'd stop what we were doing and they'd read a few of the letters to me. It was almost overwhelming at times but wonderful. (Major cryfest too.) What on earth did I do to deserve such an outpouring of love? (That's a rhetorical question - please do not respond!) I felt such love and it was fantastic. I also got some other great gifts, including a pre-ordered copy of this:

• We had these fabulously beautiful dinners both nights we were there. It was really nice to just relax and have a nice conversation over a wonderful meal. They made all of my favorites on Friday night, including peanut butter cup cheesecake. Perfection.
• We went to church and the high council speaker said he was a filmmaker. I googled him and the one movie he's made was rated R. He was a fantastic speaker and talked about personal revelation. But how do you do that, I wonder? Be who you want to be both artistically and spiritually?
• My mom and sister had dinner waiting for me when I got home Sunday night. Jaylene made me this cool floral arrangement in a vase/sconce type thing that I can hang on the wall in my living room. She is amazingly talented. Mom gave me this -- yay!
• I got my mail yesterday and got a birthday package from Jill of cozy socks and some yummy bath & body lotion. Totally unexpected! She is so dang sweet and thoughtful and we've never even met in person. Yet! :) Who'd have thought that blogging could be a blessing? And even better -- Heather, who redesigned Jill's blog is going to do mine too! I'm so excited that I will soon have a blog that's more "me" even though all of you google readers won't care. Anyway, Jill -- you are amazing! Here's a pic of Jill so everyone can see her cuteness!

• I'm woefully behind on TV. My TiVo is getting full, which scares me a little. I'll catch up by the weekend and post my thoughts then. I'm behind because...
• Camp kick-off is tomorrow night. My sister had made me our camp logo (for the camp t-shirt, schedule booklet, etc) but her computer is now dead and I'm having to completely recreate it. Besides that, I have to shop, finish the program, gather props for the skit, try to find a CD version of the minus track for our camp song because I can't be satisfied only having a cassette version and think of anything else I might be forgetting. Again, love-hate. I so totally love camp once I'm there but right now? Not quite as much.

As predicted, this got way long. Sorry. But at least I will remember how awesome my birthday weekend was when I reread this later. And really, it is all about me. ;)