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A Trip Around the Sun
As a kid, everyone asks if you feel older on your birthday. It always seemed so silly. Of course I didn’t notice a difference between January 16 and January 17. I can honestly say that I have felt older on the past few birthdays. A month after my 21st birthday Dusty proposed, and it feels like since then time has flown. I have graduated from college twice (once with my bachelors and then with my masters), bought a house, planned a wedding, taught at three different schools, worked for the Boys and Girls Club for three summers, ended my five years working at NASA, worked a brief time at WVU, and become co-president of my local reading council. That’s just to name a few of the things that have made time go by so quickly.
This year I turned 26. If how I began this year of my life is any indication of how I will spend the rest of it, then I couldn’t be more pleased.
I got a jumpstart of the celebrations with Dusty’s birthday being a week before mine. We had dinner with his family. We also had dinner at my grandma’s house to celebrate my, Dusty, and Jared’s (Sara’s fiancé) birthday. She made our favorite foods and we each got our own cake.
I was surprised with flowers from my husband at school on Thursday. These weren’t just any flowers. These were the flowers from our wedding from our wedding florist. They were perfect. I also received a Birthday Princess button in my mailbox from a few wonderful coworkers.
Friday morning began with a birthday text from my mom. I always feel as though we should celebrate her on my birthday. She is an amazing lady and I am so blessed to be able to call her mom. My day at school began with finding a giant cupcake and owl gift bag on my desk from my fellow sixth grade teachers. Inside of the owl gift bag I found the cutest little owl measuring spoons. They know me so well.
It also wouldn’t be my birthday if it didn’t snow. The picture below is the view of the snow from my classroom. By the time we left school, that snow had all melted. Everything looked great for our plans that evening. I really should have known better. We had planned to go bowling and eat in the city north of us with my family. Dusty and I left a bit early to do a little shopping and almost as soon as we arrived decided that we needed to turn around as the weather took a turn. The drive back to town was terrifying. We met my family at one of our favorite local places for dinner. Then we went back to their house to watch The Heat. The night may have even turned out to be better than what it would have been.
Saturday was spent with a few of my dearest friends who worked very hard to make the day special. Samantha met me at my house to go out for lunch. Upon being greeted, I was handed an umbrella and told to open it. I was thrilled because I truly do need an umbrella, and there is no possible way she would know that. Of course, it wasn’t simply an umbrella. From each streamer hanging from the inside was a sweet note written from her to me. There were also iTunes and Starbucks gift cards. That wasn’t all. She handed me a gift bag in the car full of things I love (including the hat pictured below). There were also two cards. One from her and one from my furry nephew, Charlie. 
We then traveled to one of my favorite restaurants to meet Renee. After our yummy lunch, we went to a local paint your own pottery place where a few more surprises were in store for me. While picking out my pottery, my sister arrived. At first I thought it was just a coincidence, but I was thrilled when I found out they had been planning her arrival all along. A few minutes later another one of my friends, Ashley, walked through the door. Have I mentioned that I love my friends? 
I took Samantha back to my house to get her car because she had to get to another engagement. Renee and Sara stopped by the house. During their visit, Renee handed me a gift bag that contained a DVD she made of a VHS tape we were given when we graduated from junior high. I hadn’t seen this video since junior high. I can’t even explain how much this means to me.
I am so blessed with wonderful family and friends. It was a perfect birthday.
Bring it on 26!
Amy
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Getting Older
Dusty and I both have birthdays in January. His is the 7th and mine is the 17th. This year we decided to keep our celebrations simple.
Every year for his birthday I surprise him with a muffin with a lone birthday candle in the morning. This has been the tradition for at least the last five years. I have found new ways to do this each time. Now that we are married it is hard to make them without him knowing. This year I had the perfect plan. He left early for church the morning before his birthday. I had an hour. It all went downhill from there. The first obstacle was the eggs. The recipe required two and that is exactly what we had. One had the smallest crack, which is something that would ordinarily bother me, but I convinced myself that it would be okay. I didn’t have enough time to run to the store. Then I needed 1/4 cup of milk (so I thought). I poured out what was left of the milk into a measuring cup and it came to exactly 1/4 cup. Then upon further examination of the recipe I found that it actually called for 3/4 cup. Determined to make this work, I started raiding our cabinets. I found three cans of evaporated milk. I then began Googling if this was an acceptable substitute and what the ratio should be. It was perfect! I opened the can and then noticed the expiration date was for January of last year. I hit up Google again. I found that it is perfectly acceptable to use evaporated milk a year after the date (any later than that they said to feed it to the pigs). I decided to go for it. Then I looked at the clock. It took 20 minutes to bake the muffins and I had 15 minutes until church started. I also hadn’t even started to get ready. I had no where to hide the mix with already questionable ingredients. I tossed it all out. This is pretty much how I felt.
Later that night Dusty went back to the church and I found a mix in our cabinets where you just have to add water. Where was this solution before?
I turned 25 this year. This means several things. It means that my insurance rate will drop. It means that I am a quarter of a century old. It also means that I need to get my 25 year old license. This proved to be the most trying part of turning 25. I visited the DMV two days before my birthday, the day my license expires, only to realize that I did not possess an updated Social Security card. This meant that they could not renew my license and I needed to make a trip to the Social Security office. I bet you didn’t know that the Social Security office is only open from 9-3 on weekdays and only 9-12 on Wednesday. Thankfully, another teacher so kindly offered to watch my class and allowed me to leave school a little earlier on my birthday to take care of this. My new card will arrive in two weeks. Sheesh.
Last night I celebrated with just the girls. They made it a wonderful night. We all went out to Fujiyama for dinner. What is a special event without sushi? Then we all went back to Samantha’s house for games. Little did I know it was all decorated and looking adorable. She also got cupcakes! I cherish the time I get to spend with these ladies. It is always such a blessing.
Tonight Dusty and I are celebrating with my family. Wing night! Can’t wait!
Amy
Mr. and Mrs. Merrill 