Welcome To The Piney...

There is a little known spot on this earth, not too far away...and those who hang their hats here endearingly call it "The Piney".


When you arrive at this quaint cottage, you may be greeted by this sweet face...


... And if a house could have a soul, these two would be kindred spirits- for this home is as warm and inviting as its owner!

Its the sort of place where you feel comfortable to curl up like this...



...next to this...



...where all the door knobs look like this...




Every nook and cranny has the exquisite touch of an interior designer who knows that the very best that life has to offer is simple...



...natural...



...sometimes worn...




...always cozy...



...appreciative of times past....



....and always giving credit where credit is due.




At The Piney, you may find yourself sipping from these...



... served on table cloths of lace...




...making friends with other residents you may never have befriended before...



And if you stay (because you're always welcome to do so at The Piney), this will be your room...




When you go, you will always take with you words of wisdom...



...a gift of some sort(because the owner is very giving)...



...and a very full belly!






And as you pull away- no matter long your stay at The Piney- you will feel as though you've been HOME all along.



Trust me. I spent the day there today. And I feel rested and peaceful tonight.

Thank you, Aunt Jeana, for the most perfect breath of Spring that my soul needed today. Love you!

P-E-R-F-E-C-T

If I had to put my birthday into just one word, it would have to be....PERFECT! The whole day...starting with that card from my Mom that played my favorite rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow that I walked down the aisle to in my wedding (you should hear it playing!)...

(As you can see, I did wait until the specified time to open)

......to the surprise "love letter" blog post from my sweet hubby that I didn't find until after midnight last night(think this was my favorite gift)...and all of these "moments" in between...It was a "Dana Day" all day long, with all of my favorite elements!


Started with a mailbox full of love the night before...a thoughtful card from my friend, Melanie, an amazing book I cannot put down (FORGOTTEN GOD by Francis Chan) from my fave cousin Britt, and a to-be-forever-cherished-tear-jerker-7-page-letter from my Grandmother Stokes...what a way to start a birthday!

Shaelyn Jade loves riding with the windows down, and I love anything she loves!

Fabulous breakfast prepared by my Mom and Dad...including hashbrowns, my fave!

Enjoying the SUNSHINE (perhaps the best surprise on my birthday...thank you, Jesus!) with my girl, Bri...I always tell her she is my sunshine!


My two best girls in the whole wide world...


Priceless. This is our oldest horse, Gray, who Joey got when he was 8 or 9 years old...and her first "horse ride" on him...she freaked! It was such a fun birthday memory!

A swing hanging from an old tree...need I say more?


...Just soaking up this beautiful day, doing what we do best...hangin' outside! I love sitting in the grass!

Another birthday treat was that Kara, Gav's sweet girl, was able to make it in town to be with us all day Saturday and for dinner that night! Loved getting to know her better, and like her more and more each time I get to spend time with her. Beautiful inside and out.


Ok I love anything that makes adults act like kids again...and there is NOTHING like a good foot race, right? Yes, friends, after much "talk" about speed, these few brave competitors demonstrated, and we were all rather impressed with their athleticism! I guess the winner should be recognized here. Congratulations Courtney Kara Gavin...ok, Ryan (Taylor's friend who is still in highschool!) :)

I love a four-wheeler ride...


...and so does my daughter, now! :)


When we came home from the farm, there was the sweetest card stuck in my door, and a gift card to O'Charleys...Thelma, you are too kind to us! And, Rich gave me my gifts from him (much needed running shoes and new "JADE" perfume)...and Shaelyn Jade gave me some new socks! See her piggies trying to get in my picture? :)


Rich asked 20 of my closest peeps join us for dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Wild Ginger...among them, Sonya, Ashley, and Courtney


My best friend since 6th grade, Kathryne...we agreed we have probably taken 1,000 pics together by now!

A good friend of mine is the Sous Chef @ Wild Ginger and made these trays of fabulous desserts for us...and an extra special cake for me- the "crown" on top was made out of sugar! He is amazing...thanks, Matthew!

A birthday kiss instead of a birthday spanking for this birthday girl. He really makes me feel like a queen!


Love these two more than words can say. L-O-V-E my new candle, Mom!

...and if all that wasn't enough...my Rich knows I love a display of gifts (always leave them under the Christmas tree for days)---so this is what I woke to this morning, and what my kitchen table still looks like! I do not promise they will be gone tomorrow, either.


So you see, THIS is why I love birthdays so much! I have, offically, arrived at 28, and I am settling into this new number just fine. Think I'll stay a while. :)
Thank you to my friends and family for making 28 so GREAT!

In My Own Words

So, as we have discussed...this blog of yours has become a journal of our lives together, and I enjoy reading your take on our lives everytime you make a new post! Although I do not possess your flair for the written word, I hoped, as your final birthday gift, to add my own addition to our story so far...In my own words. I wanted to take a moment to let you know how much I love you, and that over this past year I have watched you grow into an even more beautiful, wonderful, caring and compassionate woman...framed by your love for our little princess, and your deepening commitment to Our Father in Heaven.

Dana, I wanted to remind you on this day, your 28th birthday, of how much you mean to me, and I wanted to document it in the pages of your journal. Seven years ago now, God introduced me to a brassy, funny, sweet and sassy little southern girl...little did I know that His main purpose was so that you in turn could introduce me to Him. He took all my wants, and more importantly, my needs, and rolled them up into YOU! And though sometimes you frustrate me more than anything, I know that He gave you to me because without you I would be...well...who I was when you met me. I am constantly amazed at the joy you have for life, and the ease with which that rubs off on others...and always find myself challenged by you to become a better husband, father, friend and follower of Christ.

Although I often (if not always) fall short of the man you deserve, please know that in my deepest of hearts, my desire in this life is to take us wherever God calls us to be...As I watched you celebrate your birthday with so many close friends and family members, I realized that the longevity and depth of your relationships is a testament to how well you love others. So...as this next year of your life moves on, rest assured that though you are loved by many, you are truly cherished by two...I love you Dana, and am always so proud to walk into any room with you on my arm...From the moment we said "I Do" until the wheels fall off...and all the moments in between...














Love always,

Your Rich

28 Candles Blessings

It will be my birthday again in a little less than 3 hours. My birthday for the 28th time in my life. Of all of the days I have spent upon this earth, 28 of them have been some of my favorites...because I love my birthdays! I love that there is one day of each year that my most favorite people sort of "celebrate me"...no matter where they are, or what they are doing, they stop and make a special point to think of me, to sing to me on my voicemail, to bring me a gift...to make me feel so special. I love it because I do feel so loved and so special on this day. Tomorrow is that day again...and it has actually started already. Tonight I went to the mailbox and was so surprised to find several cards with my name on them... and even a gift! Among them, an "anonymous" envelope, strangely resembling my Mother's handwriting. :) As I hurriedly turned it over to rip it open...


Bummer. This could be a very long 3 hours because I know that on February 20th (at 12 am up and down) :), I will open this letter and, regardless of what is inside, I will get that sweet, familiar feeling of being loved on my birthday all over again. From my Mom. She has made all 28 so special.

And oddly enough, I must say that this birthday is sort of a milestone for me, kind of like I imagine 30 or 40 may be. See, 28 is the youngest I ever remember my Mom being. I actually remember telling someone, when I was five years old, "My mom is 28!!!"...and I was proud that I knew that fact, I guess that's why I remember it. So it is so strange now, to be turning the age that I remember my Mom being. I don't feel "old" enough to be my Mom's age, no matter what number it may be, but this is the first one that I actually remember her being. It seemed like she was so old then, when I was 5, and she was 28. It seemed like eons separated us. Now, it doesn't seem like there is much time at all between she and I. As I get older and older, she seems to get younger and younger... I guess because I "get" her more and more. I have become her in so many ways besides the number of years I have lived. I was talking to my precious friend, Diane, last night about how those generational distances seem to fade away somewhere in your mid-twenties...and what a blessing when your Mom becomes your friend. We are "there", me and my Mom. I'd rather spend a day with her than just about anyone. And today, as an early birthday gift from God, I think, I got to do just that. And it is even better, now, because there is another "us"... another daughter...Shaelyn Jade. We are 3 peas in a pod! :) Crazy that I am the mother, now...and I will be the one who seems so old...even though I am so young! :)
We spent a long time talking about birthdays and aging today. With each passing year, I understand better that if the next ten years go by as fast as the last 10 have, I won't turn around twice before my kids are grown up, and I am, again, my Mom's age. 60 or 70 doesn't seem so old, now...but rather, fast. Fast approaching. Quickly reached. Mom and I agreed that growing old, no matter which number you arrive at, is a state of mind... an attitude. It is a determination of the mind that keeps us young rather than a transformation of the body that makes us old.


A wonderful Greek proverb says, "The heart that loves is always young", which may explain why I feel so young :)...but then I heard a quote recently: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away", and if this is true, I might as well be 100! My life is so jam packed full of joys each day.

So this year, I don't think my candles will represent years. Even though there will be 28 standing (proudly) atop my cake, I think I'll count all the blessings that God has given me in these 28 years. Two of the greatest being my Mom, who is finally SO young :) (you're welcome, Mom)...and my daughter, who will be 28 before I know it!

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow!"