The BEST birthday ever!

I feel like my birthDAY needs an entry of its own just because of how amazing it was.

Stewart started it off Monday night by counting down the seconds until it officially became my birthday.  I felt bad staying awake that late as Stewart wakes up super early for work (but Stewart just informed me that he had set his alarm so that he could wake up and do it anyway if we were asleep).  He had to get up even earlier Tuesday morning since he hadn't shaved all weekend and was looking quite scruffy.  Tuesday morning, Stewart went through his usual routine of getting up and shaving and showering.  After he does that, he usually comes back in to kiss me goodbye.  That morning, he sang me Happy Birthday.  I didn't suspect anything until I smelled toast.  I thought he had made himself breakfast since he only had a slice of cake for dinner the night before.  He came back into our room and explained that breakfast was on our nightstand.  He had made an egg sandwich with cheese and wrapped it in foil so it wouldn't get cold.  He also put spinach and sliced tomato on the plate to add to the sandwich and had sliced strawberries and poured some orange juice.  It was all very sweet.  I ate breakfast and then my mother called.  I chatted with her for a bit and then hung up stating I wanted to shower before Stewart got home for lunch around 11am.

I hopped in the shower a little after 9:30 and was a bit startled when the dogs started barking.  Stewart came home early!  I heard him messing around in the kitchen and thought he might be making sandwiches for lunch.  I got out of the shower and found him changing out of his work clothes (which he never does at lunch).  I was slightly confused which only escalated when I realized he put on swim trunks and a water shirt.  I asked if he was going swimming.  He said yes.  I asked seriously?  Are we going on the water?  He said yes.  I asked seriously?  He then took my hand and brought me to the front door and showed me a two person kayak in the back of his truck.  He told me to quick get dressed.  He had packed a picnic lunch for us.

We drove to the park by our house and sat on "our bench".  Remember when he said he wasn't feeling well at HEB?  He actually went and bought the supplies for lunch!  He gave me a belated birthday card and explained it was for years 0-27 and he was sorry to have missed them but promised to never miss another.  We ate our fancy schmancy sushi lunch and then set off in the kayak.  Stewart told me that I really didn't have to paddle but I helped out occasionally.  We spent a couple of hours on the river.  Stewart told me that he had taken the rest of the day off!  On our way back to shore, Stewart told me that he had picked up dessert - a snickers bar.  I thought ok..... he knows I don't eat nuts but ok. We sat on the back of the truck and he pulled out a mini chocolate birthday cake instead!  That man is full of surprises.  We brought the kayak back and then hung out at the house for a little bit.  Stewart left to go fill up our water jugs since we were out and even took the dogs along with him.  Stewart explained that he hadn't planned anything for the evening but was thinking we could go out to dinner and then to the park by the lake to watch the sunset. I thought it sounded like a good idea.  I told Stewart that I wanted to shower again since we got all sweaty kayaking.

When I got out of the shower, my best friend called to say happy birthday so we chatted for a bit.  When I hung up, Stewart told me that he was STARVING and asked if I would mind if we went to dinner early.  We had sushi for lunch at 11:00 so I could understand how he was hungry as I was getting there too.  Stewart looked up some places for dinner and we settled on a restaurant neither of us had been too.  As we walked out the door, Stewart stopped to look at what shoes I was wearing stating he wanted to make sure they would be okay for the park and not high heels.  When we got to the restaurant, it wasn't open yet so we headed to our second choice.  Stewart was so hungry, he had me look up the menu on my phone so we could order an appetizer right away.  When we got there, we ordered our appetizer and dinner along with some grown up drinks .... luckily this time it was not a super strong large margarita.  We ate all of our appetizer and I realized that I wouldn't be able to finish mine (baby back ribs, broccoli, and french fries).  French fries don't reheat well so I started with them.  Stewart asked if I was trying to finish them first and I said yes so he said he would help and then ate half of them!  I ate a little more than half of my ribs and broccoli and announced I was done.  Stewart ate all of his dinner and stated he was still hungry and then had one of my ribs.  We got the rest to go.

We got in the truck and started heading to the park.  Stewart then pulled into the movie theater parking lot and my first thought was that he was taking me to Cold Stone for ice cream.  He then told me that we weren't going to see the sunset, he was taking me to see 50/50.  I paused for a moment and asked if we could see What's Your Number? instead.  Stewart told me that he didn't think that movie was "birthday appropriate".  I replied "and you think one about cancer is?".  His mom called so we chatted with her on the phone for a little bit and then Stewart announced that we had to go because he was taking me to see Phantom of the Opera!  In celebration of the 25th anniversary, the movie theater was doing a live streaming of the performance at Prince Albert Hall in London!  I was very excited.  When we were at the movies awhile ago, we saw a preview for it and I mentioned that I would love to go to it.  I never thought he would remember.  So we watched the show and it was very good.

I was definitely on a high on the way home.  Everything Stewart had done that day had been more than I ever imagined.  It was such a great day.  As we got closer, Stewart pulled into our park's parking lot.  I had no idea why because it was almost 11pm.  Stewart explained that he thought we could make out but since there was another truck there, we'd just go home.  So he turned around and then put the truck in park.  He pulled out a little box and told me happy birthday.  I was shocked.  I was not expecting this.  I opened the box and inside was a jewelry box he had wrapped in brown paper and decorated (I had announced the day before that I wanted to start wrapping all of the presents we give in brown paper instead of keeping a huge assortment of wrapping papers).  I opened the box and inside was a pair of the most perfect, beautiful diamond earrings.  I put them on and pulled down the visor to look in the mirror and another card fell down!  It was one for this year and Stewart told me how lucky he was to have found me.  (Turns out when he went and got water with the dogs he actually was writing my card!)

This was definitely the best birthday ever.  Stewart spent a lot of time planning things to do and everything was wonderful.  It was all more than I ever expected.  He definitely went above and beyond in making this a very special day.  I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have a husband like him.