Birthdays: Part 3

kent is 32! unfortunately, this birthday was definitely not his best birthday ever. in fact, it was probably the worst of all the 11 birthdays that i have known him because we were all deathly ill. kent got it first and had it the longest. the man got up maybe 4 times from his bed on saturday, stayed home from church on sunday and then took a sick day from work on monday, which he has only ever done one other time in our marriage so that tells you just how bad it was. by tuesday he stumbled out the door to the office just in time for all the kids to catch it in varying degrees and ending with me being flat out sick and unable to go to church the following sunday. i'm pretty sure we had a couple different strains running around though because our symptoms covered a pretty wide range of "the flu". it was HORRIFIC and i will spare you the details. 

hence his cake. we had grandiose plans to do a basketball cake with him dunking but that went straight out the window when caleb (bless his heart) stood for the longest i had seen him up that entire day to help frost the cake only to lay down on the couch and sleep for two hours immediately following. i didn't have time for anything else anyway because i was too busy cleaning up after the sickies. 

the one cool surprise that we had planned for him that actually happened was that this plant got delivered to him for his new office. he texted me a picture and then we got to text him back that this is not just any ol' plant, but a zen garden that helps to reduce stress. the kids liked this one when i suggested it because the other plant we already got for him was an especially good air purifier, so this one needed a different way to help him =o] 

by the time kent got home though there hadn't been an incident in over two hours so we cautiously ate some (plain) dinner and everyone even ended up trying some cake and/or ice cream. 

he did get some awesome presents though, if i do say so myself =o] natalie saw a piston cup that said "best dad" on it in radiator springs, and she got that for him also to put in his office so he will remember us while he is at work. caleb got him the shop vac he asked for. and seth and jenna got him books. i also got him books, and a coupon for clothes =o] here he is opening some piano music from my mom. and he got a knindle fire from his parents so he was a happy camper. 

look at those smiles! they love their dad!!

he even got all those candles out! he is such a good sport. when i tried to apologize about everything he said it was just fine and that his birthday was great. 

i couldn't let it go though! since we had to cancel our date the friday before, and our family date that weekend that we had planned in honor of his birthday, i made up for it the following weekend (before i caught the plague) and we went out on TWO dates! one to see The Saratov Approach (a movie about two elders who were kidnapped in russia) and the other to go to the temple for the first time since seth was born. it was heavenly. seriously, i hadn't realized how much i was missing the temple until we walked inside. it was such a wonderful experience and i am so grateful that i got to have that peaceful, strengthening experience once again. 

so all in all, i am excited for next year so i can treat kent to the sweet, cheerful birthday he deserves. we are so grateful for him and love him so much!