Birthday Drive and Celebration

On this gorgeous summer morning, I put an address in my GPS and started driving.

Although I knew the town I was going to, and have been there several times, I didn't trust myself to get there without using the GPS.

But as I started driving out into the country, on roads I'd never been on, I began to wonder if I should trust the GPS. It didn't feel like I was going the right way.

But before I long I had an epiphany! Knowing that the GPS has never steered me wrong, I decided to enjoy the ride, and simply call it "My Birthday Drive".

Because...today is my birthday!

So no matter that I drove past places that looked absolutely abandoned.

No matter that there were rarely any other cars in sight.

No matter that it seemed I was in the middle of nowhere!

I did eventually arrive at my destination. And loved every minute of the drive to get there!

Why drive to Vsetín? Because that's where this guy is today!

Dave is there at Festival United for the next five days. This is the largest Christian gathering of youth in the Czech Republic, and Dave is one of the main speakers for the 3500+ young people who will be there.

But for today, in between morning and evening teaching sessions, he's just a dear husband, celebrating his happy wife's birthday!

Not too far from Vsetín is a Czech spa town, where there are a number of hotels with beautiful wellness centers. That's where Dave took me today.

We wandered around the grounds of this lovely old hotel that was restored a few years ago, enjoying their nature tour with all sorts of experiences for your senses to soak in.

There were at least six of these lanterns along the walk, filled with different herbs and spices just for you to stop and smell!

We made our way to the terrace and enjoyed the daily menu, which included three tastes of their homemade gelato. OH so yummy!

Then Dave treated me to a massage down in their wellness center, before we headed back to Vsetín where I dropped him off.

As I drove I received a text from Claire asking if I could get to wifi so she, Caleb and Haley could wish me a happy birthday. We did a Google hangout while I sat in a parking lot on my way home!

You can't see Claire and Haley very well, but they're there! 

Little did I know that she had prepared a special surprise for me, along with Caleb, Haley, Tyler, Lara and Judah!!!

Oh my goodness, I laughed until I had tears in my eyes! This blessed me so much!



My dear kids...blessing me from afar. THANK YOU!!!! SUCH a great gift to me!!!

I rounded out my birthday hanging out with these two fun guys!

While Judah consumed more blueberries than I ever could've imagined, we had such a fun talk together. I can't wait to see all three of them in person in not too long.

It was the perfect way to end an absolutely fantastic birthday!