Thank you.

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for
that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy.
Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun.
- Charles R. Swindoll

I do not know how I am so blessed. We've been through struggles, yes. Y'all know I brag on my family all the time, ALL of them. I have a small family but an awesome family then married into a big wonderful family. They are the best. But somehow I also got lucky enough to have some of the best friends a girl could ask for.

Not just any ol' friends.

I'm talking the most compassionate, selfless, thoughtful, sincere, genuine friends you will ever find. The kind of friends who will drop everything, even when they have so much going on in their own lives, to come to my side.

The kind of friends who give you a "goody basket" at Christmas full of "things you'll desperately need for the hospital but have no idea what to buy" because that's just how well she knows you.

The kind of friends who literally stands up in your kitchen sink steaming your kitchen blinds/curtains with a Shark steamer to sanitize/clean everything before baby arrives and she knows your big pregnant self can't reach up there.

The kind of friends who send you simple texts with scripture on just the right days when they know you need it to give you the strength to get you through.

The kind of friends who will lend you anything you may need, without you even asking. A nursing tank, a high chair, even their right arm if they could.

The kind of friends who surprise you on your birthday with the most thoughtful gift you could ever imagine.

One friend in particular is Sweetbef {Beth}. We go way back. I'm talking 8th grade when the bigger the barrel of your curling iron meant the bigger the bangs and well my friends, that was what we strived for each day because at least it took away from our hideous braces. Proms, birthdays, college parties, you name it. For the past couple of years we've always gotten a group together for our birthdays. Let's face it, after 25 I mean you have to try to celebrate it SOMEHOW to make it exciting right? But this year I was big as a tank carrying a 37 week old baby so I knew my birthday wouldn't be anything more grand than sitting on my couch eating ice cream. [Hey, perfectly fine with me]. However, Beth and I still found time to get together for dinner one night at Olive Garden [our favorite] to catch up and squeeze in one last "girls night" before Mr. Cade arrived.

That's when I saw the box.

What box? This box.

Ohhhh the deliciousness that lies within this box.

Strossners Bakery is in Greenville [where Beth lives] and for the past couple of years she has made it a tradition to bring me these cupcakes on my birthday. Simple gesture to some, but you have no idea how much these tiny confections excite me!

Yes! They tasted just as good as they looked.

Then she gave me an unexpected present that brought tears to my eyes.

It's a gold charm necklace with a tiny pearl and an engraved "C" on it. The card she had attached explained how she wanted to get me something that had a little bit of meaning and the "C" would stand for my new son Cade, my husband Chad, my late father Charlie, and even my paternal grandfather [the only grandparent I have living] Charles Wendell.

See. Beyond thoughtful.

It just warmed my heart and I have enjoyed wearing it so much. Something so tiny and delicate, even so simple really can mean the world to someone. I try to return the favor and be a selfless, thoughtful, giving friend at all times. Know that I fail at this daily but hope that in small ways, I can somehow make their day.

and thank you Beth for making mine!

Speaking of thoughtful friends, Chad is blessed with some of the most thoughtful co-workers I surely have ever seen. They hosted us a small shower at the post office this past week, early morning before they began their mail routes and we were overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness, time, and effort they put into the details.

Would you believe that his sweet co-worker Paula actually found these somewhere online?

Yes. Mailman rubber duckys.

I have seen it all!

We were showered with even more gifts, which we could not be more thankful for. They even got me a pack of "Sugar Babies" candy and a teddy bear that said that too, which I thought was pretty darn creative and thoughtful. Cade is certainly going to be a "Sugar baby" as I know he will frequent Sugar oh-so-often.

You know, it may be "bring your baby to work day" everyday.

How we deserved all this, I will never even begin to figure out but our hearts are overwhelmed with gratitude and we appreciate EACH and EVERY gift - big or small - that has been given to us and our sweet boy.

We're also so very thankful for all of you who have kept us in your prayers. Praying for our baby and for us as parents means far more than any materialistic gift we could ever receive, so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

"I thank my God every time I remember you" - Phil 1:13