A thoughtful gift

We had a fun little birthday party a few months ago ...

 Target made it easy to make it festive. Did you see their "Oh Joy" decorations?

It was my oldest daughter's 30th birthday and for her gift I helped her fix up her house a little bit. We did it in stages a few weeks before her big day, so when it came for her actual birth day, I wanted to give her something special to open but I didn't want it to cost a lot. 

And I wanted it to be thoughtful. 

I decided to give her a gift of 30 quotes. You know how I am obsessed with quotes, right?

I thought it would be fun to give her enough for one a day for 30 days. I found them on Pinterest and printed them out on my computer - each sized to go in a 4"x6" frame.

I dug through my supply of frames and found one I thought was just perfect. The idea was that she could change them out for whatever mood she was in.

She placed the frame in her entryway.

You can see the quotes (and the sources for them) here.

I love that she took one of the quotes and put it in another frame.

She is a lot like me - she likes to put quotes around her house to remind her of things that are important.

Have a great Sunday and hug those close to you. We were reminded the hard way this week in our neighborhood and community that life can be cut short in an instant. Love is all that matters.

Grace

Thursday was my firstborn daughter's 27th birthday!!! It seems like she was just turning seven and today she is a a beautiful young woman whose beauty radiates both inside and out; she is truly full of grace.

She said she was in the mood for Oreos!

We celebrated with a nice Italian dinner out and cake and presents afterwards. (Joyfully celebrating but missing her sister who is still in Ireland).

One of the gifts she received tonight was from a good friend of mine who is always so generous to remember both of my daughter's birthdays. The gift was a bottle of Philosophy bath and shower gel and the scent was amazing grace. It has a lovely scent but what impressed me the most was what was written on the bottle.

philosophy: life is a classroom.  we are both student and teacher.  each day is a test.  and each day we receive a passing or failing grade in one particular subject: grace.  grace is compassion, gratitude, surrender, faith, forgiveness, good manners, reverence and the list goes on.  it's something money can't buy and credentials rarely produce.  being the smartest, the prettiest, the most talented, the richest or even the poorest can't help.  being a humble person can, and being a helpful person can guide you through your days with grace and gratitude.

We always look at the baby scrapbooks on birthdays!

I really love that. And I think it is the perfect gift for this girl who is a teacher by profession and knows very well about passing out grades in all kinds of subjects ... but also someone who receives more than a passing grade in the subject of grace.  She is full of compassion and gratitude and good manners. She is quick to forgive and she is the most helpful person I know. This beautiful girl made me a mother 27 years ago and very soon will be a mother herself. She will be such a great mother - and I know she will guide her children through life with grace and gratitude. Happy Birthday sweet girl!