The Journey of Parenthood…

My 32nd Bday!

So November and our family? We just aren’t friends. Last year November was probably THE toughest month in my marriage (I blogged about it here). And this November? We found out the biggest news to rock our family (first we found out about the spots on Zach’s brain, then a couple weeks later got the news of it most likely being MS). Last year my birthday was pretty sucky (heck, we didn’t even end up celebrating it as a family until Nov 30th and my bday is on Nov 1st!) so this year I was committed to making it AWESOME. And I’m SO SO SO thankful that Zach’s first bad news appointment wasn’t until Nov 2nd. I got to have my birthday be a super great day before learning life altering news 🙂

I took a lot of Instagram Stories throughout the day so I’ll link to those as I go 🙂 If you’re not following me on IG then you are sooo missing out on all the little details of our days (I mean who wouldn’t wanna see that right?)

I kicked things off with letting Kye buy lunch at school so I didn’t have to deal with packing it. Yes, that’s a treat for myself 😉 

I also hit up Macadoos  Zacadoos for some breakfast in a cup. I legit have NEVER driven through and bought myself any sort of breakfast so this was a special treat for sure!

After I dropped Britt off at school Tess and I hit up Target on the hunt for post-halloween deals. 

This is how much my kids aren’t afraid of things…Tess fell in LOVE with this skeleton. She named him Spooky and literally carried him around everywhere!

Duh. I had to buy him. Birthday treat 😉

I did some work for some birthday freebies and one of them was a FREE Starbucks. I’m not a Starbucks girl but yall this free item for your birthday promotion has turned me into one! When I drove through to get it they said I got ANYTHING on the menu in ANY size FOR FREE. I tried this holiday special thing and OMG I’m now obsessed and have spent more money at Starbucks the past month than in my entire life. Genius marketing got me hooked 😉 

I’ve been wanting to hit up Pet Smart with Tess for awhile and it was the perfect day to do it! We had SO much fun looking at all the animals!!!

Then we met Casey and Keeli and kids at Chicken Salad Chick for lunch and I had a big birthday surprise: THEY GIVE YOU FREE LUNCH ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!!! My whole meal was FREEEEEE!!!!

Millie rocking the birthday hat!

Sweet Carter brought me flowers 🙂

Such a fun way to end Keeli’s maternity leave too!

When I got home from getting Britt I had a sweet note and gift waiting on me from Mrs. Charlotte! 

Tess made a birthday card for me before naps while Britt ate her lunch!

Yup. I treated myself to a NAP!!!

And this girl woke up early (rarely happens) so we got to wait for Kye together!

My dress also arrived for DISNEY!!!

Zach got home with more flowers for me!!!

Ready for dinner!

We decided to hit up Olive Garden. I haven’t been in AGES and the kids haven’t ever been! 

Zach took a couple videos there: one, two, three, and four (which is my favorite b/c SO REAL LIFE)

Free dessert!!!!

My FAV cake is ice cream cake from DQ!

(it came in exxxxtrememly handy for all my emotional eating that month ha!)

Present time!

My hubby did amazing! 

Kye wrote several sweet notes for me

And Dad and Audrey sent a pretty blue necklace!

Once the kids were in bed we had our cake and watched my fav show (House of Cards)

I got some sweet social media love from friends as well!

Ironically I posted the next day about how rough my 31st bday was but how perfect my 32nd was and how an awesome bday would feed into an awesome year ahead. Posted that the SAME DAY we got Zach’s rough medical news. Guess I jinxed myself!

I did get to visit Steel’s for their wishlist event which is always around my bday and I had a credit on my account that allowed me to get two cute bangles for $4 total!

Fav bday gift!

My sweet friends planned a night out in my honor for the 3rd of Nov. The day after we learned Zach’s news. Honestly, I zero percent felt like going and I was zero percent my normal “get crunk” Emily self. BUT I appreciate my ride or die crew that stands by me even when I’m not fun 😉

We are the Queso Queens!

The most fun part of the night def was at Starbucks after dinner. I haven’t laughed that hard in YEARS. My face hurt from laughing and we all look like we had a good time b/c we are a mess in this pic haha

For my bday with Zach’s family we had everyone over to do s’mores by a bonfire! Courtney’s crew was unable to come due to some football stuff for Colt but she was SO sweet to drop in for a bit!!! I’m SUPER blessed with such an incredible family!

Mrs Char put some of my most used phrases on my cake ha!

We told spooky stories and just enjoyed being together!

We tried this camping out in the playroom situation last year and it was an EPIC FAIL because Britt drove Kye nuts all night but this year it went flawlessly and led us to tell Britt she could join the big kids in sleeping together on Christmas Eve!

My gifts from family! Loved it all!!!

Courtney def impressed me with the Disney shirt! 

Of course we had to celebrate with Katie too! Who brought Chicken Salad Chick and got sides I’d never tried before and omg now I love it even more b/c that pasta salad and broccoli salad are AMAZING.

She got me a super cute cup and an AWESOME pineapple necklace!

Robyn and I have a tradition of taking each other out to eat for our birthdays. Really it’s often the only time of the year when it’s JUST us. No kids, no other friends, just the two of us! 

I have to say I’m SO blessed with amazing friends. I know I’ll probably talk about this more in the future but with all the rough stuff we’ve been going through, good friends are truly a blessing. 

Keeli and I are newer friends and really met through Casey but our friendship has deepened since everything I’ve been going through b/c she has just really gone out of her way (especially with a new baby!) to be there for me. It’s a time where you really learn what friendships to make more of a priority and I fully intend to become better, closer friends with Keeli and devote more of my energy into developing our bond! Katie sat that night of my bday celebration and just talked and talked with me. I was able to work through all my thoughts with her and she’s always such a great person to share with as she’s the best listener I know. She’s also had the best reactions with all of this news. Being my longest friend, and the one who is Zach’s super close friend too, I have called her rather than texted and her complete shock with the news was so comforting to me b/c it’s how I feel too. Shock and disbelief like no other! 

Robyn has been the best with words. She has been so great at knowing what to say and how to say it. She’s been my go-to when I need to call someone and just cry and have comfort. She’s great at letting me be upset and not making me feel dumb for my feelings or trying to tell me how so and so has it worse or try to tell me to be more positive etc. She’s just let me feel and allowed me to feel like my feelings are valid. Empathy is a tough thing and really she’s been awesome at making me feel like she understands even though she hasn’t experienced anything like this herself! Our night together for my bday was great because we laughed and talked girly talk but also talked about the deeper things on my heart too! 

I really was just wanting FROYO haha so we ate a little light dinner at Atlanta Bread then hit up The Mix!

It was SUCH a great, wonderful birthday. I felt so loved and appreciated and just THANKFUL. Even in times of struggle I am SO BLESSED and I never, ever want to take the people in my life for granted. I appreciate each one of you more than you know! I am pretty crunk about turning 33 next year…33 is my lucky number so I’ve let Zach know I’d like to celebrate my lucky birthday by going to Disney haha we’ll see if that pans out 😉 

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Emily Parker
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