May 17th – the most anticipated day since Charles and Dianna’s wedding – came! After weeks and weeks of asking and hoping for it to arrive, IT FINALLY DID!

And it came bright and early.

5:55 AM to be precise.

No sweat! Mom and Dad were ON IT! Much evening preparation had taken place the night before, involving building, wrapping, stirring, baking and so forth.

In case you’re curious breakfast was a symphony in pink!

Pink milk, muffins with pink frosting, and pink fruit (in the form of a strawberry) vanilla yogurt (white is also an approved color) with a pink candle on top

The little girl who loved to bring her mom and dad cold scrambled eggs on cookie sheet draped in a tea-towel grew up to be a mommy who couldn’t wait to bring her daughter a birthday breakfast in bed!

Who do you think was the most excited? (It’s a toss up, says I!)

Make that wish!

Don’t mind if I do

Only a few nibbles and sips took place before the pull of presents was so strong that it could no longer be RESISTED!

The Birthday Girl was not disappointed.

Her favorites?

After church we came home and got ready for Millie’s “Family Party” which, by all accounts, t’was tremendous!

The Bench family arrived, Jack carrying the gift and Drew holding these flowers behind his back (a tricky thing when you consider that they were about half his height). Drew always reminds me that chivalry is not dead.

Then Hudson, Braxton and Porter arrived – Hudson was keen to get the presents opened and Millie was only too happy to oblige him

from Drew – his favorite thing in the universe, a painting book. Thanks, Drewby!

and black ballet slippers to match with her birthday tutu, thank you, Amanda!

a home-made card from the Rich brothers (aka a TREASURE!)

Hudson and his mommy must have been on the same wave length as me – as only a few days earlier Millie and I had picked out these SAME goggles for her. She was confused and wanted to keep the ones we’d already purchased. (Note to the mother: must work with your four year old child on party etiquette namely receiving gifts graciously!!)

Candles + Cake = TIME TO GET YOUR GRUB ON!

Then all children pictured above were banished the the basement bellow to watch a movie

But the party was just getting started…Millie’s UNCLE/AUNTS and cousin little John arrived!

Check out Millie’s reaction to their arrival

HOOORAAAYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After our wonderful friends said “adieu” our family stayed a little longer for some serious “cousin time” – it ROCKED!

John reminds me of George Emerson a top his tree in A Room w/ a View. TRUTH! LOVE!

BEAUTY! says Clara.  She loves that book too, John-o.

Khali must have got the memo, or perhaps just felt the cousin vibe b/c she called Millie to sing her, “happy birthday!” and followed it up with a video chat.  So we ended up having all the cousins together! We also got a call from both sets of Grandparents and a wonderful email from Granny complete with photos of cows they had seen that afternoon a video of a duck who refused to quack!

It was a “GLORIOUS day, Honeychurch!”

When it was all over, the girls in bed, the dishes washed, the house back in relative order– all was quiet. Jan and I flopped down on the sofa to enjoy our Sunday tradition of nachos for dinner. As we bowed our heads to pray Jan paused, and then proceed to pour his heart out in gratitude for the blessing of Millie, for the bounty of wonderful friends and cherished family, for all that is true and good in our lives.  (Those nachos didn’t know what had hit them!)

His prayer made my heart sing.

The perfect ending to a perfect day.