Birthday MONTH: Day 22

From a million miles away (or so it seems)...

I am certain that a shockwave of happiness flowed throughout the earth today, from Louisiana to Germany...and back again.

Seriously, did you watch CNN? Did you hear about it?

Well...let ME tell you about it!

(who needs Robin Meade in the morning anyway?)

As I opened the box, this cute little handmade card was tucked neatly atop three little packages that were nestled inside.

Have I told you lately that I'm enjoying 40?

For those of you who haven't reached this milestone yet, believe me when I tell you that it's not so bad!

Since I've turned 40, I'm realizing how fortunate I am...

I am still married to my high school sweetheart (happily!)

My only child is 22.5 and on his own (permanently???)

The Man and I are in good health (only my mentality is ?able)

The two of us have a wonderful business together...

therefore we work hard and we PLAY even harder.

So there are some things that may be questionable (such as my mentality), but the majority of being this fortunate at 40 is such a gift in itself :)))

   Speaking of gifts, meeting Julia of Vintage with Laces (through blogging) was one of my biggest gifts this year...

What she sent in this little box is only lagniappe!

Lagniappe in Cajun French = extra; bonus

She doesn't have to send me a birthday gift to spoil me.

no. not Julia.

She always spoils me by sending me the sweetest emails at least once a week (& I look forward to them so much!). She also lets me know what she found at the flea market (most of the time leaving me very jealous), and on a rare occasion, she'll surprise me with a phone call from Germany!!! (I just love when that happens)

We love the same things and even though we're thousands of miles apart, she really REALLY knows me.

I asked her once...

"Julia, if there is anything you'd want from the United States, what would it be?"

Her answer without hesitation was... "Lace and coffee filters"

I sent her some plain old coffee filters (& lace of course!).

Who would have thought that I'd get the coffee filters back in the form of beautiful roses above???

I didn't know there was anything positive about being an Indian-giver...I was wrong!  

;)

While leaving me jealous when I hear of her flea market finds, Julia has such a big heart to actually share them with me...

This little metal tin took my breath away. I love the rustiness, the foreign script, the embossing...heck! I love everything at about it!

But it's when I opened it up, I wasn't expecting this...

Cushioned by a little button-embellished velvet pillow that Julia handmade herself was a gorgeous vintage  black beaded necklace to DIE for! I can only imagine the beautiful woman (or women) who once wore this.

It is so elegant and yet so classical, never going out of style.

I saved the small "40" package to open last, not having a clue as to what it was.

She had the sweetest note to me, typed on onion skin paper, explaining to me what gave her the idea to make this for me.

This summer, I made a cuff for a cuff swap for Paper Cowgirl but my partner was a "no show". Even though she didn't show, I mailed my partner the one I made for her, but I never received one in return...much less received a "thank you" note for the one I sent her.

That has been months ago and Julia felt sorry for me that I didn't have one to call my own. She totally made up for it and made me the most beautiful cuff bracelet with my favorite (non) colors!

:))

I absolutely adore it and it fits me to a "T"!!!!

I'm telling ya...this girl knows me even though we've never met in person!

She used the prettiest of vintage laces (even some that I sent her!), mother of pearl buttons, and the most gorgeous rhinestone centerpiece ever!

It's soooo me...don't you think?

I photographed the cuff on my arm through my dining room mirror and it's amazing how it totally blends in with my decor!!!! :)

She just KNOWS me!!!!

All of the things that she sent me are so dear to my heart.

It's amazing how two people can become so close via the computer without ever meeting each other...

Blogging is better than all those online dating services! ;)

Please excuse me for now...

I think I'm going to email Julia and thank her for making my 40th so special.

Living in Germany, she's 9 hours ahead of me so I hope this is the first thing she reads when she wakes up in the morning :)))

Believe me...

~ There is nothing wrong with turning 40 ~

:)