Thanks for the Birthday Wishes

Just wanted to say Thanks for all of the birthday wishes. I have successfully managed to stretch it out for a the better part of a week now. That is a feat! I have received lots of cards - that was great! And even though I was in Chicago for work and I wasn't home to celebrate it with family - it was a fun day. I got messages from many of you on my cell phone and email. Eric - your kids have a heck of a young, "oldest aunt". :) I had 7 versions of Happy Birthday on my answering machines (Woody & Sue, Vicki, Austin, the vocal trio of Peighton, Mason & Preston and an assortment of birthday tunes from Emilee.) If I could figure out how to record them off of my voicemail and attach them, I would..They were great. And one from Angie where she actually caught me after work so I heard it live. That was fun. I got a sweet shout out on the Madsen Clan blog - with added wishes from throughout the Lehi area (Thanks Carrie!)

The people from work took me to dinner (which was nice - and on the company since I was on business travel anyway.) and then the next day during lunch, they took me up to the observation deck on the Sears Tower - which was really cool. It is on the 103rd floor. (My boss had apparently never been up there, so it wasn't all just for my birthday - but cool none the less.) I had fun shopping by myself that evening in downtown Chicago and picked a little something for me, Clark. something, really nice. (get it? Cousin Eddy from Christmas vacation.)

And the party kept rolling... On my way home from the airport last night, my car broke down – which wasn't exactly how the party was supposed to go. It was weird. There was a loud pop as I was driving down the freeway and the electrical all went out, except the dome light came on…then it all went out and I coasted up an off ramp with no power. When I got to the stop light on the off-ramp, I put it in park and then it wouldn't move out of park – it jammed or something. I wasn’t in the nicest part of Phoenix, but I sure had nice people stop and make sure I was ok – 5 different people stopped. One woman called the police to come and help me and sat in her car in a near by parking lot to make sure I was ok until they arrived. It was awesome to see that people are genuinely good and caring and willing to help when you are in need. Timm got there shortly after the policeman arrived – and a tow truck showed up soon after. So although it looked like the evening was going to stink, it wasn't so bad.

But the best was when I finally got home, I was met at the door by a The Dixon Boys band's version of "Happy Birthday". Tay had figured out how to play it on the guitar while I was gone this week and the other guys were singing. It was Awesome! They had gotten me dinner and a Cold Stone ice cream cake (YUM!!!) And I got my padded bike seat. My butt is now in heaven. And....my other present is supposed to be here on Monday. The boys done good this year!

Finally, today my visiting teacher brought me flowers. (apparently she had been trying to deliver them all week.) They are lovely.

Thanks again for all of your kind thoughts and birthday wishes. You are awesome and I love you all. All and all, 29 is looking pretty good so far!!!