The End of an Era

So today marks the last day of my 50th Birthday Month....and all I can say is that it has been an EPIC month, even an EPIC year and also, the end of another era....my forties.  This 50th birthday has been one for the record books.  As I always begin celebrating my birthday on April 1st, this year was no different.  Gary and I had already begun dance lessons as we had signed up for the Ascension Academy "Dancing Under the Amarillo Stars" Gala on April 10th.  Being this was my Big 5-OH year, the dance competition was my "50th year challenge to myself." (Gary just graciously agreed to go along with it.)  I didn't just want to do the challenge, I wanted to WIN the challenge!  And we did!  We raised $13,100.00 to win 1st place (2nd place came in around $3000.)  This was the most money one couple had ever raised!  We were more than delighted!! (Thanks to all of you who so generously donated!!)

On Friday night, the 24th, Gary, Terri and I were driving home from an event in the downtown area.  While on I-27, Gary pulled the car off the road onto the shoulder of the freeway!  What in the world??  He said, "Just watch...up there."  "Up there" was a digital billboard sign with advertisements blinking every few seconds, then, out of no where pops up a picture of me and these words-(quite LARGE:) HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY, DAWN WELLS  LOVE, GARY.  I could not believe my eyes!!  That was the coolest surprise I have ever had!  Gary did good!!!!

Then as my birthday grew closer, I could feel the anticipation rise inside as we had scheduled an ENDC (Empty Nester's Dance Club) night at Midnight Rodeo. My sister, Terri, came in from Houston to help me celebrate.  Jon, my nephew, was in Amarillo that week as well as he had signed up to join the Army and had tests to take at the Amarillo office.  I wasn't sure who was going to show at Midnight Rodeo since there wasn't much response to the Facebook post announcing the event.  But, no matter what, I knew it would be fun.  My other sister, Tanya and my brother-in-law, Steve were going to be there as well..."we are family....I got all my sisters with me!"  Remember that song?  Well, that's how I felt!

On Saturday, after church, we headed to the Midnight Rodeo. (Kind of sounds like an oxymoron, huh?)  Of course, we arrive at 8:00 when they open and it's not crowded...just as we like it.  But as the hour progressed, people started to show up, one by one...friends I hadn't seen in a long time, friends I know that don't like to dance, an elder and a Pastor, my dance buddies from the Gala, and even my three best high school friends from Levelland, Lubbock and Olton!  I was so surprised to see them walk through the door....each and every one of them!!  My friend, Cindy Skypala walked in with a sack of birthday cards!  She had literally copied and pasted a message to each of my FB friends to mail a card to her for my birthday as a surprise!  Unbelievable!.....no, more like EPIC!  I had more fun at Midnight Rodeo and we danced until 1:00 in the morning!  My feet were screaming, but my heart was over-flowing with joy and love!

Then Sunday arrived, my official birth day and I have to admit, after an EPIC birthday month such as this, even I was beginning to wind down. (God knows Gary was!!)  We had friends and family over for a cookout and birthday cake.  I knew Gary had a birthday present for me, but I had no idea what.  In the back of my mind, I thought he might really surprise me with another dachshund!  But then I labored over the dilemma of adding another dog to our family...what would Sugar think?....how would I share my love between 3 dogs? etc, etc.  My sister, Terri, told me the gift was "practical."  I thought, "practical like my dachshund toaster he gave me for Christmas?"  Hmm? what on earth could it be?

So the time came when I needed to go out to the driveway to see the surprise.  (I still thought maybe a dachshund was out there on the driveway in a crate...haha!)  But the minute I approached the gate, I could see the candy red paint through the slats....I KNEW WHAT IT WAS!  Gary had surprised me with a red Vespa, just like my old one!  EPIC SURPRISE!!!  I'd sold my old Vespa years ago when I published my book and had hinted occasionally, that one day, I'd like to get another one!  Well, here it was...RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!  Again, I couldn't believe it! Gary did good again!!!

It seemed, at every turn, I was epically surprised by what transpired over the course of this monumental birthday month!  In my quiet time this morning, I just marveled at God, my Father, and His incredible ways as a Daddy.  He knew exactly what I wanted for my 50th birthday.  I'm not talking about the gifts, although they were EPIC, too.  He knew exactly what would bring joy to my heart like no other birthday I've ever had.  Winning the dance competition because I never felt good enough to WIN something competitively, being loved on by my sisters in so many ways I can't count them all, spending quality time with Jon before he goes into the Army, being surprised by Gary in ways I never thought imaginable, gifted with the presence of dear friends from near and far whose appearance was an EPIC gift all in itself!  All of these gifts were from God, I know that.  I know that He spoke to Gary and guided him through this birthday month to give me things my heart desired so deeply.  I am still simply amazed by it all and can only describe it as an EPIC 50TH BIRTHDAY!

My heart is so full and thankful to all of you for the Facebook birthday wishes, the birthday cards you mailed, coming out to celebrate at Midnight Rodeo, my beautiful birthday cake, but most of all, for the love you have shown me over and over.  A very special thank you to my incredibly dear husband, Gary, for his unconditional love and the fact that he "gets me" and still chooses to stay with me. EPIC

Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 

Psalm 37:4