Birthday Surprise

My apologies, blog readers. I'm nearly a month late in writing this post. 

On April 29th I celebrated my 34th birthday. To be honest, during the weeks preceding my birthday whenever Robert asked me what I wanted to do, I was quite pitiful. I told him that we didn't need to do anything special (even though I usually love birthdays) and that I was sad all our family and closest friends live so far away. Little did I know what surprise lay ahead.

On the evening of April 26th, Robert got a call from work telling him that he needed to come in. Boo. Then about 45 minutes later, he called and said that it was a false alarm and could I come out to the driveway? He thought he might have hit something with the car. Lovely. So I walked out into the dark to see Robert crouching by the back bumper and who pops out of the shadows? My bff Marci!!!

Marci and her husband Joe moved to Utah fairly recently. We wish they were still just 4 hours away in Miami. Marci and Robert planned this birthday visit back in January. They made excellent Partners In Crime -- I was completely surprised. Most of my friends know I tend to avoid hugs but when I saw Marci I completely lost it. I cried and gave her probably one of the longest hugs I've ever given anyone. 

The last time Marci and I were together was when Abby was born. She was with me during my very first contractions, by my side throughout all of those difficult and then frightening hours in the hospital, and she was our first friend to meet and hold our precious little baby girl.

Friends as close as family. That's Marci.

We met seventeen years ago back at -- where else? -- band camp. Marci's dad had our concert recordings converted from VHS and we watched them during her visit. I had forgotten that I introduced myself to her in the dining hall. A fitting start to our friendship, as we've been eating (and eating and eating!) together ever since. We've also shared a love of music and photography from the very beginning.

Such a lovely pose, no?! Love those white, white sneakers, too!

Those two short weeks at band camp created a friendship strong enough to survive the many years and many miles that followed. We wrote letters to each other -- real, snail mail letters -- and even reconnected the following year in Oklahoma for Marci's prom when I went on my first (and only!) blind date with her friend John.

Six years later, our paths crossed again in Cincinnati when Marci moved there to attend CCM. I had just graduated and we picked up right where we left off. I could write a novel about all of our adventures, but I suppose I should fast-forward to my birthday visit.

This past year and half I have been so, so impatient for Marci to spend time with Abby and see how much she's grown and changed. I know that Aunt Marci is going to be a big part of Abby's life and as I expected, Abby seemed to warm up to her right away.

The first night of Marci's visit, we drove out to Clearwater to eat at Skyline Chili -- a Cincinnati classic.

Abby enjoyed the oyster crackers immensely.

Marci and I both order the vegetarian version. Meat or no meat, there's always an enormous mound of cheese covering the spaghetti and sauce.

Robert introduced Abby to the real deal and shared his cheese coney. 

After Skyline we hit the beach.

Eating, check. Next up? Baking. Marci and I both love to bake and the next day we tried out a recipe from one of Marci's favorite blogs, Joy the Baker. Joy's Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Poppy Seed Buttercream was an instant success. Just look at this beauty.

Abby and I inadvertently both wore our Wichita State t-shirts.

She wasn't quite sure what mommy was up to.

She wasn't sure what to think about the tart lemon flavor, either.

But that changed right away. Yum!

Squished by mommy!

Later that evening Marci read Abby a bedtime story before we headed out for girls night. Marci brought along a new board book for Abby: "Good Night, Utah!"

Besides seeing Marci and Abby together, my favorite part of the visit was our girls night out. We shared a mac & cheese bowl and Thai peanut bowl at Daily Eats and then walked to the fancy Harry Waugh Dessert Room at Bern's Steak House. There's really nothing better than catching up with your closest friend.

Eating at the dessert room is so fancy and fun. Each table is in its own little nook. 

I did mention how much Marci and I enjoy eating, right? With stomachs still full from the preceding two days, on Sunday morning we headed to Datz for brunch. After all, no visit to Tampa is complete with Datz.

In need of a little exercise, we went to the park afterwards.

Abby ran into her friend Livia and the girls enjoyed saying hello to the horses.

The horses put on quite a show.

And then sadly, Marci's visit was over. Thank you, Robert and Marci, for one of my best birthdays ever. We're going to have to plan that trip to Utah soon! Abby needs to see the mountains. And plan some more shenanigans with her Aunt Marci.