The Smelker Seven

Birthday Weekend

Whew! I have been so busy getting all my deadlines met because I am leaving for Detroit in less than eight hours (speaking at a writing conference), but I wanted to blog about my lovely birthday weekend. I was completely and utterly blessed and overwhelmed with good things!

First of all we arrived at the Watermark Hotel, a four-star hotel and we were were warmly welcomed by the staff before going to our room on the 6th floor. Everything was top notch! Wendall and Laurie surprised us by arranging to have chocolate covered strawberries on hand. There was also a beautiful gift basket filled with yummy goodies for us to enjoy! We stayed in the room all night Friday...


Saturday we donned swim suits and enjoyed the beauty of the rooftop pool and hot tub, all the while watching the ebb and flow of people on the Riverwalk below us. I had been itching to see "The Bourne Ulitmatum" so we took in a matinee before heading back for a nap and then hitting the pool again.

Wendall and Laurie had invited us to a five star restuarant for dinner. I can highly recommend Las Canarias! The food was divine and the company entertaining. We had a wonderful time before walking back over the river to our hotel.

Sunday morning - I am now officially 40 years old! Tell me - how does 40 feel? I certainly feel no different! Unlike many others I know I haven't sunk into a depression wondering where my life has gone. For the most part I feel I am exactly where God wants me, doing what He has given me to do.


We checked out of the hotel at noon, and then drove 30 minutes to a special event. A custom built home was built out in the country and the builder decided to open the home to the public for a price. However all proceeds went to the San Antonio Food Bank. We might not have made it a priority, but a friend of ours, Chris Voss, who is a fourth generation iron craftsman was commissioned to create all the iron work for the house, and he asked Terry to do some of the designs. The house, worth 2.9 million apparently does have a buyer! Pity I didn't have three million just lying around! I would have bought the house on the spot.

After we left there, Terry suggested we take a scenic drive into the Hiil Country. His little Honda is so zippy and with the sun roof open the wind creates just the right atmosphere. We had a pleasant hour drive in the country before heading back to kids and responsibilty!

Little did I know the drive was just a diversion. Terry, the sneaky man that he is had planned a surprise birthday party for me! I was completely taken in - a first for Terry. He's never been able to pull a party off before. I was completely bamboozled because I had planned the entire weekend, from the hotel stay, to getting the tickets for the home tour that I had no clue he was plotting behind my back! Opening my front door and having about 20 people yell SURPRISE can be a little disconcerting! Janelle, our sitter for the weekend even arranged for the guests to park around the corner and up the hill so I wouldn't suspect anything.

So, I am now 40. I think I am entering the best years of my life!

Labels: Birthday, Surprise party, Watermark

posted by The Smelker Seven @ 11:16 PM