Showing Meggie Some Birthday Love...

I know, I know...Meggie's birthday was almost two weeks ago. Well, I'm sorry, people, but life gets a little busy. Heck, we're already in July and I haven't even started enjoying my summer yet! (Between working two jobs and taking summer classes, my schedule is bursting at the seams.)

Anyway...

Meggie is incredibly involved at our Church. (Makes a Momma proud, she does!) One of her biggest projects (besides teaching the 4-year-olds every Sunday morning) is helping to plan Vacation Bible School. In fact, she's so involved in that task that she was made an Assistant Director this year!

Unfortunately for Meggie, our Church's VBS ends up being the week of her birthday every year. She's such a good sport, though, and only complains a little bit. Since Wednesday of VBS was her birthday this year, I brought my camera along to capture some of the moments......and got pictures of her with VBS Director Shannon (my dear friend and Meggie's "Other Mother")...
...and with VBS Director Katie (my dear friend and cooking mentor). These two women (among many other of my friends, I'm sure) would steal Meggie in a hot minute and claim her for themselves. Makes ME proud that my daughter is so loved by the adults in her life.
Look at the special chocolate-dipped strawberries Katie made for her! I mean, Katie's strawberries are amazing anyway, but I liked the special touch she added for the birthday girl. (Katie, you are awesome!) Of course, June 22nd can't go by...
...without a picture of my dear friend Wendy with the Megster. These two share a birthday (a few years apart, but not many...right, Wendy?!) and have very similar personalities -- they crack each other up!

Besides complaining about working VBS on her birthday, Meggie had other ailments to fret about this year...
...as she suffered through a bump on her left temple, courtesy of Evan. The night before, the two of them were tossing a baseball. Pitcher that he is, he forgets how fast he throws -- and how much of a girlie-girl the Megster is. He threw a ball, she tried to catch it with her forehead, and pain resulted. Poor Evan, he felt awful! No fear, though...a few days of whining and she's all back to normal now.

During VBS, I got to spend a bunch of time with Stephanie and her adorable daughter, Madison, who apparently has a bit of a crush...
...on the Little Man! (Or maybe she just likes the feel of his buzzed hair.)

During a break in VBS, Meggie made the following post on FB:

"While most 18 year olds go out and party on their birthday, I'm at VBS with over 300 kids learning about Jesus! Wayyyy better."

Don't you just LOVE this kid o' mine? After cleaning up at the end of VBS...
...and posing for a pretty stinkin' cute picture, we headed out to Red Robin for a birthday celebration lunch. There was a huge crowd with us...
...because, well, a whole lotta people love my Teenager! I took a few pics around the table...
...of Carson, Evan, and the Birthday Girl...
...of Stephanie and Molly...
...of stinkin' adorable Madison...
...of me and the other Birthday Girl (who got hit on by our waiter, hahaha!)...
...of Katie and her adorable Hudson and Ellie (adorable Mia is behind Ellie, sleeping in the baby carrier)...
...of Caleb and Hannah...
...of the Birthday Girl with our dear friend Lisa...
...of silly Jeffrey...
...and just-as-silly Andrew (yes, they are twins). Lunch was so fun and a great celebration of a pretty fabulous teenager.

After lunch, I had to go to work while Meggie and Evan headed to the Reds game. While Meggie was out, her friends Taylor and Ariel decided to show Meggie some birthday love in a very different way...
...by toilet-papering her bedroom! When Meggie got home from the Reds game (and found her bed full of shredded toilet tissue) she got a bit annoyed and ended up sleeping on the couch. I told her I wouldn't be annoyed...I would be flattered that they cared enough about me to bother decorating/trashing my room.

And, besides, I thought it was funny.