Birthday and sending him off!

You know I married a man with the exact same birthday as me, 4 years ahead. But nearly every year we are apart on our birthday. We try to make it a special week leading up to his departure. One night, when no one had basketball/piano/tutoring/running club/drama practice/youth group/Bible study, I fixed a good ol' Thanksgiving meal, right smack dab in February. We had a chicken, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and green bean casserole. (This was all due to some stock-piling and hoarding on my part.) 

I made a red velvet cake. We both love red velvet and have memories of it being our birthday cake sometimes growing up. 

CC conspired with my friend B and got me this purse. She snapped some photos of it when she heard me say I liked it. He snuck over to the mall and bought it for me. 

Sweet boy of mine said he wanted to make me a gift. He asked my favorite animal and my favorite color. The result? a blue panther I'll keep forever. 

All too soon it was time to pack for CC. Someone was not happy. 

I hesitate to include this, but for heaven's sake, who doesn't need a laugh today? Our IT guy printed this picture and morphed our faces into it. This greeted us at CC's office door. (My phone code is 007 on our school plan, hence the spy theme.) 

And though he was short on time and long on things to do, CC took me out for a birthday dinner the night before he left. 

mmmmm hot lavash, esme, yogurt dip, a fresh winter salad....

And Ali Nazik, pureed garlic eggplant with shaved beef on top. 

And because we've been buds with the owner of the restaurant for 10 years now, never a visit goes by without some complimentary Turkish coffee. (The water comes with it. If you've ever had it, you'll know why.) 

And then CC was off at 4AM for 2 weeks in the US.