When you turn 29 the ONLY option is to party like it's 1986!

So, as you may or may not know, my 29th bday was the past weekend. I'm not gonna lie... I've basically been dreading this age. It's my last bday in the 20's! In less than 12 short months, I'll be 30!!!! And while I recognize that 30 is NOWHERE near ancient... when you are 30 and single and life in the south... well, you might as well go ahead and start buying the cats cause face it "kid" (and I use that word loosely), it's over. Go ahead and put your face on a playing card cause you're an old maid.

So, yeah, wasn't REALLY looking forward to this bday, but what can you do. So, the plan was to have a few people over to my parents house to watch a movie on their outdoor theater. Nothing big. Have some food. Watch a movie. A nice mellow time for the old-timer.

Little did I know my BFF and brother had other plans!!!

Another thing about me that's important to know is, I LOVE Michael Jackson. I mean, COME ON, he WAS the King of Pop after all. Mr Moonwalker himself. Billie Jean. We are the World. The Free Willie song. Come on. AND I've loved MJ basically my whole life. I was a child of the 80s. Of course.

Last year on my 28th bday the party was basically turned into a day of mourning... MJ died on my bday. How awful! So, THIS year on my bday was the one year anniversary of the day of his death. WE MISS YOU, MJ!

So all day long I sit around my parents house knowing Tabatha (my brother Luke's fiancee) and I are going to pay the deposit on the place they are getting married, and I keep thinking... why are we waiting so late in the day? There are people coming... things to do.... but I don't really want to say anything and sound whiny. Well finally around 3:30 we go. And I can't believe how the whole time we are out Tab is driving SO slow :-) And stupid me still isn't picking up on it. We go by the place and check it out... pay the deposit... and then head toward her parents house to pick up their new dog they are getting from a shelter. A sweet Min-Pin they have rescued. On the way there she asks if it's okay if we see if we can find the place where she wants to look at wedding cakes... "Suuuureeee..... it's only almost time for my party.... but what the heck...." So we go by... stay a while... and then FINALLY head back toward my parents house. And again... soooo slow.. we get stuck behind an OLD car that i think Henry Ford was driving....

Finally, we get back to my parents house... I'm covered in dog hair... greasy face... looking yucky... and there are a ton of cars in the drive way... More than I expected.

Walk in and there's everyone. My family, Steph and her mom and brother, Ann, Heather.... and everyone is looking at me. And I look GROSS. But the amazing this is... Michael Jackson decorations everywhere! And they look so good!!!! Someone spent a lot of time and effort!!! And Steph has gotten me the coolest looking Michael cake! Isn't it amazing? LOVE it! My mom had also made me some sparkly glove cookies! It was just the coolest! MJ decorations everywhere. So we eat... have cake... open presents... are all are sitting around outside. I'm starting to freak out because it's REALLY looking like rain and if it's rains... no movie. And as far as I know that's the only entertainment. As we are sitting around assessing the situation Luke tells me he needs to go back to his house and get Autumn's allergy medicine and that Tab is gonna go with him. I don't suspect anything because when she's outside a lot she DOES need her medicine. While he's gone we are all sitting around outside and Mom's got her video camera and Steph keeps shoving her camera in my face but I'm not really thinking anything other than "these loons really want to remember the boring time we had sitting around outside praying it doesn't rain". Well after a few minutes my mom tells me to turn my chair and not look behind me. So I figure, Oh Luke went back to his house and got my present and it must be something big like a bookshelf. I don't know why I think this, but I do. And then out of nowhere I say "If the MJ impersonator taps on my shoulder I'll have a stroke" and even as I say this, that is NOT what i think is about to happen. I have no idea why it came out of my mouth.

After a few minutes I hear, "Is this the birthday girl?" in a soft spoken voice. OMG! Can it be?? My best friend and brother HAVE gotten the MJ impersonator for my BDAY! What!?!?!? Here he is walking up behind me.

Of course I'm immediately embarrassed. I don't know why this is my first reaction. Amazement and embarrassment. I just CAN'T believe they did this for me! Michael Jackson at my bday! And turns out, EVERYONE knew but me! EVERYONE. I can't BELIEVE they kept it a secret for so long!!! And it was my brothers idea. I guess he loves me after all :-)

And then "Michael" puts on a thirty minute hard core show. He doesn't stop dancing for 30 straight minutes. Outside. In the heat. Amazingly. And he did the moonwalk IN THE GRASS and it was perfect!!!! How do you moonwalk in the grass!?!? Unfortunatly it was too dark to video Beat It or Billie Jean and those were the best ones (and that's where the moonwalk was) but all in all it was soooooooo amazing! I LOVE LOVE LOVE them for doing this for me. I truly appreciate it SO much! I have the best family and friends in the whole world and it made me realize that no matter how old I get and no matter if I never find someone who wants to marry me, I'm way more blessed than most because I have some of the best people in the world in my corner. And that's more than enough. Also, little Autumn was dancing her little butt off in my lap and at one point she started 'raising the roof'. It was great! Any niece of mine is gonna love MJ!


















Also, we got some great video before it got dark.

Check those out, they are great!!!! You can tell everyone was having a good time!


And lastly, my mom made a slideshow for my birthday. I gotta say it, but I LOVE my mom. She's the greatest person in the whole world. I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am today without her. She kind, and creative, and funny, and beautiful, and just a great great mom.

Here's the video. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

It was an amazing birthday!!! I don't see how 30 is going to be anywhere close to this!! Thank you SO much everyone! I love you guys!!!! Now lets 29 commence!!!! I feel like this might be my best year yet!!!!