Helloooo, awesome blog readers! Today is one my favorite days of the year, my birthday! Is it just me, or do birthdays seem pass in a sort of out-of-body-experience kind of way? Like the whole day ends up feeling like a dream? I always get really excited when Matt starts to ask me what I want for my birthday- the way it usually goes down is I’ll obsess over an item, tell him 4-5 times how much I REALLY want this particular thing, and then change my mind every few weeks. So whatever Matt gets me for my birthday is typically whatever item I’ve most recently obsessed over.

This year was a little different. During our time in Paris this past summer, we passed a street vendor by the Seine selling a painting of a ballerina that brought me up short and literally robbed me of breath for a few moments. I’ve never felt any particular connection to a painting before, it’s an art form that’s never really spoken to me, but all of a sudden I found myself heartsick at the thought of leaving for home without this painting. It was way more than we’d budgeted for any sort of souvenir, so I didn’t even bother to ask Matt if we could buy it, I just made sure we returned every day after that so that I could look at it. Our final day in Paris came and after looking through dozens of other vendors’ stalls for a similar-but-less-expensive version of the painting, but I kept coming around to this one. And finally, after seeing just how desperate I was for this particular piece of art, Matt struck a bargain with me: if I was content with not receiving anything for my birthday or our anniversary (both 5+ months away at that point), then he’d buy the painting for me. Cue: utter euphoria, squealing and swooning!

It took me a few months to finally get it framed (it’s a, but now it hangs on our walls as a reminder of so many things that I love; ballet, elegance and grace, Paris, and a husband who knows the desires of my heart and is willing to sacrifice to bring them to life!

Paris_ballerina_painting_001

Best birthday yet :). I’m off to read Harry Potter all day, sip on a butterbeer, and then celebrate with my crazy family tonight!

Birthday!

December 11, 2013

  1. Mia Bjerring says:

    Happy Birthday, Abby!! I hope you have the most wonderful day! 🙂

  2. Rebekah Hoyt says:

    Oh, the frame looks SO beautiful!! I’m so so happy that you have it hanging on your wall for your birthday. I hope you have the most amazing day!! Happy Birthday, sweet friend!! xoxo

  3. Lauren Swann says:

    Happy Birthday, Abby!! What a fun gift!! I do the same thing when it comes to my birthday gifts haha!!

  4. Jean says:

    Yeah, Matt! It’s beautiful! Can’t wait to see you, my beautiful granddaughter!

  5. Natalie says:

    Happy Birthday Abby!!! 🙂 Hope it’s wonderful!

  6. Caili says:

    Happy birthday, sweet friend! Enjoy your relaxing day. 🙂

  7. Sarah Adams says:

    I love where you draw inspiration, Abby! Love this painting, and how sweet of Matt! Happy Happy Birthday to you!!! Hope its all kinds of beautiful 🙂

  8. […] pieces, and I could have stayed in that room all day. It made me all the more thankful for my own ballerina painting that’s currently hanging above my desk […]

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