Julianne's 19th

Julianne, if you remember, is a big birthday girl. The past few years have found me spending a lot of time and effort making sure that Julianne felt celebrated. And not that she expects a lot of expensive gifts or hoopla. But she loves traditions and making sure each and every birthday and holiday gets its proper due. She wants the day to feel special, and in some way markedly different than the other days that surround it, you know?

But she was at college. How was I to decorate or celebrate with her over an hour away? Her BFF/roomie Elle surely would've been on call to help me...except she had moved out a month earlier and was in the Missionary Training Center. And I didn't know her new roommates yet.

Cue Rebekah to the rescue! Julianne's birthday was over a weekend, but her work schedule made it impossible for her to come home. So Rebekah decided that she'd go to Julianne and treat her to a birthday girls weekend.

Rebekah stopped at home to pick up some presents and the traditional birthday banner that Bryan, Lilian, Brandon and I had made, and then continued the drive to Provo. While Julianne was finishing up her shift at the Roll Up Crepery, Rebekah hung up the banner, laid out all the birthday gifts on the bed and decorated her room a bit. When Julianne arrived home, though expecting to find Rebekah in her apartment, was still surprised nonetheless to find her sister hiding in her closet ready to pop out and sing Happy Birthday when she peeked her head around the corner.

She does get animated and excited, doesn't she? It's one of my favorite things about Julianne.

Cute bedroom at the Branbury. If you look to your left you can see the edge of her birthday banner. Her roommates hung up some birthday decor in the living room as well...sweet girls.

Rebekah and Julianne went out to dinner at Julianne's favorite Mexican place and then to see this movie...a chick flick that they had been excitedly awaiting the release of. And the frosting on the cake? A birthday text from Jordan, a boy Julianne knew from high school and had been trying to get up the courage to message since he returned from his mission a few months earlier. This text led to a date later in the week...Julianne was giddy with excitement. (Spoiler: this date led to many others and then into a relationship. A happy birthday indeed! ha!)