Denver B-Day Bash

Hey y’all, welcome back! Yes, it’s Friday (well almost. I should be in bed, but I worked a ridiculously long day and am ready to do something for me [and you]—besides making money.) So here’s your new blog fodder: bright, hot and shiny right off the pixilated press.

Let’s see, first of all I want to brag about my hot honey. Andrea, in the midst of a crazy last minute order on Tuesday night, made it to the next level in Arbonne: district! So the word ‘district’ isn’t that cool, but the fact that she’s there in less than five months is pretty impressive. Not to mention that there will be a teeny bit more income from it to pad our thread-bare pockets. Did I say pad? Oh gees, I’m delirious. “Line” would have been a better word, or ‘patch.’ Regardless of how you want to put it, Andrea is busting her cute butt to do this thing, and I’m SO proud of her. When I’m sweating away in this oven of a valley, remembering her success and her brilliant future keeps me going. It’s in that hope that I continue to dream of the days when ServiceMaster is no longer in my repertoire of daily vocabulary. The day is coming, my friends. Oh yes, I will have my day…

O.K. now onto the party news. In case you didn’t know (or care), last Friday was my 27^th birthday. On July 27 I turned 27, so you might call it my Golden Birthday??? Maybe.

Anyway, I must say that it was well celebrated. For the occasion, Andrea, Ellie and I made the trek over the mountains to Denver for the weekend to be with some very special people. Nana and Diddy (Nancy and my dad, Dale) flew out from Tennessee to adore and spoil their granddaughter…I MEAN they came to help celebrate my birthday! So they got to do both—even better.

We stayed at the Westin downtown, which was blocks away from the 16^th street Mall, Coors Field, and any number of fabulous restaurants. Friday afternoon found us sitting on the patio of Del Mar’s, where I splurged and had crab legs for the first time in years. Man, were they good! Nana had fun feeding Ellie a sundry of surf and turf, laughing at all the faces (good and bad) she made. And if that wasn’t entertaining enough, countless people walking by would stop and talk to Ellie, or admire her, or ask us questions about her. Amazing the gravity she has in such a small (but growing) package.

After a fabulously filling meal, we moseyed back to our rooms, where Nana and Ellie stayed to play as Dad, Andrea and I went back to the street to do some window shopping. After a leisurely walk, we made it back to the hotel again just in time before downtown got slammed with a massive thunderstorm. From the window on the 17^th floor, the lightning was a little too close for comfort, as bolts ripped down to building tops only blocks away. Tons of rain too, as some intersections in the surrounding area quickly became lakes. Very fun to watch from the comfort and safety of the room. Andrea and I headed to the restaurant downstairs for a late dinner. The Palm was very nice, and we had some great steaks. We even got to share a free slice of key lime pie (a la mode) for my birthday. A major thanks to Nana and Diddy for that great birthday present! After dinner, we had every intention of making it to one of our favorite Denver With stand up improv, it’s tough not to go. But after our second big meal of the day, and all the travel from the day catching up to us, we called it an evening and hit the sack. It was well worth it. hot spots, the Impulse Theater.

Saturday. Andrea had an Arbonne party to go to in Boulder with our good high school friend Brooke Lawson. So with Ellie safely in Nana’s care, Dad and I headed south to play golf at Arrowhead. An amazing course—there are giant red slabs on sandstone jutting from the earth at insane angles. And when I say giant, I mean giant. Some are eight to nine stories tall! They’re lined up parallel to the foothills. With imagination, one might think a giant stegosaurus had been buried there, with the wind and rains of time unearthing the razor back of this prehistoric monster. The course, built back in the 70’s, gently winds its way around these monoliths, providing for some spectacular tee shots and green approaches. We played with a couple from Charlotte, N.C. Matthew and Susan. They were in their late 20’s/early 30’s, and only 9 weeks married! Susan left her clubs at home in favor of her Nikon DSLR. That’s O.K. because her husband played golf good enough for the two of them. Dad and I were hitting from the tees in front of Matthew, and this guy was still out-driving us by 15-20 yards every time. The front nine was pretty bad as I struggled to find my groove. The back nine was much better, as the sun came out and I started playing a little more consistently. Dad and I both ended with pars, too!

When we got back to the hotel, it was already time to head to Coors Field where the Rockies were hosting the LA Dodgers. With the sun still shining, it was a beautiful evening for a ball game. Cheeseburgers and cold beer, peanuts and nachos, and seats on the first level just off third base—it doesn’t get much better (especially since the Rock-heads took it to the Dodgers and won). Except y’all weren’t there with me! A pity, really. My friend and brother Jon White introduced me to the “neener-neener” call back in college. You basically do something really cool or amazing, then call your friends at that time to rub it in. Well, consider this blog your neener-neener ;o)

Sunday morning found two worlds colliding. Andrea’s parents were in Denver for their own weekend getaway, and we decided to meet up with them for some breakfast downtown. Ellie was astonished to see two sets of familiar faces together in the same place, and quite enjoyed herself. It was a good time for the rents to catch up, even if John was a short stack away from going to the emergency room with what we originally thought were hernia problems. The day before he had come close to throwing out his back. So the pain meds he took for that problem ended up being the abdominal problem the following day.. In his own words, “Getting old is hell.” Well said Wieder, well said.

The rest of Sunday we spent lazily in the room watching TV, playing with Ellie, talking—just hanging out (Andrea and I were delaying our ride back to Junction as much as possible). Andrea and Nancy did finally muster the strength to go shopping. Meanwhile, Diddy and I took Ellie to the hotel swimming pool on the roof of the fourth floor. Being past her nap time, she wasn’t all that happy with the pool, which honestly shocked me. Normally, Ellie is a little mermaid when it comes to water—splashing, giggling, dipping her face in the water and blowing bubbles… All in all, Diddy got some good pics of us in the pool together (expect to see some on Dropshots in the near future, as he has yet to send them to me).

When we reunited with the girls, we walked to Noodles & Co. for a late lunch before hitting the road again. A great weekend to be sure. It was the first time I had celebrated my birthday with my dad in years. Certainly a day I won’t soon forget.

And in weather, you’re going to notice some spring showers heading our way, as my other friend and brother Erik Wessel is engaged! Whoo-HOO! The lucky lady is Stephanie soon-to-be (but not soon enough) Wessel. Wessel and Steph have been dating for almost a year now back in Pennsylvania. I’m so excited for Er-rock, but still a little nervous that I haven’t met Steph yet. I mean, I can’t give my Wessel to just any girl, know what I’m sayin’? I’m just kidding. I know Wessel well enough, and if this girl has his heart, then she has my nod. Jig anybody? Jig, jig, Jig, JIg, JIG, JIG, JIG!!! The wedding is looking to be in late April, so you’ll know where to find me and the fam come Spring.

In other news, our humble home in The Shire is becoming more complete. A great guy named Ed came and put up the missing section of gutter on the front of the house last week. He did an amazing job, even matching the downspouts to the color of our siding. His work inspired me to finish getting the downspouts up around the rest of the house, much to my mental relief, and that of all our neighbors. Come on, they’ve only been laying around the house for two months…gees, cut a working family man some slack, will ya’? Plenty remains to be accomplished, as I have to stain the cedar shakes on the front gable, put up the remaining J channel and soffit, and so much more. But let’s not bore you with those details.

Since my thank you notes for my birthday are a little late, I’d like to take the time to thank some very special people in my life. Mom, thanks for the AMAZING bench for our front porch. It is so choice. If you ever have the means to sit in it, I highly recommend it. What a nice addition to the place. Uncle Carl, your generosity continues to bless—thank you. Grandma Iowa, you get the funniest card award. What two dancing girls has to do with me turning 27 is a mystery, but it made me laugh. Thanks for the money, too! John and Diane—the cookies were just what I needed, as was the new football game. Can you believe I haven’t played it yet?!?! To Gpa Rockets and the Birkett’s: thanks for the cards and money. Birthdays are made great by knowing that people who love you (grandparents) are thinking of you on that day. Hilary—for the present which you still have in your possession, which you intend to get to me, which I plan to enjoy, and thank you for properly when it arrives ;o) Agnew’s—your Best Buy gift card will usher in the third and final chapter of my Halo adventure. For those of you who don’t know, Halo 3 (Xbox 360 aka “video game” if you must label it) comes out on September 25, days before my wife’s birthday. Pray for us now.

Well folks, that’s a wrap. Be sure to sponsor our struggling Hollywood movie industry by going out tomorrow (today? tonight?) and watching The Bourne Ultimatum. It’s sure to be good flick if it’s even remotely close to the caliber of the first and second. Critics and fans are already giving it an A…oh, how I need an action movie to end this week… Bourne, where are you?!?!

Blessings,

Graham, sleeping Andrea and Ellie

P.S. Whitney, welcome back to Los Estados Unidos!

P.S.S. May God's grace, strength, and love be with the families in Minnesota tonight who still have loved ones missing after the bridge collapsing. Keep them in your prayers...