May the force be with you.

Russ is a Star Wars fanatic....remember his 30th birthday party last year??

Well, our friends Will, Merissa, and Baby Girl Lilla came over for breakfast.  They thought it appropriate to dress Lilla to fit Russ' standards.  Russ thought it appropriate to compare her to Yoda.

Yoda was given to us when we lived in Hernando by kids in the youth group.  Yoda had his own room.  Each day I would come home from school, Yoda would be on top of the tv cabinet....for reasons I can't figure out.  I would then take him back to his very own space in his very own room (very secluded....for his privacy :) )  The next day, Yoda would be back in the den.

When we moved to Tupelo and lived in the rental house....there was a small shelf above the door.  I thought this would be perfect for a picture but Yoda thought it was perfect for him.  So, he sat....watching all who entered and exited the house :)

Russ Turns 30 - Day 5 (evening)

To end the week of fun, I had Russ a "kid-style" birthday party. Emily, the writer, wrote me a cute phrase.

Russ is turning 30 and this day is his
So come celebrate with pizza, people, and this big kid.
There'll be Dr. Pepper, Dave Matthews, Darth Vader
Good food, his wife, and even lightsabers.

So that gives you an idea of what the party was like. We even included LOST and the Tennessee Vols. I am married to such a big kid. I have never seen so many toys given to someone when they turned 30! But, that is what I adore about my husband.

He had a great time seeing people and reconnecting with some he hasn't seen in years. Special thanks to the Berry's for hosting the party in their backyard!

How weird is that..I am married to a 30-year old?!!!!!

anna

Russ Turns 30 - Day 5 (morning)

On Russ' actual birthday his dad came driving up in a loaded down 1970's pick-up truck. He decided to surprise Russ and build him something for his big day. So, Russ and his dad (well, mostly his dad) built a large wooden shed in our backyard. This is so great because we needed one but didn't want to pay mucho dinero for a nice one. Plus, it was really sweet to see them outside working together. Thanks Mr. Terry!

Anna

Russ Turns 30 - Day 4

Russ has a special friend who lives in Nashville. They love to get together and talk about deep issues such as sports, music, and famous people. They have a deep love for each other but rarely get to see each other. So, I planned a meeting.

He was to arrive in Memphis around 9 pm. We took a few friends with us--letting it be their idea as to why we were going to Memphis so late. We got to The Rendezvous around 8:30. Perfect. He was just going to walk into the restaurant while we were eating. Not perfect. They were running late. Let's just say the night ended with our friends challenging me to eat my entire meal and me singing and dancing to Shakira. Wasting time is not a talent of mine. Neither is staying cool during awkward situations. So I danced and ate. A lot.

Needless to say, we finally met him at The Peabody and Russ was completely surprised. It was this night that he finally said "Turning 30 isn't so bad." Mission accomplished.

Russ Turns 30 - Day 3

Part of Russ' birthday included this 6'3" cut-out. Yes, I paid good money for him. I should get wife of the year for ordering this!!

I ordered it in plenty of time for it to get here by his birthday. But, in my life nothing ever works out like it is supposed to. It was to be delivered to our friends house. I called daily to check on the status of "the vader" only to be let down each day.

Two days before his birthday it had not arrived. According to UPS, it had been delivered 3 days earlier. So, I went on a search around Tupelo to find him. I searched in garages all around the neighborhood. Finally, 5 hours later, he was found.

Anna

Russ Turns 30 - Day 2

For the second day of his "Week of Fun" we went to see Dave Matthews/Willie Nelson at Autozone Park in Memphis. Willie was great as always. I had seen Dave before but he was INCREDIBLE this time. So much fun for Russ to see his favorite the week he turned 30!!

Anna P.

Russ Turns 30- Day 1

Russ turned 30 on Saturday so to make the transition into an older, more refined man easier, I created his birthday week. Starting the week before his birthday, I decided to do something special for him each day leading up to "THE BIG DAY." Day 1 was a surprise. I was so proud of myself for keeping it...I tend to not be able to lie very well (as some of you know).

Russ' favorite place on earth is Camp Lake Stephens. Most of the people in his life he has met through this place. SO, I had a few of his friends to meet us at camp last Friday night. We camped out in the new treehouses, grilled out, made smores by the fire, and did the zipline until we couldn't move. He was very surprised and it was so much fun for me to see him get so excited about seeing his friends in their special place.

anna p.