Who Could Ask For A Better Birthday?!!?

First of all, I forgot to mention when I first wrote this post, that the song that I have chosen for this post is extremely special for me. Sister Cook found it and cries everythime she listens to it because it reminds her of her husband. I first heard it on Father's Day and bawled through the entire thing. It made me miss home really bad-my first real homesick day. I realized that it was the first Father's Day that I hadn't been home for. I called home and tried to keep my composure through the message... but it didn't work. lol I just cried. The song reminds me of MY dad and how much I love him and love all the times we've shared and the guidance he's given me. So take that to your heart as you listen to the lyrics. There's not a lot of time left for me... my life is starting... and I'm really realizing how appreciative I am of my parents and all the blessings I've received through them. Love you mom and dad!!!

Monday night the missionaries came over for dinner from our ward. It was really fun! Before dessert, Sister Cook asked me to get the girls and bring them downstairs. I did, and when I came back, there was a candle sticking up in my "Melt In Your Mouth" dessert and everybody started singing "Happy Birthday" to me in German!!! It was soo cute!!! The missionaries had been in on it and everything :). It was really sweet.

Then Tuesday morning, I wake up to a LOVELY wake up call from my mom singing happy birthday to me (It was cute, she stayed up until 1:00am so she could call me lol). But then she went and woke up my dad, so it was a good trade off ;). After I talked to her for a bit, I went downstairs-glasses, pjs, no shower, ickyness... the summer wear basically lol and I started walking down the stairs and I hear Madison, "*gasp!* It's Heather! Heather's coming!!!!!" and she RUNS to the kitchen... I get down the rest of the stairs and I find out that the Cooks had totally decorated the kitchen! The kitchen door was covered in streamers, there were streamers inside the kitchen, a princess tablecloth and a happy birthday sign. And best of all, Brother Cook was at the counter making pancakes!!!! He stayed home from work and went in in the afternoon. It was really really neat. The whole family was there to sing to me as soon as I walked in the door for breakfast! :) I really really loved it. So we had pancakes with mmmmmmmm... buttermilk syrup (I got the recipe mom!! :) you'll never eat pancakes the same again!!!!!) and hot chocolate... mmmm. It was delicious!!

After we were done eating, Brother Cook had everyone go around the room and say one thing they liked about me and that was really special to me. Especially to get to Ellie and hear her say, "Mmmm, I like it when she opens her presents." !!!! HAHAHA!!! Sister Cook and I laughed SO hard! Ellie was absolutely determined to help me open my presents. It was so funny. Anyway, so after that I opened presents! It was really really great. First I opened a tank top that Sister Cook and I got on our shopping trip on Monday to start my "college wardrobe". THAT was REALLY REally FUN! Sister Cook dressed me in outfits I NEVER would have put together, but I ended up LOVING!!!! So I have a new look! lol It's cute, funky, and fun. I love it. Anyway, so I opened that-it was the first thing she had picked up for me to try on :). Then I opened..... another Coach purse!!! AHHHHH!!!!! I had asked Brother Cook months ago to see if he could find one when he went to Asia, and when I got here they gave me the one he'd found-it's this SUPER cute black purse, and I LOOOVE it! So I was DOUBLY excited and TOTALLY surprised when I opened another one!!! I'm SO excited!! It's super cute and totally goes with my new outfits!!!! And last but not least, I got a jean jacket :) which I ABSOLUTELY love!!! I've never owned one before, and have never really invested in one, and I talked about it with Sister Cook, so she said she had to go get me one :). It was really really really great and so sweet of the family to celebrate with me. The big 1-8!!!! WHOOT! lol

So after all that, Madison and I put on a fashion show because she wanted to take pictures of my new outfits... so we did that. And after that!!!! We jumped in the car and headed over to the recording studio!!!!!!! Right before we walked out the door KIM and the kids called and sang to me as well. It was SOOOOO cute to hear Austin singing. I love and miss those kids a lot; how Lexis would cuddle up next to me in church or never let go of my hand when we were together. They are such sweet children. And my Andrew :) he always makes me smile. After they called we headed out and to the studio. Sister Cook recorded the piano parts for several of the songs and on one of the songs called, "Daughter of a King" there's a part where a choir comes in. Before, I had just sung that part by myself and it was just in plural form... but this time... :) I had Sister Cook and Madison sing with me!!! :) It was so fun for Madison to put on the big headphones, hop up on Sister Cook's back and sing her little heart out into the microphone! It was so great!!!!

After that, they headed home and I stayed to record the rest of my songs along with another girl that was there. It was SUCH a cool experience! I really felt like a pop star... or at least someone who records music. It was so neat. The whole process took almost 6 hours!! So, I was exhuasted by the time we were done. Marvin drove me home and after we dropped off the other girl, we went out to get something to eat and I had another Kabob! lol it was yummy. We talked the whole way home (40min or so) about the differences of the States to here, and how stupid some people can be. He asked about my life and what I had been through... it was actually really funny as I was telling him stories because he was so animated with me and saying things like, "aaaawk! you're kidding?! that's so stupid!" or "I can't believe you had to go through that!!!" It was really really great to hear someone empathize with me and listen instead of saying, "I don't know what you ever saw in him anyway" or agreeing with me that I shouldn't find things out through computers... it was great. He's a great guy and we talked about him getting ready for his mission and how his family band has been really great for him... anyway. It was just fun. We talked about the gospel and praying and how hard it is for him to live out here and he has to drive so far to even get to the nearest Mormon, whereas at home, I can go around the corner to Mer's or something. It's really been an eye opening experience for me and he thinks it's great that I'm here and could finally get away from everything and hear myself think. It's only been since I've been here, that I've really realized how distracted I was with all the drama going on. It's been great.

So, I came home around 10:30pm, talked to Brother and Sister Cook, got my birthday cake and ice cream and went and called my mom :). It really was a great birthday!! I mean really... how many people can say "I recorded a cd in Austria"?!?!? And bring it back home?!?!??!?!?! It's crazy!!!! I'm so lucky!!!!!!

I'll figure out how to put the cd up here on the blog so you guys can hear it, but I haven't gotten it yet. Love you all!!!