Home » Childhood » The Art of the Surprise Note: Guest Posting at Sweet Athena

The Art of the Surprise Note: Guest Posting at Sweet Athena

Guest posts are kind of like playdates, aren’t they?  You get to go over the house of your fun new friend for an afternoon, share your stories, meet their family and friends, and return home a renewed gal…(and probably wanting a new toy).

Well, today I get to have a “playdate” over at Jessica and Linz’s blog, Sweet Athena.  If you don’t know Sweet Athena, you should.  Part of what I love about that blog is that each season of the year has a theme, and Jessica and Linz devote the majority of their posts to the season’s theme.  This winter’s theme is celebrations, which is so up my alley; you can imagine how thrilled I was when Jessica invited me over to “play” on the topic of celebrations today.

My celebratory post is about…

The Art of the Surprise Note by The Thinking Closet

Surprise notes are my favorite…and part of what I love about them is that they’re so simple, yet their surprise nature gives them the power to really make a difference in someone’s day.  To check out my tips and tricks for mastering the art of the surprise note, click here!

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But the celebrating doesn’t stop there.

Today, January 29th, 2013 is the 27th birthday of my dear younger sister, Lisbeth!  (Cue confetti and balloons falling from the sky.)  Woot woot!

Many of you have already “met” my sister here on the blog as she has been a visitor in several posts.  Maybe you recall her guest post in December where she shared her gorgeous room tour or my post this fall when she rocked the denim skirt I made her.  Let me give you a lil photo collage to jog your memory.  Oh, you’d like me to include a cute childhood photo of her, too?  No problem.  Here you go:

Happy Birthday, Lisbeth!

On the day Lisbeth was born, I pressed my hands up to the glass of the baby nursery, looked at her swaddled in a hospital blanket, and said, “Lisbeth is my best friend.”  I was almost 3.  And I meant every word.

27 years later, Lisbeth has blossomed into one of the wisest people I know.  She has a sensitive spirit meaning that she will laugh hard with you when you laugh…she will cry hard with you when you cry.  I can’t think of a better person to pursue her calling as a Biblical Counselor.  Though she is in Pennsylvania and I in Florida, we’re never far in spirit; my heart is always latched onto hers.

Happy 27th birthday, Lisbeth Rea – – my sister, my best friend.

This is Lauren, signing off.

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36 Comments

  1. This surprise note was definitely a joyous surprise! Thank you for showering my birthday with digital confetti and balloons!!! It really did and continues to bless me. I re-read today what you wrote. And read it again. You’re one of those few people in my life whose words cut me to the quick, so reading your words about me does nothing less than make me cry and yet buoy me up at the same time. You are my dearest friend, and I’m taking a moment to praise God for the gift of you.

    1. Smile. I feel the same about you and your words, dear sister. Yet could not have expressed it half so eloquently as you just did. “Buoy me up….” What a beautiful expression.

      I am so glad that you had such a wonderful birthday, Lisbeth, and that you were showered with so much love from all around. May you continue to feel celebrated throughout the year!

  2. What a sweet message to a sister I’m sure is as wonderful as you are, Lauren! She also shares my husband’s birthday although she’s a few (or more) years his junior. I’m on my way to Sweet Athena now to check out your post. Knowing some of your history with notes and letter writing, I can’t wait to read what you have to say!

    1. What a coinkeedink (spellcheck didn’t like that one)! January 29th is a fantastic day in my book…you can tell your hubby I said so! And thanks so much for taking the time to clickover to read my post. It means a lot to me, as well as Jessica and Linz, those nifty gals behind Sweet Athena.

          1. Aw, thanks Jessica! My sister is one of my heroes, and I’m glad you’re getting to know her and all of her wonderfulness! Also, a belated happy birthday to your husband! I do think Jan. 29th is quite a lovely day, though I am a bit biased. 🙂

  3. I can’t wait to read your blog on the art of the surprise note!! I think your tribute to Lisbeth is delightful and precious! She’ll love it once she gets over the stomach bug she had on her birthday!! It warms my mother’s heart to know you two are best friends and always will be!

    1. Thanks for always encouraging our friendship as sisters – – and when we did fight, having us work it out between ourselves even though that’s the last thing we wanted to do at the time. There’s definitely some motherly wisdom behind that choice.

      And I was glad to hear today that Lisbeth is feeling a lot better! Poor gal – – no one should get sick on their birthday! And then have to teach zumba! What a wild day.

      1. That’s good to know you now see the benefit of working things out between you sisters. Hopefully it contributed to your good collaborative and conflict resolution skills! And yes, so thankful Lisbeth got over her birthday stomach-flu quickly!! xxooo

        1. Yes! Though I must say, I was able to check out this post on my bday, though not able to comment/revel in it as much as I would have liked. But after the sickness came Friday, where you both showered me with a lot of surprises! I, too, am grateful for the encouraged reconciliation post-fights, as well as having a best friend fo’ life.

  4. Happy Birthday to your sister! I just read your post and I love surprise notes. My daughter’s lunch box has a chalk board on the inside of it so I can write messages and silly surprises inside it for her at school. I honestly think any form of a random act of kindness like that is a great notion and I wish more people would do it.

    1. Oh my goodness – – a chalkboard INSIDE of her lunch box? How awesome cool is that? I’m tempted to hop over to your blog right now and search for a post in which you feature of a photo of that because that is just too darn cute. Leave it to you, Alex, to come up with something so creative.

    1. Ahhhh! I loved collaborating with you two…and thrilled the collaboration will continue this March (let that be a teaser to anyone else who might be reading this!).

      And I talked to Lisbeth today – – although the poor gal came down with a stomach flu the evening of her birthday, she still managed to have many joy-filled moments throughout her day. Thanks for the well wishes!

  5. Great post and a happy birthday to your sister! I just went and read your guest post — I also love surprise notes and you have some awesome ideas that I am going to have to use! My husband and I use the mirror one quite a bit — in fact on the day of our wedding (which was at our house) we had the whole thing covered with ‘I love you’ notes back and forth to one another. My favorite one that he has done to me was changing the screen saver on the computer to be a surprise note that I discovered a couple days later when the computer was left unattended long enough. 🙂
    Kenley

    1. The story of your wedding and the messages on the mirror is oh so romantical…I love it! I hope someone captured it in a photo – – or if they didn’t, it’s clearly written on your hearts for always. And the screensaver idea is a brilliant one! I just may have to steal that.

    1. I’m pretty sure I remember it, too…and not just the “story” of it. It was one of those unforgettable moments, I suppose! And thanks for your birthday wishes for my sister. It means so much for my bloggy friends to join in on the celebrating. 😉

  6. I have just started following your lovely blog and I really enjoyed reading this post, Hope your sister will have a wonderful Birthday! I also read your guest post over at sweetathena.com and liked it because I love surprise notes too! I write them for my hubby, I think it’s because since I was a kid, my mom use to leave us these notes and I only have beautiful memories about it!

    1. So nice to have “met” you tonight, Ingrid. I’m so impressed with your new craft room. It just looks like such an inspiring place. And thanks for your kind words – – I’m glad you enjoyed both posts! Glad to have found a fellow surprise-note-writer in you!

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