The Big 4-OH Party

What can I say other than WHAT A NIGHT!
The big party started yesterday afternoon, Saturday the 23rd of June, around 3:30 and everyone slowly began to arrive and emerge from their Blue Karma Villas.
The staff at Blue Karma had been working hard all day decorating the grounds, so when I emerged from my Villa at party time - I was blown away.
There were flowers everywhere and they had even decorated the door to my Villa... amazing!

Off to one side were more decorations, along with a huge 40 made out of flower petals... my initial thoughts were - I'm so embarrassed by the huge effort - but a couple of caprioska's later and I was starting to relax....

On a bed of petals - having a Rose Hancock moment

The Villa entrance is decorated

Slowly, the guests began to arrive and after meeting each other the night before everyone was feeling relaxed and ready to party.... Nina & Tia did a great job handing out lei's to everyone....

Janine, Michelle & I

Uncle Mario & Aunty Lucy

Aunty Jac & Uncle Barry

Lola, Nina, Tia, Ella, Georgia & Ash

My three little cousins Olivia, Jess & Melissa, posing

Me & my little bro Leon

Shamus & Brendo

Playing silly buggers with Olivia, Richard, Brendo, Fiona & Robbie

Liz & Sherene

With my beautiful sis, Liv

With Mum, Dad & Richard

With Ron & Lee

Aaron & Claire

Dodie & Rob

It was nice to have Liz drop in

Ian, Ron & Roger

With Linda & Brownie

With my boy

Jack listening to the Eagles game

Melissa & Vince

The Cheney Family

Phillip & Jack chill out and watch the partying

The two massage tables in each corner helped everyone to relax as well, it seemed Richard had left no table unturned while planning the big event. Even the stubby holders had been tagged with my name and birthday details reading "Happy Birtday" in typical Bali style.

I took lots of moments to soak up the atmosphere and watch... with a huge smile on my face as everyone danced and partied.

Harry has a massage

Before long everyone was called to a corner of the complex to be sat in front of a television set... it seemed Mum & my beautiful friend Michael had been very busy organising a DVD of my life to date.

I sat watching in awe at this baby girl and watched my journey unfold on a TV screen... there were a couple of little emotional moments during the DVD of me with grandparents, uncles, friends who I knew were with me in spirit. 

The DVD and the work that had gone into it blew me away and left me feeling completely overwhelmed... I've had quite a few of those moments of late.

Captivated by the DVD

After that it was speech time, there was no escaping it.

Richard spoke first and then I took over... I had so many thank you's to make... thank goodness that was over with.

Saying speeches

I was then blown away once again when my cake came out... it was huge

A family snapshot

The huge birthday cake

Everyone watching on

Speeches over, cake cut,  it was time to get back into some partying... and that is exactly what we did.
Some people went in hard early and ended up sneaking back to their rooms only to emerge later in the night or the next morning (that's the beautify of not having to travel home)....

Aunties Fran, Carmel & Lucy

Megan & Liv on the dance floor

Michelle & Dodie on the cocktails

Gee, I wonder why Dad is smiling - with Janine & Shari

Lee & Andrew hit the dance floor

.... while others were stayers and continued to dace the night away well into the wee hours.

Michelle & Fran

Janine & Nina

Some flashy dance moves LOL

With Shari, Nina & Michelle

After all that dancing, some then decided to cool off in the pool....

Janine takes the plunge

So does Sherene

and Dodie

Liz & I cool off

So does Mum

Sharing a moment with my baby

I had to put in a couple of pictures of the true stayers, they were having too much fun to go to bed....

The last of the stayers, Shayne

And Andrew

I am pleased to report that there was only one stomach complaint for the night LoL. No names mentioned and  only one ambulance was called - but then cancelled due to a false alarm. All in all it was a roaring success.
This morning, everyone emerged slowly from their rooms a little bleary eyed but all with fond stories of their night - what more could I ask for?
Again, thank you for all of my text messages, phone calls, presents sent from across the miles.  I am truly so grateful and had to keep pinching  myself yesterday.
-- So spoilt, so lucky, so blessed. --