It's my 21st (Golden) Birthday!!

March 21, 2007 I celebrated my 21st birthday.
In my family, when you turn the age of the date of your birthday, it is your "Golden Birthday".
So to be 21 on the 21st of March was extra special. And my family at home and my missionary
family made it more special than I could imagine! In the morning a group of 9 of us ladies went
to a fancy hotel for their "simple" breakfast (if you call fresh baked chocolate filled crescents, choice of
fresh fruit juice, and bottomless tea or coffee 'simple'). We had such a lovely morning dining like
royalty, and chatting away. When the girls got home from school, all 48 came to see me and wish
me a happy birthday and give me their darling hand made cards and drawings. Some of them gave
me bracelets or little nick nacks from their own small box of belongings. How sweet.

My family sent me a package full of 21st birthday decorations and party supplies, as well as my favorite
maple creams (too good to share...). Some of the missionaries took the box of decorations and went to
set up the yard we'd be having our evening celebration at. In the evening we had a bring and share meal
at one of the missionaries houses. It was so nice to just enjoy fellowship. They went around saying what
each person did on their 21st birthday (I am the youngest missionary here). Then two ladies from England
sang to me "She's 21 today, she's 21 today! She's got the key of the door, never been 21 before!" (In England
when you turn 21 it's about being old enough to have the key to your own house). Everyone sang happy birthday and I blew out the candles, then they lifted me up in a chair and sang to me (in Mozambique, the
special guest at a wedding or whatever celebration gets lifted up in a chair!). And they put me in the middle
and everyone prayed for me. It was so special! I got lots of sweet gifts and cards. Lots of purple and lavender things, since that's my favorite color:-)

The Lord blessed me so much! What a birthday to remember...