My twenty-third birthday

I am so overwhelmed at all the love I have been showered with over my birthday. Everyone made it so special!

First they surprised me with an amazing Anne of Green Gables party Friday night (see last post). Saturday morning 11 of us loaded up and went to "The round garden cafe" (I think it is really called "The Blue Moon Cafe"):

We wore our "Anne Hats" from the night before, and pearls and fancy fans... true ladies we are!

We had delicious iced coffees (nothing compared to Starbuck's Frappicinos, but they are very good!) and dainty, little sandwiches...mmm:-) It was so fun to hang out and laugh and chat.

While we were away, the girls and tias were preparing the Saturday night dinner in the dorm (every Saturday the girls choose a dish to make for dinner, go to the market, buy the ingredients, and return home to spend the afternoon cooking for all 48 girls, plus the tias, and others who want to join). This Saturday they were preparing something extra special...

As we gathered in the girls dorm in the evening on the grass mats they sit on to eat together, out marched the girls and tias with a pots of rice, a big pot of chicken in a sauce (very special here!), and 2 beautiful birthday cakes! They sang happy birthday to me, and to Tia Inez who's birthday was Friday, and lifted us up in chairs, and had us cut the cake like they do at weddings and feed it to each other, then gave us each a cup with milk to give each other a drink! It was an evening I will never forget! The girl's presented me with this beautiful card they made, inside each of the girls had made me a little card that was glued in (they had help from Heather and Rachel--two missionaries working in the girls dorm). The tias served all of us the special chicken (it was sooo good!), and we had cake and talked and laughed. It was so special!

Thank you so much to all those who helped make my birthday absolutely unforgettable! Thank you to those who planned and worked so hard on the surprise party, came out to lunch, helped the girls, everyone who phoned, or e-mailed, or sent cards, or messages... I am so blessed by each one of you! You are all amazing. I pray God's richest blessings upon you...:-)