Geburtstag!

Last week I turned 25, and I got to celebrate my birthday in another country for the first time. I was afraid that I was going to be homesick and miss my family and the way we celebrate birthdays back home, and I did. I missed going out to dinner with my family. I missed the chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting that my mother always makes for me because it's my favorite. I missed spending ridiculous time with my sister. It was difficult to be so far away from the people that I love, especially knowing how much they wanted to be celebrating with me. But God used my birthday to remind me of the things he's given me here, and how blessed I am to have my "family" here in Germany. 

A visiting teacher offered to take my morning class on Friday so that I could come to work later. A very close friend invited me over to have breakfast with her and then drove me to work at 11:30, where I was met with several bouquets of flowers, a cake, brownies with mocha frosting, chocolate covered strawberries, cards, and a bag with 25 gifts from one of my students. My kiddos wanted to sing to me 25 times, but I convinced them that three times was enough. ;) 

Friday night I went German bowling with friends! It's called Kegel, and it's very similar to bowling back in the states. The main differences are that the balls are smaller and they only have two holes, and the pins are attached to strings, which are used to pull them back up again. 

On Saturday I got to go to IKEA with a friend so that I could buy a bed frame (the free one I got at the beginning of the year broke back in October and my mattress has been on the floor since then). We managed to fit it in her tiny car by putting all the seats down, and I sat on top of the folded down seat on the way back. Yay!

On Sunday, my wonderful friends took me out to dinner after they got back from a weekend retreat with the high schoolers, and it was lovely. They were all so tired, but came out with me anyway and I love them for it. Then we went back our apartment so we could eat the cake that CB made for me, and give me my present, which is the European version of a Keurig! It's called a Senseo, and I've been wanting one for a while now, but just haven't bought one. Such a surprise! 

Thank you to all of my friends here that made me feel special, and celebrated with me. And thank you to everyone that wished me a happy birthday via the internet! I am so blessed, and this was a wonderful reminder of that fact. 

Using my Senseo for the first time!