It's your Birthday! It's your birthday!

On Monday, I turned 26 years old. For the last couple of years, my birthday has been an odd thing; not really a celebration, and not particularly something I mentioned to people. I've never really made a big deal about my birthday and didn't really know why. I always felt like it is odd to announce to the world "I have a birthday and it is on the 27th and you better celebrate it!" Most likely out of fear that no one would want to celebrate it and secondly, because it was uncomfortable to ask to be celebrated and be the center of attention. My birthdays 22-25 were nothing to brag about, but something to remember.

22nd birthday: I got locked out of the house I was living in after only being in Germany for 3 weeks, having no cell phone,  no key to the family's house I was an au-pair to and they weren't answering the door bell--oh and did I mention it was FEBRUARY in Hamburg so extremely cold! Thankfully, I caught the last train to the next village, hopped over the electric gate of my ONE friend who I had just celebrated, and the father let me in and stay the night there. Needless to say, it was a little scary thinking I might freeze to death after just arriving in Germany. Also, I got yelled at by the parents for the whole episode...

23rd: The first thoughts in my head when I woke up was "Why am I still alive?"...yeah, I know. And I wasn't suicidal or majorly depressed, but that was what came in my head. I definitely think it was demonic. But I was super stressed in this time period and wasn't used to the dark winters of northern Germany and couldn't wait for Spring to come and rescue me form the darkness--literally.

24th: I had returned back to the U.S. and had been home for only 4 months to get married and it ended after two months. I was openly depressed on this birthday and in counseling :)

25th: Twenty five was by far better than all the other birthdays in that I was in a great place in life--not depressed, not spinning out in insanity, and joyful in all that God had done in my life. The only thing is that I didn't really tell anyone about my birthday and when it came to the day of it, everyone already had plans and our normal Sunday night prayer group wasn't meeting. I ended up having drinks with a really sweet friend of mine which was wonderful in and of itself.

26th: (Alright, now she's getting to it!) This birthday has been by far my favorite birthday! I have been given the best gift and it wasn't anything purchased--though they were all great too! This gift came in a small package in the way of Phoebe, the girl I nanny. She found out it was birthday about two weeks beforehand and started planning out how she was going to celebrate it. She spent one whole weekend creating my gift, carefully thinking about what exactly I loved. She even decided she was making me a gluten free cake. Last friday when I hugged her goodbye and told her I would see her on Monday, she screamed "On your birthday!!" And started dancing around with this look of priceless joy and delight. She couldn't wait to celebrate my birthday and was so happy I would be watching her on my birthday so she could celebrate me. It was then that I realized I had been robbing people of the joy of celebrating me on my birthday. It is a good thing to be celebrated and let people love you.

My heart was softened that day and able to receive all the love that was poured out that birthday morning starting with my English student, who greeted me at the door with a warm "Happy Birthday!" and had beautiful, yellow tulips, a strawberry cupcake, and the sweetest card. I then went to tutor my friend Michelle's son and had forgotten to tell them it was my birthday (oops!) and they quickly assembled some strawberries together and put a candle around it and sang to me--so sweet and thoughtful! And then Phoebe and Torben were exploding with joy when I picked them up and made a huge deal about the cake they made and decorated. Phoebe did a dance around the table where the cake was. I would included footage below because it might be the best birthday song ever, but it keeps messing up the upload! Then my evening ended with spending time with Jill and Burke--two very dear friends near to my heart who are moving to Uruguay for a long time. This was our last long evening together eating great food,  drinking delicious red wine, and enjoying the Lord together and sharing of all His goodness and faithfulness in our lives. I couldn't have asked for a better way to end my birthday day!




Now that is a cake!

Phoebe and Torben ready to light the candles!