Birthday blessings!

My amazing husband, who said he doesn't remember birthdays, not only remembered my birthday during our morning skype (which was clear as day...a completely sweet birthday gift from God!!!) but he had flowers delivered to the school!! Do I have a great husband, or what?! :) Thanks, Dan!!

God blessed me again with another sweet birthday in India. I got to have a "birthday weekend" of which I'm a big fan...in my opinion, birthdays should last for a week! ;-) On Saturday, Katie and I went to lunch at one of our favorite spots, then went to a movie at such a sweet movie theatre! After an experience at a movie theatre here early last year, I'd decided I could do without movies for two years. However, this new theatre was so nice! One interesting thing that happens at movies here is that right after they tell you to switch off your mobile phone, prior to the previews, a large waving Indian flag graphic appears on the screen, everyone stands at attention and the India National Anthem is played. I'm so surprised Turkey didn't have that. After the movies, it was such a nice day, Katie and I did a little bit of shopping and went home. It was one of the best Saturdays I've had here this year! What a blessing. :)

On Sunday, Katie got a group of friends together at Donna and Bill's for a little Mexican fiesta night. Donna is the hostess with the mostest and loves to cook and have people over for a down-home evening. It was so nice to be with good friends and their children, eat yummy tacos (with jalapenos and salsa - three cheers!!!), and enjoy the fact that even though Dan and I aren't able to be together right now, God has truly blessed me with some really amazing colleagues who've become good friends these two years. It was such a low-key, no stress, home-style birthday - PERFECT! Then this morning, as I walked to my classroom, the students I passed in the hall said happy birthday. One of my little Ig-lets (Ig-let: a term of endearment for the individual students who make up my advisory group - "Isaacson's Igloos") even brought me a box of chocolates! Then before class, I heard a loud commotion in the hallway as the 7th graders came stomping down the hall, burst into my room and began a raucous rendition of Happy Birthday! :) Good thing I'm a morning person or that may have been more noise than I could have handled! ;-) At lunch, I got serenaded by the whole middle school student body; all day my kids came in saying happy birthday and left wishing me birthday greetings. To top it all off, after 3rd block, a large basket of flowers arrived from my prince charming! :) (See picture above. )

As I count down the weeks until my contract is complete and I'm able to go be with Dan full-time, I've been blessed with some really sweet "lasts" here in India. My last birthday in India was terrific. :)