Happy Birthday!

For a couple of years now, I have been dreaming that next year I would be celebrating my birthday next year in Indonesia. This year that dream came true. It was a bit bittersweet though because I would have loved to be celebrating with my family and friends in the US. My sister, Kristin, reminded me that instead of cake on my birthday, we would frequently celebrate with a layered ice cream treat that my mom made. This year though I started some new traditions or at least borrowed a few traditions from Indonesian culture. Here is how the day went, with a few pictures...

I woke up to find these beautiful flowers and a card from the friends and teammates I am living with right now on the table along with a breakfast of coffee cake and eggs. 

Then after an hour or so of homework I headed off to language school for my grammar class. For lunch we had a traditional Indonesian celebration meal that includes yellow rice (rice that has been soaked and cooked in coconut milk and spices). Yum! 

Then it was back to language school for class. Mondays are chapel days, where word had gotten out it was my birthday. So as a language learning exercise they sang me the an Indonesian birthday song, which goes on for many many verses :) 

Unfortunately, by that time my stomach was bothering me, so the afternoon was a bit rough but I was determined to go out and enjoy a birthday dinner with my friends and housemates. We went to a local restaurant that serves several different types of cuisine and I enjoyed a hamburger and fries. My mouth thought it was delicious and so it didn't matter too much that my stomach didn't like it as much :) 

I was so blessed through the day by Skype conversations with friends, texts from family, cards from friends, birthday greetings via Facebook, gifts from teammates, and a phone conversation with my Grandparents! I was loved by family and friends around the world and over many, many hours thanks to the time difference!  

A gift from my friends/teammates/housemates

A birthday card from my church in the US that actually arrived on my birthday (well ok so it was technically still my birthday in the US).