Birthday Fun

Birthdays do the darndest things.

This year it has impressed both Steve and I with the following question: do I really want what God wants for this life?  Am I getting distracted and being the third kind of soil - concerned with the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and desires for other things?  I must pursue God relentlessly so that He may create in me a unilateral desire for Him and His Kingdom alone.  

And so I plan to do that.  And along the way, the little joys of earthly life are fun as well!

The birthday started with a 6am walk and time at the park with Anna.  Anna likes to swing:).

We had a great day together as a family with Anna - she even learned to "color" with crayons.  We were going to have her go "swimming" but the water ended up too cold in her new backyard tiny turtle pool.  So she walked barefoot around the backyard in her suit diaperless while showing us her amazing ability to "woof" like a dog.

After that, Steve and I went out to dinner and afterwards ended up at Oberwiess, where I informed Steve I didn't want ice cream, and he said "We'll just get some to go."  And then we walk in and there are roughly 25 friends yelling "SURPRISE!!!" and singing to me - it WAS quite a surprise for sure!  Steve had planned the whole thing and dodged my other ideas about ditching dinner and just getting smoothie or going to a movie...he is clever:).  What a hub!

THEN we got home and our friend Chris emailed a birthday video from Portugal with some Portuguese people (Portugueseians?) where he is gathering prayers and video footage of various European countries for www.prayercast.com.  I must say no one in Portugal has ever wished me happy birthday before:).  Notice the guy on the left doesn't learn the song in English till the last line, while enjoying popcorn:). 

So, as we like to say in my family, "It was happy birthday after all."  

Thanks everyone!