A Plethora of Thoughts

That's right, I used the word plethora. You know you're impressed. Well, I'm pretty sure a lot has happened since I wrote about frames. My last blog that was my update letter doesn't count. So let's see. The next thing that happened was my birthday.
Let me tell you, I wasn't really looking forward to my birthday. Actually, my plan all along was to be very apathetic about my birthday. I didn't have my family (immediate) around, and the fact that I was leaving my teen years behind just wasn't helping me get excited for it. So I decided just to not tell anyone about it. And I was totally OK with it. I was just gonna do some random things to celebrate in a little way. Like ride first class on the train (which I have never done, but I did do on my birthday). It was very fun. But my birthday wasn't at all what I expected. Which was really great. My birthday was on Sunday, 3 december. About a week before, Lori asked what my family usually does to celebrate birthdays. We had been talking about family Christmas and holiday traditions, so it fit, and I really didn't think anything of it, especially since I hadn't mentioned my birthday to anyone. But then on about Wednesday of my birthday week, Lori was like, "So since your family and our family usually does the same things for birthdays, how about on Saturday or Sunday, we have Mike and Melissa over and I can make whatever you want for dinner, and you can pick a cake..." I smiled and was like, "How did you find out?" I guess Brett told her, at that time, I didn't know how Brett knew, but I found out later Mike had sent out an e-mail to everyone about it. How he knew...well, he just seems to know those things.
So I requested tacos, and at her suggestion, chocolate cheesecake. So on Saturday I went to AWANA, and went back to Tai Po with Mike and Melissa (or more like met them there...ha ha ha...). So we walked in the door, and there was streamers and balloons above the counter, homemade tacos with refried beans (oh heaven!), and the table was set all nice with wine glasses (they even got sparkling juice!). It was really amazing. So yeah, we all hung out and talked, and ate, and then Lori brought out this magnificent chocolate cheesecake adn started cutting it, and then the lights went out and all I saw was sparklers and 20 candles, and everyone started singing. It was sweet! I blew out 15 candles, and Caleb was all excited that I have 5 boyfriends. It made me chuckle. So yeah, then we all ate the cake and then presents came out! It was incredible. Brett got me these huge monster slippers (he and his girlfriend have a matching pink and blue pair), Caleb got me a necklace and earrings, and a Christmas CD, Art and Lori got me a polo sweater that is beautiful adn some bath wash, and Mike and Melissa and Izzy got me my first STARBUCKS CITY MUG COLLECTION mug, Hong Kong of course. It was sweet. Actually, it was more than that.
There have only been a few times in these past two decades of mine when I have been really blown away by undeserved love and kindness towards me. This is definitely one of them. The Enns' have been such a huge blessing to me. If you read my update letter, you will remember how I mentioned that God has been showing His amazing love and blessing for me by using other people, and showing me the sufficiency of all that He is. He has been blessing me so much through this family. No body will ever replace my family at home, and I miss them so much. But the Enns' have been so amazing to me. They are my family away from family, and Hong Kong has become my second home.
So think that was amazing? It doesn't stop there (I know right?)! At 12:35am that night, I got a text from Jeronica (she's my mini me...my little Indian twin) wishing me happy birthday. Then the next morning, I got up pretty early to have breakfast with Kay, a girl that goes to (R)evolve on Friday nights, but wanted to try our church for Sunday. I just love this girl, and was so excited to have breakfast with her. The previous Friday, she asked if I was gonna start a girls' Bible study, and I was so excited. (And still am). So that should be starting after Christmas, so if you can keep that in your prayers as me and Mike work through the planning of that. So back to Sunday morning. Kay met me with a ton (actually more like 20) Yellow daisy like flowers, and a pan of brownies that she baked! It was so sweet. Then we went to a local Chinese restaurant, and she had me try a new drink. Tea and coffee and milk mixed together (it's a cold drink). I really didn't think it would be good, but I was pleasantly surprised. Then we went to PCC and had muffins and juice. Then we headed across the street to the church and I did some random things and then to the service. I had to leave suddenly in the middle because I remembered that I was playing piano for the children's church Christmas Program Practice. So I raced out of there and got upstairs. That went OK. Then I had to run to JUSCO before Sunday School to grab some balloons. When I got upstairs to Sunday School, everyone sang Happy Birthday, and Melissa had made TWO (yes two) cakes with Real (yes real) AMERICAN frosting! Wahoo. Seriously, I've been looking for frosting in a tub (like the betty crocker kind) forever. We finally found it the other day at OLIVER's. So yeah, and the cake was complete with candles! Yes, AGAIN! Then we ate cake and played some games. One of the games was a version of Shuffle Yer Buns and when you lose, you have to stand up in the middle and say something. This time it was something that they liked about me. It was so precious (as Jamie Jo would say) to hear what they said. One boy said, "The ride home on the train after (R)evolve is always fun" and a boy in my AWANA group like how I draw him elaborate smiley faces when he finishes a section. Yeah, it made my heart all warm and fuzzy inside. So I guess Mike had e-mailed everyone telling them to bring a present for me. I got some amazing gifts that I will treasure forever. Many of them were hand made (like drawings and sweet notes) and the whole day just made me feel so loved. My friends from home also sent me several video emails! I will never forget my twentieth birthday, and it was a great way to start my third decade of life, it's sure setting a high standard for the rest of the ten years.
Then later, we had the Christmas Banquet at church. That was a lot of fun, but the coolest part of the night actually was brought to attention on Tuesday...If you read Mike or Melissa's blogs, you probably already know. This fall, Mike and Melissa have been getting to know this Canadian couple who have a young daughter. I have been so impressed by Melissa, she has been such an example to me. She is truly living out her faith where she is. Sometimes that's on the play ground, and she has been loving whoever she comes across. So yeah, they have been getting to know this couple, and they started coming to church pretty regularly too. So after the Banquet they didn't really say much, but it turns out that this woman (who is visiting them) and her mom both accepted Christ. Fiesta en los cielos! Ay ay ay! (imagine a Mexican guy doing the "ay ay ay"s and it makes that phrase so much better!) And with that, Adios! Necesito Duerme. (I hope I conjugated that correctly!)