Happy Birthday to me

Well - it's still a song title, right?? :)

I must confess that I do love birthdays.  And I do love My birthday.  I think it may sound a little selfish but I've just always enjoyed knowing it was a day to celebrate - ME!   It's never really bothered me that other people had the same birthday.  Growing up, my family doctor shared my birthday and we often got to wish each other a happy day as this tends to be the season I get a sinus infection :(  When I got to college, I found 3 other girls who shared my day as well (including 2 my age!)  But in a fun twist-of-God, the 2 girls I've ended up sharing the most time with in my adult life have birthdays within 4 days of mine (on non-leap years!)  We threw ourselves group parties in college and have continued to celebrate together in some form or fashion each year since (as long as I was in country).  This year we all hit the big 3-5.  Of course, I always get to start :)  After a so-so day of meetings/trainings at work, I bee-lined it to DFW to hang out with these lovely ladies and 3 other friends we invited along.  I can truly say that my idea of a perfect evening is good food and good conversation with good friends.  

Oh - and the over a hundred birthday wishes on *Facebook* are just like cherries on the top of that "feeling special" kind of day. 

Of course, in a truly perfect world - my birthday dinner would have had a few other special people, but that's one of the things I look forward to most about heaven - Dinner with Friends every night!

Me, Katie (2 days younger than me) and Kristen - a friend since I was about 6 mo old!



Kelly, my former neighbor, Jenni (4 days younger than me), and Mary


For my second celebration, my sweet Friend Tifani sent me.....her parents!  When Tifani and I taught together in the Philippines, I gave her a hard time about the fact she didn't like her birthday.  Instead of teasing me back, she always planned a celebration for me because she knew how much I did like my birthday!  God has allowed our friendship to continue after we both returned to the States even though she lives in Oregon.  When I went to visit her at her wedding and her son's first birthday, both times I got to spend time with her parents as well.  Last week she called and said they would be parking their motor home in Texas for a few weeks during their trek across the USA and since she couldn't be here to help me celebrate my birthday, she was sending her parents to take me out!  I must confess it's one of the sweetest things I think anyone's ever done for me.  Thank you, Tifani.

The Riggles and I pigged out on Italian food in Dallas' West End and then went on a little walk to see where JFK was shot (I know that should be weird, but my dad's a history teacher - what can I say?)  The day was windy, but warm, and it was great to be with them.  God sure does give good gifts.

Here are the Riggles in front of the historic Old Red Courthouse and the Dallas skyscrapers!

By the way - lest you say "where is this girl's family?"  Never fear, we meet next week to continue the celebrations (plus my brother's birthday is 10 days after mine so we get to have a double celebration).  We'll see if Mom brings 2 different desserts as she has in the past! :)  Just so you know - I'll take a chocolate pie over any kind of cake any day!  Here's to a new year of life!