We had just gotten home Wednesday night around 11pm and I was up late unpacking, so the birthday wishes started flowing in as soon as it was past midnight. I literally couldn't fall asleep because my phone kept vibrating with birthday wishes via text and facebook. Luckily, we didn't have to be at the church until 10am, which is our latest arrival time so far. And there was no workout, which was for the best because we were all so dead from hiking a billion miles and then being crammed in a van for an entire day. We started off the day at the church for prayer and worship. This turned out to be really amazing because it really was the first birthday I think I've ever actually taken a chunk of my day out to just thank God for giving me life. It's a sad thing to realize, but I'm still happy that I got the chance to really think about that yesterday. Everyone in 24/7 bombarded me with hugs and birthday wishes over and over again, and I felt so special! :)
When it came time for lunch break, a few Cadre girls asked me if I wanted to go to Subway with them. I was planning on eating there anyway so I agreed, but when I got there it turned out that all of Cadre was there! I was the only first-year, and I have to admit I felt pretty special to be the only newbie to be hanging out with Cadre. One of the girls, Eberly, paid for my lunch and my third-year overseer, Spencer, said I could have soda because it was my birthday, so I took advantage of that. When we were about to leave, the girls I was with wanted to go see one of the 24/7 girls, Leslie, in the hospital. She checked into the emergency room as soon as we got back home on Wednesday night and is still there today. She has a very rare muscular disease that causes her to burn more than 20 times the amount of muscle that a person would normally burn during a workout. So when the amount of muscle burned is normally in the 140's after an average person works out, Leslie's is in the 3,000's! It's so hard to see her go through this but I jumped at the opportunity to go with the Cadre girls to see her in the hospital to encourage her and see how she was doing. Her faith is so strong, she is convinced God is going to heal her from her disease in His time, but for now she's fighting it out. So please keep her in your prayers!
After visiting with Leslie, the Cadre girls and I came back to the church (I was way late but since I was with Cadre I didn't get in trouble!). For the next hour or two we were supposed to have study hall, but about ten minutes into my studying, someone rips my computer from my hands and I find myself being lifted into the air while still on my chair by a bunch of 24/7 guys. Cadre busted into the room screaming the happy birthday song at the top of their lungs and I felt like a queen being carried by her chair legs through the room! It was such a hilarious situation all we could do was just laugh. Then one of the girls presented me with a platter full of little chocolate cupcakes that we all shared. The rest of the day with 24/7 was pretty standard, but it was so awesome.
After worship practice last night, I finally got the chance to meet up with my mom, who I haven't seen since the program started, and talk with her for a little while to catch up on everything that has gone on in the last few weeks. It was SO nice to get to talk to her!!
Then I headed home to my home sponsors', which I thought meant I would just go straight to my room because everyone would be asleep, but I walked in and saw a birthday cake complete with 20 lit candles on the dining room table, and my host family sang me happy birthday!! They even gave me a present! It was a brand new, super nice Starbucks thermos and a bunch of packs of the fabulous Via instant coffee, which I LOVE. And I even got three cards from family members that I got to open. I finally hit the sheets around 11pm after getting to talk to my home sponsors for a while and just joke around and laugh.
I have to say that it was one of my best birthdays because I just felt SO loved by everyone around me for the entire day. Not once did it feel like just another day, and I'm so grateful for everyone I was able to see and talk to yesterday as well as for the 150+ facebook birthday wishes I got. :)
But today I went back to the normal routine. Workout at 6:30am at the Y, class with Pastor Jason, college course time (which I'm currently in), and tonight is Team Time. I'm excited for what my team leader has planned for us tonight!
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