Birthday Celebrations-by Hazel

     I have to say that this has been a unique birthday with many mixed feelings.  My grandfather passed away the day before my birthday so his funeral was on the day of .  I think it is very hard to process a death in your family, especially when you are far away and it just doesn't seem real.  Quite honestly, this should have "ruined" my birthday but my awesome husband and friends prevented that from happening.  It is hard to be completely sad when people surround you with love and friendship, even when they do not know what has happened.
     I thought we were just doing low-key birthday things. I even went ahead and made myself a cake(which I love doing) and took it to work so we wouldn't eat the whole thing ourselves.  We also had some friends over the night before and just hung out and even blew out a candle on some cupcakes that I had saved for my actual birthday.  We also tried to make baked kale and carrot chips-we do not recommend these but it was fun to try.  So by all accounts, it was a great, simple birthday.  My husband had other ideas though. =)
     The plan (or what I thought the plan was) was to go pant shopping for Mr. Strange who managed to rip his khakis on the 8th grade trip by racing against another teacher for the top bunk. Can you guess who he was racing?

     Then we were going to get some frozen yogurt and go see the Avengers movie.  We were waiting on a bus to head for our birth"date" below.

     But inexplicably when we got to the shopping center, Mr. Strange insisted we walk up a hill to a different Starbucks than the one that was closer to the pant shopping.  I may have slightly planted my feet to insist that we did not need to go up the hill (hey, in my defense I am 7+ months pregnant and carrying what seems to be a baby Hulk) because there was another Starbucks without a hill but he managed to convince me we needed to go ahead and buy our movie tickets.
     Once he finally got me over the hill and down to the Starbucks, I was completely shocked to see 6 of our close friends waiting at a table with a chocolate cake with candles and a little mini party.  Someone got my shocked face below.

     Mr. Strange and our mutual friend Buttercup had been conspiring all week to plan a party with my favorite things.  Cake (even with milk to drink), movie, and dinner out.  As you may be able to tell, Mr. Strange was extremely excited to have pulled it off and not spilled the beans.

     It takes a lot to get out and about the city so it meant a lot to me that people came out to celebrate.

     We had a fun time at the movie and with dinner and it was a perfect birthday.  It didn't change the grief over missing my grandfather but I realized what close friendships we have developed here and what a blessing that is. Some days it is hard to be away, especially when difficult things happen, but isn't it amazing how God provides the perfect people and events in your life to encourage you right when you need it?  

     He has also provided the perfect person to go through life's adventures together, who knows just when you need a hug, unexpected surprises, flowers and support.  As I told my mom a few months ago, I was standing on a hot, crowded, smelly bus next to Mr. Strange and I realized that although I was extremely uncomfortable and miserable, there was was no place I would rather be than on that bus standing next to him.  So thank you Mr. Strange (and friends), for making this a birthday celebration I will always remember.