Happy birthday to me

What wonderful friends and family I have! The breakfast table was set with balloons for my birthday today (thank you, Pat) and flowers that Steve had picked, plus another bouquet from the staff. I was very excited and then I saw a card from Sydney, which made me all weepy. It was a lovely little card with a picture of the two of us holding hands, along with a small box tied with ribbon. Inside were two itty bitty notes saying I love you and I hope you’re having a good time. I love my Sydney.

While we had tea I opened the cards from session (I can’t believe that all of you signed the cards before I left, and even sent a gift. Thank you, thank you!), and from Pat and the kids. The chocolate they sent arrived perfectly intact, which is amazing. But it was the CD that put me over the edge. Unbeknownst to me, Pat and the kids had made a movie of the kids singing happy birthday in three languages, and with harmony, too. Then there were birthday messages from each of the kids. They were all so cute and it made me cry, missing them all so much. I can’t wait to get home and have cake with them.

As I post this, it is the afternoon, and my birthday is not yet over. I still plan to eat mangoes for dinner; that was my request of our cook. I have shared my balloons with some kids here and showed them how we play “keep it up” at home. It may not be home, but it’s good. I’ll never have another birthday in Uganda, so I’m doing my best to enjoy every minute.