So I'm here at work, having just eaten my leftovers from Sunday lunch and currently considering going downstairs for a guidance program meeting. I need to be there by 1:30, but don't really want to subject myself to too much in the way of metrics and corporate politics.
I thought it worth noting that I had my birthday recently, and am now creaking on the edge of dotage, at 28. I don't feel 28. Weird. Anyway, I had a party, and some close friends and family came, and it was very nice. I don't usually do big stuff for my birthdays, but it is my last birthday here in Southern Cal, so I wanted to see as many people as possible. Most people didn't bring gifts, per request, but Sara and Elizabeth brought some for tradition's sake. Elizabeth and I gave Sara her birthday gift, too: a heart-shaped locket that will have our tiny pictures in it, so that "she can always carry us with her in her heart." That is significant because I am moving this year, and Sara and Jeremy will be sent somewhere overseas (they haven't had an assignment yet) with Wycliffe in the next year or two, so our time together is precious.
Anyway, I got:
My own iPod Mini!!! I guess Jeff got tired of me always borrowing his. He and Josh and Laurel pitched in to get it for me. It was completely unexpected. Jeff also gave me a gift card for $15 worth of songs from iTunes.
A sweet photo album. This was from Elizabeth, and I'll use it to gather together a lot of the photos that we girls have taken together, over the years (college activities, vacation fun, trips to the zoo or animal park, D-land, alternate banquets, etc). =) It's a special girlfriend album.
Owls from Sara. This is sort of an inside joke, but my nickname in my family (who all have nicknames from Milne's books) is Owl, so Sara started buying me stuffed owls for gifts a little over a year ago. Believe it or not, owls are not easy to come by in the toy market... Now I have more than 10, which is an official collection. They are so cute, too. Several of them came from Japan (which she visited last month), where owls are popular.
A special card and gift from Christina. I won't specify much here, but will just say that she is way too generous.
Homemade card from Amanda. It's very pretty, and shows a lot of attention to detail.
Indonesian food. This was a present from Mike, to allow for my guests to eat at my party. He got me my own special treat, too: lemper!!!!!
Cake. Elizabeth made and decorated it herself, with the fancy frosting curlicues and everything! Impressive, and it was tasty, too. She put candles on it, and made sure that four of them were trick candles, so I had to go to extra effort to put them out. Very funny, Elizabeth.
Card and generous gift from Debbie and Jerry. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I love my in-laws. I can't imagine having better "acquired" family than them, with caring and supportive parents, and solid and loving siblings like Rob and Candace.
I hope I didn't leave anything out.
Anyway, a few days before my birthday, Jeff and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary. We celebrated by going to Catal in Downtown Disney, which was just okay. We went there last year, and liked it, so we thought we'd try it again this year. However, they've changed their menu a bit, so they didn't have anything I really liked. Oh, bleh. Such is life.
I'm just plugging along with life, then. This afternoon, after the meeting, I have to go to campus and finish registration for this term, in which I will take
my last ever class at Biola/Talbot. Praise Jesus! After that, I'll just need to finish tweaking my charts for my presentation tomorrow.
Over and out!
