A Very Acceptable Alternative

If I can't get everyone to just forget about my birthday, thus not have one and not get older, then the events of last Saturday were a great plan B. After celebrating my dear friend Heather's cumpleaños, Friday, in vintage 80's "style", if there was such a thing, it was hard for Saturday to have anything more to offer. (I really wish we had a close-up to show the blue eye shadow, blush, and bracelets.)

Saturday morning, we had some people coming to look at the house with kind of last minute notice, so we all hustled to make the place presentable. Good motivation to clean is basically as good as paying someone to come clean the place for you. I was thrilled to start my b-day off with a spotless home, and as soon as the visitors left, we sat down to empanadas, fruit salad, and pancakes with candles made by my three lovely roommates.

A couple hours later, nevermind that I was still full from breakfast, several of my vet school ladies treated me to lunch at the Sushi Tren. Unfortunately, the picture lacks the tiny train going around on its tracks carrying little plates of various sushi, just as adorable and unsanitary as it sounds, but for all you doubters I never had any digestive regrets, and it was so much fun!

While passing the time between meals, my Louisville Cards just happened to play in the Elite 8, and at half time I Skyped into the family party to lift their spirits, as we were trailing to Florida. My pep talk pulled us through, or maybe it was the authentic 1986 NCAA Champs shirt I rocked for the 80's party Friday, but my Cardinal Birds are heading to the Final Four, redeeming a previous birthday memory where the party was ruined by their Elite 8 loss during the Dejuan Wheat era, and semi-mimicking the historic day when I decided to enter the world to watch UofL win it all!Dear dear Heidi and Bill Janecke also refused to grant me my wish to let my "special" day go unnoticed, but instead invited friends over for all my favorite treats (black olives and cake) and great company (many of the people I'm going to miss most on my next birthday.) And maybe the highlight of the day for me was when we sat around the table singing "I have decided to follow Jesus" in not one or two, but four languages. Heidi and I stuck with English, Silda and Rosenda rocked it in Spanish, Karina, Maria, and Gustavo broke out their Quechua, and Misty and Bill eeked by in their fledgling Guarani. It was awesome! I think Jesus loved it.

The nightcap to all that good eating was Skyping with Jon for the third time that day, possibly a record, still not nearly enough...

Thanks to everyone who made turning another year older much more bearable! I'm pretty stoked about the plans God has for us this year, even if it means I can't stay 29 forever.