Surprise!

Normally, I'm not big on birthdays.  If I don't make a big deal of my birthday, then there is no risk of disappointment!  So this year, I had planned to do a little painting project with my small group a couple of days after my birthday.  

On October 23, the night before my birthday, my roommate decided we would have movie night and asked me to pick out a movie.  At 10:30pm, the dvd froze and we could not get it past a certain scene no matter what we did.  I was ready to give up and go to bed, but Jasmin insisted we had to start a new movie.  We were still getting to know each other, and I didn't want to be rude, so I said okay and picked out a new movie.  At midnight, I heard a little tapping on the door.  I thought it was going to be the neighbor, complaining that our movie was too loud, but it was some friends with a cake!  

Prima, Wilner, Jasmin (my roommie), and Virgil gave me a new dress - purple!  I could sleep in the next day, but they all had to go to work in the morning!

 Thankfully, someone had talked them out of letting me go to bed before midnight and surprising me awake at midnight!

The next morning I received another surprise - a huge bouquet of roses hand delivered from one of my small group friends, Anita.  It was the first of THREE bouquets I received that day!

Next stop, Monika's house for our weekly time of chatting, eating, catching up, and prayer.  When I arrived (I just walk in), another surprise was waiting for me!  Monika also knows my favorite color is purple.

 Monika had let me know ahead of time that she had to leave early this time for an appointment at the immigration office (kantor imigrasi), so our usual lunch was replaced by a yummy apple dessert.  I asked Monika for a ride to imigrasi and then I would take a bus the rest of the way to the office for our weekly staff meeting.
When I arrived at the office - another surprise!  They had decorated everything and ordered pizza for lunch! Who else was there?  Monika!

After we had our staff meeting, I suggested we take a group picture.  I was a little confused when everyone suggested we go outside for the photo - we've never done that before.  I should have KNOWN better.  Wan, the jokester/big brother, is known for his favorite prank of dumping flour on people!  We posed for the picture, the guy we grabbed to take it counted to three, and Wan dumped baby powder on my head.  And to think they would have forgotten this part if I hadn't reminded them!

 Next stop, weekly coffee at Starbucks with Gaby, my 15 year old mentee.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of us :-(  But Gaby added another surprise to my day with a gift from her and her mom.

I had a dinner date with Jasmin and Berna (friend and volunteer youth ministry coordinator/the person who keeps me organized).  But when I showed up at Tin Pan Alley, my favorite restaurant in Jakarta (their Aloha burgers are heavenly), there was a whole table-full of friends waiting for me!

 I was so blessed by these friends who made me feel very loved on my birthday.  No need to try and avoid disappointment with this bunch!  The problem is, how can I ever have another birthday as good as this one?

Two days later, we had my self-planned celebration with a painting project at home during Bible study.