Ignoring and Cakes

I have discovered that there are two ways that I like celebrating my birthday.

One way is to ignore it. I did this last year. I like ignoring it, not because I don't like getting older, I actually love getting older, but because there is a slightly mischievous feeling to walking around knowing that it is a special day, and being one of the only ones to know it. I imagine it is what a celebrity feels when they are successfully incognito. 'That cashier has no idea that they just interacted with a birthday-girl!'.

The other way I that I like to celebrate my birthday is to make a ton of desserts and invite anyone/everyone over to have a piece of cake and hang out.

This year, I did both.

My actual birthday was a fairly delightfully normal day. I got paper work done, answered emails, ran some errands, and even helped with a remodel project in the backyard!

It was made quite a bit special though when my dad made sushi for me!

My time in Tulsa has been very brief. So, knowing that I wouldn't get to see as many people as I wanted, I made a ton of desserts and opened my parents' house for people to drop in and say hello.

I love turning all of this:

Into this:

It was such a blessing having so many people drop in to say hello and catch up briefly before I head back overseas. I was especially touched by some friends who dropped in from out of town! I was a bit distracted once guests started showing up, so I don't have pictures of the festivities. These pastry-full pictures will simply have to suffice.

Top 5 (things I'll miss)

I leave two weeks from today for Tanzania!!!

As I start saying my 3-year-long goodbyes I am reminded of the things that I will miss about life in America. Obviously my friends and family will be missed most of all (but shouldn’t that go without saying?)

…hm, have you noticed that those things that “go without saying” are usually stated? I just said missing family “goes without saying”, yet I said it, yet it “goes without saying”, yet I said it…I could keep going on that line of thought, but I’ll spare you the tedium.

So, here are the top five things about the States that I will miss.

5. Blending in.

This is the fifth because I actually don’t mind standing out a bit. Blending in is quite nice, but sometimes I wouldn’t mind being noticed. I’ve definitely enjoyed not sticking out like a sore thumb though.

4. Online shopping

I have been able to make most of my furloughing purchases through Amazon and it gets delivered on my doorstep two days later (most of the time). Instant gratification! I haven’t had a car while in the States, so I have loved having access to almost everything online.

3. Coffee shops.

Need I say more?

2. Running trails.

I will definitely miss the general understanding of what a runner is and why they are running. Instead of pinches, pokes and rocks being thrown, I get a friendly wave.

And the number one thing that I will miss:

1. Sushi, tender meat & ice cream.

Goodbye tuna (salmon, I won’t miss you), goodbye Id (In the Raw), goodbye steak, goodbye Blue Bell Cookies & Cream. You all will be missed, I will think of you fondly and remember you always.

Ok, that may not actually be the order. I went back and forth between the running trails and sushi (et. al.) being in the #1 spot, but I still get to run in Tanzania, sushi (et. al.)…not so much.