Birthday Extravaganzas

I received everything I could ever want for my birthday this year (except for receiving no call from my family...).

I have been so caught up in lesson plans, grading, organizing, parent emailing, instructing, and reflecting that I had not felt birthday-ish at all. We celebrated graduation/birthday before I left for Virginia this July at our last family get together, so I knew to expect nothing for my birthday. Therefore, ignoring it and forgetting about it was an appropriate reaction.

Unlike my family and me, however, others did not forget.

I was late to youth group and in a "go-go-go!" mood all Wednesday (4th), but when I got there and following our initial song and dance time, they said, "Alright, form a circle! Kate! Step on in!" Evidenced by my "B.A." bruised up album on facebook, they call me to be the leader to do all the crazy volunteer stuff anyway, so I said, "What am I doing!?" all excited to jump into the game or challenge or whatever they threw into my face. I trust them. It's usually something sticky ... licking lifesavers and seeing how many you can stick to your face in a minute ... or something scary ... standing on a table and jumping into the arms of the students and leaders to catch me ... or something adventurous ... climbing up waterfalls and sliding back down ... or something downright goofy ... pretending to pick my nose and then flicking it off onto the junior highers ... so nothing surprises me anymore (so I thought).

But they did catch me off my guard. It was my birthday ... who knew!?!

The goal was to scream-sing "Happy Birthday" as nasty and loud and annoying as they all could, while getting as "all up in my face" as possible and doing a mosh pit around me, pushing and shoving me into everyone. It was PERFECT. A mosh pit, my students, and loud-crazy voices. What more could I ask for?

I left content, nothing could beat that for a birthday present. Oh, the love! And my birthday wasn't even until the NEXT day - and they remembered! I didn't even say a THING! Wow. I'm blessed.