Best Birthday Ever

 

Sydney and Camryn on my b-day playing outside.

My 25th birthday was Thursday, and to be honest, the prospect of turning 25 was slightly terrifying.  I now round closer to 30 than 20.  I am 25 and don't have a job with benefits, or a place of my own, or a husband (or a boyfriend for that matter), or any of things I thought I'd have by this age.  But do you know what I realized over the last week?  I have exactly what I need and so much more!

On the Saturday before my birthday, my best friend Lieselotte came into town from St. Louis where she had her last interview for a PhD program in biology.  She arrived with great news: she got into every school that she interviewed with - Duke, UNC, Berkeley, San Diego and Wash Univ in St. Louis.  She is currently learning toward Berkeley, which I think she would enjoy greatly and which would give me yet another reason to return to the Bay area.

The night she arrived, we drove straight to a pizza place with TVs to finish watching the Carolina game while eating pizza.  Tiffany and her fiance Mich met us there, and my two best friends finally got to meet!  The food was delicious and I was so happy to have us all together.  Afterward, we went back to my house and played Taboo which turned out in a perfect tied (Lies and me vs. Tiff and Mitch). 

After church the next day, Lieselotte and I went for a long walk through the park next door and caught up on life.  It is hard knowing that even though she'll be back in the USA, Lieselotte will still be far away from me wherever she chooses to attend school. However, our continued closeness over the last two years while she was in Holland gives me assurance that we will always remain close.

Some of my gang before being seated at Brio.

On Monday evening we met my friends Rachel and Jamie for dinner at Red Rocks to celebrate my birthday early (as all of them would not be around the next weekend for my official party).  After that, we went to Amalies' french bakery where Vanessa also joined us.  That was really nice because Vanessa has become my closest friend in Charlotte, so Lieselotte got to meet Tiffany - my oldest childhood friend - and Vanessa, my newest closest friend.  As we sat around the table with classic jazz music swirling around us, we talked about life, and the difficulties people our age have at finding the right person, the right career and enough time for everything life throws at us.  I can't say the conversation was exactly uplifting (I mean think of it - meeting the exact right person for you takes an incredible combination of timing, chemistry, concessions and mutual admiration), but we did all feel a camaraderie in realizing that, even though we are all from very different walks of life, we area all going through the same thing.

On Tuesday I drove Lies to the bus station to catch a ride back to Raleigh before returning to Holland.  I then spent the afternoon in Smelly Cat coffee shop working on my laptop until silk class. 

Benny, me, Vanessa, Ford at dinner.

On Thursday (my actual bday), I babysat for my little cousins from 7:30-5:30, then I volunteered at Quail Hollow Middle teaching dance, and as mom and dad were at bowling, I figured I'd be coming home to an empty house.  However, my friend Kherri from silk class asked if she could take me out for dinner, so I met her at Bonefish and we had a great chat over a delicious dinner. 

Friday night Uncle Bob, Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad and I all went to the Cypress (the retirement community where g-ma and g-pa live) and ate dinner in the dining room there.  It is delicious, cruise-ship style fare and it was very nice to be surrounded by family. Mom and Dad got me a few birthday items I'd been wanting and when we went back to g-ma's apartment, we watched old movies from when I was a little girl.

My birthday cake surprise.

On Saturday I spent several hours working on a seating chart for my friend birthday dinner to be held at Brio Italian Restaurant.  I had 25 people scheduled to come and I wanted to make sure no one got stuck in between a bunch of people he/she didn't know.  I then had dad use his calligraphy to write names on 25 envelopes, then I wrote 25 thank you cards, personalized for each guest, thanking them for being my friend and sharing my special day with me. I dressed up and curled my hair and when I got to the restaurant, I was surrounded by two dozen smiling friends.  Before we were seated, the hostess led me back so I could put a card on each spot so everyone would know where to sit.  (The wait staff was quite impressed with the calligraphy, lol).  Only one of my guests was not able to make it, as she had gotten very sick that day. Everyone else showed up, which really means thew world to me.  As my friend Chastity says, everyone has a love language - whether it be the written word, human touch, or, as for me, the presence and commitment of people who care.  As our pastor puts it, children spell love T.I.M.E. - so does God - so do I.  In a world full of abandoned commitments and fickle, wishy-washy plans, to have everyone come and be on time was the best gift I could receive.

With my best Charlotte friend.

After we all took our seats, I looked up and down the long table and just couldn't stop smiling.  I had as many people there as the age I was turning, and everyone was happy and talking and smiling.  One couldn't help but feel the love all around us.  Even my friends who were skeptical of the idea of a seating chart admitted that it worked out really well, as no one looked or felt out of place.  After dinner, I was surprised by a lit birthday cake that my girlfriends had gone in on.  I was able to blow out every candle with one breath...save one. lol  It was actually pretty comical. The wait staff then took it away again and cut it up for everyone, saving me the trouble.  I really can't say enough for the staff at Brio - WOW - they are awesome.

Vanessa, Taylor, me, Josh, Angela at Andrew Blair's.

Afterward, Vanessa, Taylor, Josh, Angela and Stephanie came with me to Andrew Blairs - a dance club and bar.  My friend Alissa met us there as well.  I had such a good time dancing and was impressed that both guys danced as well.  We left about 1 a.m., which didn't seem too terribly late until we realized the time was changing and it was really 2 a.m.  I then had to wake up at 10 for church. Eek.

I took an Advil the next morning to ward off my lack-of-sleep headache, then met Josh a little late in the lobby to go into church.  Afterward, a bunch of the gang picked up food to go and went to Freedom Park as it was 65 degrees and sunny.  Taylor and Vanessa (who didn't make it to church), met us at the park and we played a little Frisbee and soccer.  It was absolutely gorgeous and I honestly felt like the luckiest girl in the world.  (And I only got a little sunburned).

Josh, Alissa, me and Taylor at Andrew Blair's.

Overall, it was an awesome weekend and 25 doesn't feel so bad after realizing how blessed I am in friends and family.

I am still waiting to hear from six grad schools, having been turned down from seven (the latest was Johns Hopkins).  But, whatever happens, I know it's in God's hands.