Happy Birthday to Me :)

What God taught me:
To put it basically God taught me that there are people who love and care about me, that HE cares about me, that sometimes people let you down, that you could never plan it as well as God could, and that in the end; all the Glory goes to GOD.

So today was my 18th birthday. When you think birthday you think cake, presents, ect.... but let's start this story the day before. I was up north visiting my cousin Desi (introduced in the last post). We had spent the whole day hanging out and dress shopping. That night she invited me to college group with her. So I went.

I got there and everyone was so nice. I felt at home and by the end I couldn't have asked for a better night. But the night was about to get better. Matt (the leader/intern) got up and started singing Happy Birthday to me. Then all of a sudden Desi was in the back with a huge cake and ice cream for me. I was so surprised. Everyone ate and had fun. This probally wasn't a huge deal to most people but I have never had a birthday surprise...EVER. Plus I haven't even known Desi for that long and she already did that for me. It was amazing.

After that we all went to Denny's and I partied for my birthday. I technically turned 18 at midnight on the ride home.

Tonight on my birthday we had a small party for family and friends. This time it was the presents I did and didn't get that God used to teach me. Let's start with the good. I recieved way more than I should have from both family friends that came. One of my best friend's Stormy gave me a beautiful purse and journal. Each gift had a gorgeous letter with it that almost made me cry. And that was when I realized that the one friend I was counting on a gift from, the one who had promised me a gift, simply bailed. Not blaming, not being negative... It was just hard for me to wrap my head around a broken promise because it's somethign I have been blessed enough not to ever really have to experience. But before I could get unrightfully bummed I recieved the cutest gift ever.

Kaleb (3) and Tiffy (5) made thier own present for me. They worked very hard (their mother said that they had been working for two days on the present) at coloring three large peices of wood for me. They are so cute. They even made a hat for one of the blocks of wood and Tiffy took her time to write out her best ABCs on a card for me (which is an accomplishment considering she just started Kindergarten) It totally blessed my heart to see them so excited and put in so much effort. It truly proved to me... It's the thought that counts.

So basically I learned that people love me. God loves me so much that He let's me feel amazing joy even in simple things like colored blocks of wood.

It's funny how the people you count on always disapoint you but the people you never expect to do anything make your life amazing. And it's all so God get's the glory. So grieve the loss of the ones you love, enjoy your time with the ones you would never expect, and just praise God.