Birthday Celebrations!
I had the joy to celebrate another year of God's goodness and faithfulness to me in February. Well, really, the celebrating began long before in January.
Birthday 1: January
When I was in Minnesota for Christmas and New Year's, my family celebrated my birthday a little early. A few days before I flew back to Hungary we celebrated with a specially chosen birthday dinner. I choose homemade Chinese. There was lots of laughter in the kitchen as we chopped the veggies and got it ready. My sister-in-law, Jessica and I dueled it out with cooking two dishes in on the stove top at the same time! It was a bit like our own family version of Master Chef or one of those types of cooking shows. It reminded me of why I rarely make Chinese food on my own. It takes a small army and then it's gone so fast. My family showered me with presents too! There was the beautifully handmade fingerless gloves made by my mother. She's so talented. I also got some fun new kitchen gadgets and reusable snack bags. The reusable snack bags are so handy for keeping nuts in my purse or for carrying around a snack when I'm going to school or out studying all day in the city. There's no fear of a plastic bag being torn open and my snack smashed all other my books and papers in my bag. The best present of all was just being with my family.
Birthday 2A: Friday
For my actual birthday, got to celebrate it with my students and my friends here in Hungary. When I walked into my classroom in the morning, I was greeted by the aroma of spring! My wonderful roommates had bought me a lovely bouquet of tulips, hyacinths, and freesias. My desk was covered in balloons and there were sweet notes to read. My class surprised me with a card on the whiteboard. I got so many little treats too!
There was the raspberry Jello-poke cake made by my roommates, homemade kimbap (shared by a student), double chocolate cookies from Student Council and that was all before dinner! The celebrating continued with a lovely dinner out with friends.
I'd been craving a good pizza baked in a wood burned oven. The sights of Budapest, the smells and tastes of the restaurant chosen did not disappoint. Neither did the company filled with laughter and story telling.
Then there was dessert! Not like I didn't already have enough sugar in the day. But, hey it was my birthday and I do CrossFit and run. The desserts came out one by one. Tiramisu x2, cheesecake, chocolate souffle. Then around the corner came a huge sparkler going off on my plate next to my panna cotta covered in caramel sauce! It was shooting up tall like a rocket tail. My friend sang happy birthday while it burned away. There's no blowing it out as you just wait for it to die out. It's such a fun tradition here rather than individual candles.
Walking back to the metro station, I was once again captured by the beauty of the city which I am amazed to call home. The clear starry night with the Buda castle lit up across the flowing Danube River. The Freedom Bridge sparkling. I reminded myself that I live here.
Birthday 2b: Saturday
Ice skating at City Park in Budapest has been on my to do list this year. Somehow it just had not happened. What can be more beautiful and magical about ice skating in front of a castle. Thankfully, due to a colder than average winter in Budapest they extended the season. This weekend was to be the last. So my friends and I headed down to go skating. The sun was shinning bright and we were shielded by the strong wind which allowed us to skate without jackets. I was a bit shaky at first but soon it came back to me. Growing up in MN I had multiple pairs of ice skates that I owned and used them regularly on the local rinks at parks or lakes. I never had lessons but just enjoyed the activity.
If you would have asked me 10 years ago what my life would have been like now, I know I had different thoughts and plans. But God. He's a pretty amazing planner. It's way more than I could even imagine and the best is yet to come!
Here's to another year! Thanks God for blessing me with a life to love and serve you. May I be found faithful to live for you and not myself.
Birthday 1: January
When I was in Minnesota for Christmas and New Year's, my family celebrated my birthday a little early. A few days before I flew back to Hungary we celebrated with a specially chosen birthday dinner. I choose homemade Chinese. There was lots of laughter in the kitchen as we chopped the veggies and got it ready. My sister-in-law, Jessica and I dueled it out with cooking two dishes in on the stove top at the same time! It was a bit like our own family version of Master Chef or one of those types of cooking shows. It reminded me of why I rarely make Chinese food on my own. It takes a small army and then it's gone so fast. My family showered me with presents too! There was the beautifully handmade fingerless gloves made by my mother. She's so talented. I also got some fun new kitchen gadgets and reusable snack bags. The reusable snack bags are so handy for keeping nuts in my purse or for carrying around a snack when I'm going to school or out studying all day in the city. There's no fear of a plastic bag being torn open and my snack smashed all other my books and papers in my bag. The best present of all was just being with my family.
Birthday 2A: Friday
For my actual birthday, got to celebrate it with my students and my friends here in Hungary. When I walked into my classroom in the morning, I was greeted by the aroma of spring! My wonderful roommates had bought me a lovely bouquet of tulips, hyacinths, and freesias. My desk was covered in balloons and there were sweet notes to read. My class surprised me with a card on the whiteboard. I got so many little treats too!
I'd been craving a good pizza baked in a wood burned oven. The sights of Budapest, the smells and tastes of the restaurant chosen did not disappoint. Neither did the company filled with laughter and story telling.
Then there was dessert! Not like I didn't already have enough sugar in the day. But, hey it was my birthday and I do CrossFit and run. The desserts came out one by one. Tiramisu x2, cheesecake, chocolate souffle. Then around the corner came a huge sparkler going off on my plate next to my panna cotta covered in caramel sauce! It was shooting up tall like a rocket tail. My friend sang happy birthday while it burned away. There's no blowing it out as you just wait for it to die out. It's such a fun tradition here rather than individual candles.
Walking back to the metro station, I was once again captured by the beauty of the city which I am amazed to call home. The clear starry night with the Buda castle lit up across the flowing Danube River. The Freedom Bridge sparkling. I reminded myself that I live here.
Ice skating at City Park in Budapest has been on my to do list this year. Somehow it just had not happened. What can be more beautiful and magical about ice skating in front of a castle. Thankfully, due to a colder than average winter in Budapest they extended the season. This weekend was to be the last. So my friends and I headed down to go skating. The sun was shinning bright and we were shielded by the strong wind which allowed us to skate without jackets. I was a bit shaky at first but soon it came back to me. Growing up in MN I had multiple pairs of ice skates that I owned and used them regularly on the local rinks at parks or lakes. I never had lessons but just enjoyed the activity.
If you would have asked me 10 years ago what my life would have been like now, I know I had different thoughts and plans. But God. He's a pretty amazing planner. It's way more than I could even imagine and the best is yet to come!
Here's to another year! Thanks God for blessing me with a life to love and serve you. May I be found faithful to live for you and not myself.
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