22

Okay, I have to admit that I did have a birthday, but this is more to celebrate wonderful people than the birthday.

Saturday before last, some friends surprised me - along with the other friend I thought we were surprising - and Sue Ann gave us roses (my first flowers ever!). Monday was the day, and I came home to find that Aunt Vici was making homemade pizza and Rachel had frosted that cake -- that cake that she was baking the night before and she said that no, it wasn't exactly for work; what was it for? it was for some devotional -- a dark chocolate cake with cut-up dark Dove's and even dark frosting. What a good liar she is! We all devotedly devoured it. They even had presents, many of them to stock up my chocolate stash. Two friends left cards in the mailbox, another friend mailed a package, and then I finally got to open what that Mommy sent out - an Irish Tenors CD and all of Milton's poetry! How lovely!

This afternoon at work in the Language Department, they told me they needed me to take notes for their departmental meeting. When I came in the meeting room, they had a cake and started singing. My four language and culture profs are just wonderful!

The best part of these 22 years has been sharing them with you all.