I turned one year older on March 18th, and let me tell you that it was one of the best birthdays that I’ve ever had. It’s not unusual for me to spend my birthday away from home… I’ve been in Louisville, Kentucky and Wroclaw, Poland (both times for work) on March 18th. I never imagined that I would celebrate in Cambodia, that is until I knew the route for the World Race. Do you mind if I share with you how my day went?
They were beautiful! He then gave me a bag of what I call “Noah-approved snacks”. If you don’t Noah very well, let me just say that he’s pretty health-conscious and he loves labels that say “0% fat” and “fat free”. Along with the various snacks, I got a bag full of this incredible pomegranate tea. I don’t know if they sell it in the States, I highly recommend it. Both tea drinkers and non-tea drinkers alike agree that it is delicious.
Well, I went to work at our ministry during the day as usual. Soon after arriving “home”, Noah and I went off in a tuk-tuk to the riverside area in Phnom Penh where many restaurants are located. I chos
e a Lebanese place because I had a taste for humous and chicken shwarma and I wanted a little break from Cambodian cuisine. It was delicious. The sun had long since set as we walked along the waterfront. I knew that Noah had something else planned before the night’s end, so I wasn’t too surprised when we began walking down unfamiliar streets. We eventually reached a multi-level shopping mall and just happened to be passing by a Swensen’s ice cream parlor when Noah pointed out that the rest of our team was already waiting inside. Another nice suprise! We all had some fab frozen treats. (In case you were wondering, Noah and I ordered the fat free strawberry ice cream and it was really good.) I just had a great time hanging out with my friends eating ice cream in a mall in Cambodia. Even the tuk-tuk ride back home with the 7 of us crammed inside was fun.
I’ll always remember this Cambodian birthday with great fondness. My 29th birthday really showed me what awesome friends I have on my team. I love their thoughtfulness and I love just relaxing and being goofy with them. Thanks Kim, Anna, Hanna, Robyn, and Matt! I was also reminded on my 29th birthday of what a wonderful man I married. I can almost picture him standing in the grocery aisle for a good 20 minutes trying to decide on the perfect package of cookies to buy for me. I appreciate his thoughtfulness, his devotion, and his unconditional love that he has for me. He doesn’t try to hide it either, leaving me to guess how much he loves me. Each and every day, Noah is faithful in demonstrating his love for me whether it be in the form of a hug, a kiss, a meal that he’s prepared, etc. Noah, thank you for who you are and for loving me even in my not-so-loveable moments. And, Lord, thank you for bringing this amazing man into my life.
