Gwendo, rainbow, RAINBOW, rainbow, birthday!

Yesterday started off normally enough... I had planned to get together with my sister, Rebekah, at the mall, and hang out with her and purchase last minute essentials for my trip (nessesary things like a Sufjan Stevens CD and jelly shoes... and of course, socks and underwear). She and her husband, Rob, were going to have dinner with us in the evening, so she and I drove home together. I thought it was odd, coming home, that our street was lined with cars, and I was annoyed at the neighbors for throwing some sort of shindig when I wanted to relax.

I walking in the door, turning towards the living room, and..........................

...EVERYONE jumped out at me!

My grandparents and aunts and uncles and small group leaders and all my friends: illustration friends, small group girls, even Katie Jacobs and Lynette! I couldn't figure out how all my little worlds had suddenly combined and were there in my living room. Gill and Ian and J'Roody and Cara and Jacquelyn and Adrianne and I had NO idea what to say. I was literally dumbstruck, and just sort of drifted about for a couple minutes, hugging everyone and staring and opening gifts that people thrust at me. This state of shock lasted until about half-way through eating, after which I simply threw myself into the moment and ended up enjoying myself thoroughly. To be honest, I don't think I've ever had such a wonderful birthday (it's not quite my birthday, actually, I'll be in London then, so people agreed to celebrate it a bit early (it's on the 4th)).

We had a grass war, and climbed trees, and walked downtown to get ice-cream, and danced in the gazebo singing songs from The Sound of Music, and splashed in the river and the weather was perfect and everyone was AMAZING and... I still can hardly believe it. It was the most satisfactory suprise party ever, probably more so because it was such a complete suprise.

I have the best friends (and family) in the whole world.

I'm utterly convinced.