Birthday Central!

So, Faith's birthday was on Friday, and yes, we did have a little party for her.  We ordered in pizza, sang Happy Birthday and had cake, and even a few presents!  We are so blessed to have such dear friends here with us. They make every day less lonely, and special events even more special!

Bereket is starting to get the hang of birthdays.  He seemed to understand that the gifts were just for Faith, but then said, "Bereket happy birthday, Faith give me" and pointed to her gifts... Translation: "When it's my birthday, Faith will give me her books!" Haha. So we explained that when it was his birthday, we would give him different gifts. 

Tonight we celebrated Karen's 50th birthday.  We had gone in the morning to Entoto Mountain, but the main attraction is the view, and the fog was terrible! Haha. So we were back in Addis before lunchtime. We dropped off a few folks at the guesthouse (upset tummies and a tired baby) and then the rest of us went to Oh Canada! Restaurant for lunch. Karen's husband Paul had asked me to help arrange a surprise Skype date for Karen with their whole church at 5:30.  This was complicated by the fact that Karen had made plans to go for supper with Tilahun. I talked to him and he agreed to be "late", so that we would have time to Skype. 

Around 5, we went upstairs with cake and sang happy birthday. Around 5:20, we told her to get the computer out because Paul had a special Skype planned. She thought he had arranged for her to Skype both her kids at once.  But as we waited for him to come online, she realized it was church time back home, and started to think something was up.

The whole congregation (and some of Karen's friends) sang happy birthday to her, and then we listened in on a couple hymns.  We lost the connection for a while, but it came back on in time for us to do communion with them.  After communion, Karen said goodbye to Paul, as Tilahun was there to take her and Ibssa for supper.  

All in all, it didn't go exactly as planned, but I hope she felt very loved! :)

Now the kids are just finishing a movie, and then it will be bedtime here for them.  4 more sleeps in Ethiopia!!!

Heather