My 26th was the best birthday I've had in a while. Actually, last Sunday was better than the day of. You see, on Wednesday, I had to get a flu shot. The first flu shot I've ever had in my life. But the day wasn't all that bad: we had a BBQ for lunch at the shop, and I brought a pie from the commisary for all the guys, and our team won our first play-off flag football game. Fun stuff.
But Sunday WAS better. I had lunch at the Belschner's like I usually do, but this time they had some interestingly familiar food on the table. Yes, indeed. They had gone behind my back and sought out from my sister, Rebekah, the recipe for my family's "chicken-broccoli-and-rice" casserole! And to top it all off, they got the recipe for strawberry shortcake, too! Not the kind using angel food cake or pound cake, but the best kind of all: big ol' bisquits smothered with fresh strawberries and home-whipped-cream! And Breyers vanilla ice cream! I just had to admit(not exactly reluctantly, mind you) that it was the best meal I had had since coming to Germany. Now, thinking about it, I think it was the best meal I'd had away from home. The cook definitely did those recipes justice.

After the feast, the Belschners and the other guests actually had birthday presents for me! Like I was turning 6, not TWENTY six. Shocking, what! Anyway, along with the gifts came a composition which you might say sound a bit Tolkienesque. Well, the article is a wild attempt to describe-of all people-me! But fear not, that article is forthcoming.

To sum it up, it almost felt like I was back home. Ahhhh, yes. God is so marvelous. He humbles me every day.

But what's it like to be twenty-six years old, you might ask. Ummmm.... Dunno. Almost the same as when I was 25 and 364 days old. Except a little different. Duh.