21-07-12 225/365

"Don't come in here Katie, I'm making something." - Jack
"We're making a big pot of soup because the afternoon program will go late." - Mum
Extra food.
Painting funny yellow signs.
Old photos.
An unscheduled email.
My two besties together on the same day.
A change of clothes.
Walks to the river on Sabbath afternoon.
Lot's of people still around Sabbath evening.

Can anyone guess what this adds up to? Really you can't?

Well I might have to tell you - a "surprise" birthday party!

Yep, so my 18th landed on the day before Eastward's 2011 graduation which meant that we were really busy and even though Mum had wanted to give me a birthday present, she was unable to do so.  But time passed and I forgot about it until my little sister Ella got a party - the first ever in our family - and then I only complained for a little while and I was mostly joking. I didn't really mind.

But apparently the thought never really left Mum's mind and when it was planned that my best friend Ely was coming over, she started to plan a surprise for me.

So, without me knowing, an email was sent out to the most randomest people that I know and love and the word spread quickly and quietly. There were little signs pointing to something afoot but I didn't think much about it until I caught Mum doing some strange things and making some strange things and then I received that email. "Happy SURPRISE Birthday" the subject line read. WOOPS! Someone thought that the party was the weekend before! So I knew something was happening. From then on, I had my own secret to keep as I strove to hide the fact that I knew.

Well, Sabbath came and it was a full day. In the morning was church as usual and then we had an amazing music program run in the afternoon in which I took a large part. As soon as that was finished, as we were walking out Mum asked:
"So, what are you girlies planning to do now?"
"I don't know." I said, continuing on my way out of the church.
"Shall we go for a walk to the river?" Jess, one of my buddies asked.
"Um, I guess so." I agreed, suddenly clicking to what was going on.
So Ely, Jess, Loz and I headed down to the river and hung out together down there for at least a good hour. It was lovely to relive the old days with Ely and Jess, days when we had been called the three amigos. Ah... the old days.
Once the sun had gone down, and darkness started to settle on the land, Jess suggested that we start heading back. So we climbed into Loz's car and drove back to the church. We walked in, all four of us linking arms and laughing quite loudly.

All around us as we walked into the church yard were people sitting in the dark doing their own thing. We walked past one girl and the thought flashed through my mind. That looks like Letitia. (Letitia was my first and best violin teacher and one of my best friends.) I thought nothing of it and we walked up the ramp into the hall.

"Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you..."

Yes, they were singing at me. I just had to stand there - you know what it's like when everyone is singing happy birthday to you and you just feel like either joining in or vanishing down a whole? Yeah well that's what I felt like.

Sometime during the song I caught sight of a little family sitting along the wall. Darlene and Simon! Two of my closest friends from way back. As soon as the singing ended I bounced over to them and hugged them and gushed over the new baby. Standing up I turned around and saw: LETITIA!

Oh my goodness! I hadn't seen her for 2 and a half years and that was at her wedding! She was really her.

What an evening!

Friends. Family. Laughter. Songs. Smiles. Camera Flashes. Videos. Pictures. Cakes and Soup. Games. And very nearly tears. It was amazing. It was my very first party and I will cherish the memory as long as I live.

Across the room they had stretched a large banner that read: "Happy 18 and 225/365th Birthday" I was 18 and 225 days old! (Nat, I thought of you when I saw that.)

Well I don't really know what else to say except thank you to everyone who was there and who wanted to be there. I mean, there was my pretend big brother who sent three videos of him singing songs that he had written to me. There were a dozen or more messages sent through email. There were people who had traveled a whole day's travel. There was a song made up during the night sung for my by my two best friends. There was my Eastward family and my church family. People brought loads of soup and desert and Mum even made me a mashed potato and pasta cake! Crazy? Maybe! But that seems to be my style! I mean, who else has an 18 and 225/365th birthday party? Seriously!

So, thanks to everyone who was there and everyone who wanted to be but couldn't. I love you all!

Thanks for the pics Scotty!