twenty one.

I can't even lie.  Birthdays are my favorite.

If I could rate this day, my twenty first birthday, on a scale of 1 to 10 [1 being "this day sucked. I bet the smashed bumble bee on the bathroom wall of the restaurant I went to the other day feels more special than I do today" and 10 being "this day ROCKED MY SOCKS OFF and I want to re-live it everyday for the next five years"]... today was about a 9.7.

I thought being away from home and the people I love so much would make my birthday a not so special one.  I thought wrong.  I can't even begin to record all the things I loved about this day, but I'll try.

1. I got up at the butt crack of dawn.  I thought for sure mi familia was still sleeping.  As I dried my hair I heard a voice from the kitchen...mi  Mamí yelling "Beckiiiiiii!" from the kitchen.  I walked into the kitchen and immediately stumbled upon this (pic below) AND mi Mamí & Tía singing a Venezuelan birthday song.  She also gave me a pair earrings that she and my baby sister, Anita, both have.  SO SWEET.

2. When Bonnie got to class she RAN in and said, "I'm SO HAPPY you were born today!" and gave me a huge hug.  She told me she wore her favorite outfit in honor of my birthday today.

3. Alyssa met us at Youth World even though she didn't have class and waited an HOUR so she could go out with us for my birthday.  What a gem.
4. A group of us went to a mexican restaurant for lunch between classes and hung out for almost 2 hours eating and laughing.  I loved every minute of it.

5. In Spanish my profesora found out it was my birthday and blessed me in Spanish.
6. I laughed with Alyssa all the way up the hill walking to Chapel.
7. Jenna bought me flowers that she arranged herself.
8. I got to spend all evening reunited with my friends.

9. Marlo made me a cake and they smashed my face in it.
10. I got a ride home from chapel with Christy & Kim.  What more could I ask for?!
11. When I got home, mi Mamí & Papí watched the HILARIOUS birthday video the Flipses sent me and the WONDERFUL birthday video Rochelle Burks made for me.  I cried.

12. Mi Papí gave me a beginner's Spanish lesson...words he said I NEEDED to know.

• safegato:  "When un chico gets muy close to you and says 'ahhh, Beckí....eres muy linda y bonita (very cute & pretty)' you say...'SAFEGATO!' It's like when a kitty tries to eat off the table and you yell at it to go away!"  
• naguara:  "es como (it's like) WOW!"  
• conchale:  "it's for something very bad"
• chevare:  "we say it for everything in Venezuela, means cool"

13. I opened all the cards my family and friends from home sent with me.  I felt SO SPECIAL.
14. My request to go out dancing tomorrow night for my birthday was granted.  CAN'T EVEN WAIT.

I could probably keep going and get to twenty one reasons that today was special...but let's be real...I'm pretty tired.  I feel SO INCREDIBLY blessed to have such amazing people in my life...en los estados unidos AND en ecuador.