Many Happy Returns! Or, I’m 30!
Yes, I’m 30 now. It doesn’t feel older or weird or anything like that.
I went on an exciting adventure with Josh on Monday to get my birthday present. We had a mix-up with cars so I borrowed my parents’ SUV to go get Josh in Minneapolis then down to IKEA to buy my birthday cabinet. Well, part way down the freeway some guy pulls alongside me and starts gesturing. I didn’t catch the gesture, but figured he was just some sick-o.
So, I exit on 4th Ave. and suddenly smell gasoline. Then my car stops. In the middle of a one-way, four-lane, off ramp into the city. I look down and my gas is nearly on empty, even though it was full when I left my hometown. Like a total idiot, I started the car to drive less than 1/2 block to get the car out of traffic. A cop pulled me over and used the speaker-dealy from his car to shout, “Is your ignition off? Shut your ignition off!”
I shut off my car and went over to talk to the cop. I asked him if my car was going to explode. He said, “I don’t know, but they always did on Chips!”
I had to wait for the fire department to come. The fire chief asked me how long my gas tank had been leaking, and I told him probably down a fair amount of the freeway. He grinned and said, “I supposed we could just light a match to find out!” We didn’t light a match, but that would have been bad and awesome at the same time if we did.
Anyway, after a $100 mandatory tow out of the city, my dad and brother came and got the car (from a ghetto-tastic part of North Minneapolis). We took the car my dad drove to go to Ikea, where my cabinet barely fit in the car. Got home late. Good times. Put the cabinet together on Tuesday and I love it! Woo!
The Lewis family had a nice gathering for me on Thursday with pizza & strawberry shortcake. My nieces made me and Caleb party necklaces to wear. I got two books that I’ve wanted (Stand & Valley of Vision) as well as a Canon Backpack for all of my photo gear. I had fun hanging out with them all.
On Saturday, the Whiting family came over to our house for some of my mom’s lasagna, a beehive cake (yum!), and some good times. I got a Michael’s giftcard, some clothes, and the cabinet that was mentioned previously.
I was thinking the other day about how I can have, as Brennan Manning would say, an “attitude of gratitude.” This whole past year has included so many changes, but I am amazed at the blessings and love that has been showered on me. What a joy to be able to actually celebrate my birthday with my family, for the first time in many years. And what gratitude I feel to be so surrounded with so many people who love me.