Here's what 40 looks like!

So far, 40 looks like fun!  Laura dove on me in my bed at midnight to wish me Happy Birthday and then in the morning she had a SWEEEEETTTT banner over our potty for me to see when I woke up.....

I headed to the kitchen where Dan and Kari had a lil Happy Birthday fanciness going on...and an AWESOME prayer with the group.  SOOOO cool!

Below is the awesome group in town!  SOOOOOO funnnn!

Me, Kari, and Cora!  What a treat to have these gals with me...

Um and here is me and Dan....  His hair is the best ever!  I can't believe I get to work with someone who is as cool as Dan.  For reals.  (Do you think he's reading this?)

So right when breakfast was almost over...the door opened up and guess who walked in?  Yup- BABY NICOLE and mama Martina!  And they didn't even know it was my birthday.  What a sweet surprise!

Then it was off to the barrios (a place called La Ranchito) with Nef and the crew.....

Fun bus ride!  This team is really ministering to the communities here.....lots of medicines and love...but most importantly- LOTS of Jesus!  It's the best!

Lunchtime at the barrios

Sleepy time on the way back to the Guesthouse.  But they DID sing various versions of Happy Birthday songs on the bus to me..... in spanish.  WAAAAAAYyyyyyyy!

When I finally got to my room around 8 or 9 pm- I found these presents (boxes of cards from home) on my bed.  They were from home and Cathy Case had brought them like 2 weeks ago when she was here.   I can't believe everyone hid this from me for 2 weeks- I was SOOOo surprised and EXCITED!  I stayed up til 11:30 reading my cards.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude to have such an amazing church, family and friends that are SO supportive of me.  What a treat!  

And um yeah- no celebration is complete without hanging out with my Dominican hijos Monchi and Chino.....

And Lauritaaaaaaa.....mi pana full.

40 means having an excuse to wear pajama pants (it's SOOOO Domininican anyway) and pretend I'm athletic or something.  Actually, Monchi made me do this.

Dominos.  Nuff said.  It's how we roll, even at 40.

Sooooo how do I feel?  I feel great.  I feel loved.  I certainly don't feel like I've lived 40 years here on the old planet earth.  I feel grateful.   I feel excited for what's next.  I feel like I am exactly where God wants me at this very minute, in this time and in this place.  I feel like I have the greatest support system ever known to man.   I feel like Jesus Christ is still the One, He's still got me in the palm of His Hand, trying to help me along poco a poco.    I feel blessed.  I still feel like I'm the luckiest girl in the world- I get to do this amazing stuff in this amazing place with amazing people.....and yeah- there's hard days and tears and all that jazz.  But I'm not alone.  I've NEVER been alone.   God is here with me.  He's Big- He's ON IT.. and we're doing this together.    Amen.  Y Amen.