Fabulous Four Day Weekend

Edgardo decided to give the staff Friday off as well as Monday, so I had a four day weekend. And that means I didn't have to work on my birthday which was a nice present! I had a good 23rd birthday. I'm getting old! My coworker Louise and I (seen in the picture) share the same birthday, so we went out to lunch on our birthdays. Louise is great. She started calling me her daughter this weekend, don't we look alike? So the last day of school for kids here was Thursday. This means that on my birthday I had a lot of visitors all day. The word spread around that it was Ms. Maria's birthday, and that I was having a party. The kids shouldn't have been able to get in the building since the center was closed, but due to a busted out window, they were able to open the back door and come up to my apartment (most of them have figured out I live there now). It was cute, but by dinnertime we had to start ignoring the knocks. They wanted to come to my party. We started the party outside playing croquet and wiffle ball and some kids joined us. We shared the field with a variety of people, and we got some odd looks and stares (everyone else was playing soccer) Two 13 year old African boys decided to join my croquet game. One made it all the way through although he insisted the whole time that "this game suck." Once I started getting bit by mosquitoes the party moved inside (minus the kids!) My good friends Kim and Jenni made the trip from Columbus to come visit for the weekend. I was so glad to have them here for my birthday. They arrived around 10:30 Friday night. We decided to go out dancing around midnight, along with a couple of my coworkers. It was a fun time. So I had a good birthday here!

Saturday was Amy's wedding reception. Kim and Jenni went to see X-men 3 with a couple of my housemates while I went (escorted by my mom Louise). It was a really nice reception, held in her parent's backyard in a very nice neighborhood. I left early to return to my friends, so I missed the salsa band, but not the delicious food. And by the way, the collage of the kids was a big hit among the guests, as well as making Amy cry the second she saw it. I need to make one for myself.

The pastor at my church is taking a four month sabbatical and this was her last Sunday. We will definitely miss her. I am very glad I will see her again since I am sticking around. It was a nice service, followed by a potluck. Those are always good. Kim and Jenni left Sunday early evening. It was great to see them and we had a good weekend.

One of the board members of the program invited us all to her house for a cookout today. It was delicious. And my housemate Ben moved out today. His apprenticeship at Actors Theatre is over now. I can't believe how fast time is going. He was a fun guy to have around, when he was actually around. It is sad to look at his empty room across the hall. I'll miss him. And now Keith is the only male in the house. Poor Keith! Keith, Ben and I stayed up until 4 a.m. this past night watching Lost and talking. The two of them often stayed up late, which I could hear since my room was right across the hall, and I decided to join them for Ben's last night. And I was unable to sleep in today because I worked with Cameron, so I am rather tired! I think it will be an early night. Back to work tomorrow.