February 13

So today is my birthday. I have not thought much about it until yesterday when Scott kept bringing it up. I am sorry to say that I do not much like birthdays anymore. I remember my mother saying once that she got a shock each time she looked in the mirror because the woman looking back was so much older that she was. I feel the same way. I hate reminders that I am aging rapidly. I still feel young. I still do everything physically I want to do. Except for my face, the arm flab, and my one ear that doesn't hear well, I think I should be 40 or 45.

However, this birthday was great. Scott had purchased a scented lotion/coconut oil set from Pure Fiji.  It was sitting on the kitchen table waiting for me to discover it this morning. I was not too sure of the scent "mango" until I smelled it. I love it! I am not one for wear food scents for perfume, but this stuff smells good.  Maybe I like it because it does not smell like mangos to me. Now I have to figure out how to get a life time supply to the States.

When Scott got back from swimming he told me he was taking me out to breakfast.  Breakfast is my favorite meal to eat out. We went to the Victoria Cafe as it is the only place we know that serves an American breakfast. They were closed even though the sign said they were supposed to be open.  So we did what every self respecting American would do---ate at McDonalds.

Dear Sister Wells had put a framed counted cross stitched heart and a bottle of Fanta Raspberry (my favorite) on my desk. There was also a card from the Service Center on my desk. I received an e-card from mother.  So sweet.

The day ended with a baptism of another young adult at which the choir sang and the Eternal Marriage class.  After the class had ended and all the chairs had been put away, Elder Tennis walked into the classroom with a huge 1/4 sheet of German Chocolate cake that he had asked Sister Raketia to make for me at 4:00 just before the baptism. It seems she raced home with her two cute little boys and made the only cake that one can ice while it is still warm and had it to the institute by 7:00.  I love German Chocolate cakes.  The YSAs sang the Fijian version of Happy Birthday which is three verses long followed by two hip hip hurrahs.  We cut the cake and everyone had at least a small piece as there were over 30 in class.

Naomi and Brother Qaqa before her baptism.

Sister Aso, one of the sisters assigned to our Samabula 1st Ward was also born on February 13th.  We texted each other a "happy birthday" this morning and then we gave her a tub of passion fruit ice cream.  Sister Aso is a wonderful missionary.  She is from Western Samoa which is the biggest part of Samoa and has the most people, but also the part of Samoa where English is not spoken as much.  She came to Fiji after having had to learn Fijian to find that much of the time she is speaking English which she doesn't know very well. She has such a great attitude and works really hard.

The Birthday Girls
Me and Sister Aso

After class Scott insisted we go to dinner. We ate at Edens which is just up Princess Road from the temple. I was not awfully hungry, so I ordered, you guessed it, breakfast.  Waffles with cream and berries.  It was a perfect ending to a perfect day.