A day full of surprises in Texas!

I was very privileged to have my birthday in Texas this year!  The day started with an early rise to get to the morning devotionals at 7:45am (I didn't mind this given I am a morning person and had had plenty of sleep the previous night).  I got up, perfectly happy and went to shower.  On returning to my room I was slightly bemused to find that the entrance had been decorated with lanterns and small traffic cones, particularly as I hadn't noticed the decorations on leaving the room. 

However, thankfully I was informed that I was not indeed going mad (although some would say that is because I am already mad), as the decorations were put up whilst I was out of the room.  The decorations did not stop there though.  Whilst I was out the night before, a fairly large group of people decided to create a couple of posters to decorate the door for my birthday.

The poster (for anyone who is not familiar with Mercy Ships) is jesting at how many people meet their future spouse on the ship.  I have to admit it is probably more funny for us here than anyone else as it draws on some in jokes which just don't sound as funny when explained, but I had quite a chuckle at the poster.

Anyway I went to devotionals, and the class sang to me.  Then we went and 'fixed' snacks for the people doing their Basic Safety Training (which I did four weeks ago), including a birthday cake which Nancy had kindly made.  We appear back in class for break, when yet again the class sang to me!

My next surprise came at lunch, when I was asked if I had picked up my basket?  Basket?  I wasn't expecting a basket and was thoroughly confused.  I proceeded to sit down with my lunch, and someone brought over a huge basket full of cookies for me, and of course everyone sang again!

(Picture shows the remnants of the cookies after the class had each had some).  Well shall we say my family had managed to organise for a bouquet of cookies to be delivered to me, although thankfully they didn't send them all the way from England!

In the evening, a group of 11 of my Gateway class headed over to Dallas to see Muse and U2 in concert at the Cowboys Stadium.  Sat up in the Gods (second to back row) of a stadium that seats over 100 000 people watching an incredible show listening to outstanding music.  For me it was a brilliant ending to a wonderful day, so thanks to everyone who made it so special.

The Cowboys stadium is soooo huge!