And the Party Continues!

Today after my Stats class I enjoyed a really wonderful surprise birthday lunch organized by my classmates. In the student lounge, my friends and staff from the department gathered to celebrate me turning 30. In the midst of everything that everyone has going on, they thought it not robbery to show their love. I was deeply touched and humbled. Besides developing a new love for Papa John's vegetarian pizza and homemade hummus, this celebration really made me feel like I have family in my home away from home.

This party made my week and topped off the weekend of festivities I enjoyed starting on my actual birthday. On that Friday I began the day at a symposium on children and youth in New York City (yes, I got my birthday nerd on). Besides gaining some good information and contacts, I got to see once again how small the world really is. There were several people I met with connections to Howard, including a former professor and a colleague of my independent study advisor, one person there from my undergrad, another Social Worker whose name I recognized from my classmate's independent study, and a family friend who shared stories of hanging with my relatives back in the day. After the symposium I enjoyed lunch and a neighborhood stroll with Lawrence, and then my traditional family birthday party. The following night I celebrated with family and friends over a birthday dinner in the city, and on Sunday my siblings and I celebrated the 60th birthday of the most important woman in our lives, our Mama! We played Taboo, learned the Wobble dance, and really had a great time honoring the woman who helped make it so that we could be here.

30 has been moving along pretty fast. It's been filled with great celebrations and fun, but also has already meant for taking some serious time to reflect and ground myself mentally, physically, and spiritually. I'm still working on this latter part. In the meantime, I want to give many thanks to everyone who helped me celebrate, to my parents who helped make it possible to have a birthday to celebrate, and above all to the Creator for continuing to grow, birth, and bless me each milli-second for the past 30 years, and for those to come. I'm working on making my every day a party, celebrating and making good use of this gift of my life!