birthday surprises

i turned 46 this past weekend. that wasn't the surprise -- my birthday seems to happen around about this time every year. :-)

what was a surprise was how birthday wishes seemed to come from all quarters of the world, and from so many different times in my life -- international students in montreal (including the generation that arrived after we left!), former international students who are now in places as far away as japan and the uk, former cal grad students (from veritas fellowship, now spread out literally from coast to coast), iv staff in canada and in the usa, lighthouse friends (including a pastor, a church member, and a teenage friend), long-time prayer and financial supporters, and a former cmds student (now doing his residency in alberta).

here at home, we celebrated at the bridge with more kinds of pie than you can imagine! even in our fledgling congregation, there was someone who had the same birthday! my family treated me to a delicious dinner at miyabi and a certificate for a massage -- something i will definitely enjoy in these sometimes stressful days.

as a tip of the hat to my friend b, who loves to blog about what she's preparing for lunch, here's what i had for my birthday dinner:

• miso soup
• wakame salad
• salmon shioyaki
• tempura
• nigiri sushi (maguro, sake, binnaga-maguro)
• maki sushi (california roll and spicy tuna)