Wednesday, March 26, 2014

18 X 2 = 36

Ten years ago, for my 26th birthday, I went snorkeling in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Mombasa, Kenya.  Okay, so I didn't go all the way to Africa JUST to celebrate my birthday, but it just so happen my birthday lined up with the debrief/tourist portion of our team trip - after we had spent time in orphanages, schools, and in the bush. 

Mission to the Fatherless orphanage in Kenya

However, for my 33rd birthday I did fly out to Hawaii JUST to celebrate, and the same for my 34th - flying out to California JUST to go sky diving in Santa Barbara.  I wonder now, if in actuality, those two birthday trips stemmed from a subconscious "old maid" crisis stirring within me.  I figure if can't live out the life I truly want (i.e. to marry and have a family), I still better be living up life somehow, someway. 

But I think I'm beyond needing an extravagant birthday hurrah to prove to myself (and to my facebook friends) that I'm perfectly fine living the single life.  As long as a yummy dessert is involved in the day - and either family or friends - I'm perfectly happy.  So this year, for my 36th birthday, I substitute taught at a nearby high school, and then went to dinner in Ann Arbor with my parents and big brother.

But my highlight of the day, was my final hour of the day substitute teaching.  A couple 9th grade boys were bit chatty in the front corner of the classroom, so I went over to them to see what's up, and to hush them up.  And the one told me it was the other guy's birthday.  I asked, "Is it?"  The accused birthday boy replied no, and I informed them it was actually my birthday.  Immediately they insisted, "We have to sing you Happy Birthday then, Miss Blank."  I said, "No, that's okay."  But they persisted, and by then the rest of the class was in on the news, so when the two started singing the rest of the class joined in. 

At the end of the song a girl in the back inquired, "So wait, how old are you?"

I replied, "I'm 18 X 2, if you can do the math."

"You're 26!!!" She exclaimed.

"Not quite."  But thank you, girl in the back of the classroom for thinking so.

18 X 2 = 36

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