Because Joe has sooo many friends here, we had to celebrate his birthday 5 times with 3 cakes! It was the weekend of continuous celebration! SOO fun!!!
Thanks to ALL of you who have invested so richly into Joe's life the past 30 years to make him into the amazing person that I get to enjoy right now!
On Friday night we have small group...everyone was so great! There were 12 people that came, and each one gave a note to Joe sharing with him all the ways that he has benefited their lives. SO sweet of them!
Here is Joe blowing out cake #1!
Since Joe teaches a class on Saturday mornings, I was able to scamper around getting ready for a special birthday lunch for him! I cleaned off my balcony so we could eat "outside," made him lunch, and even bought and assembled a charcoal grill (shown in the background--supposed to be a birthday present!) so I could grill our chicken...but then "chickened" out using it since I'm not known for my grilling abilities and didn't feel like burning anything down on Joe's birthday!
Jonathan, when you come to visit you can teach me how to GRILL!!! :)
Joe still loved my meal, though, and the grill still looks so nice sitting there on the balcony... ;)
After lunch we enjoyed a leisurely walk through Zhongshan Park...the trees and flowers are all in bloom! It was beautiful. I gave him a set of badminton racquets! That little sport is quite popular here...I'm looking forward to trying them out with him! :)
Joe is an ALPHA leader, and his group meets on Saturday afternoons. I have SO enjoyed being a part of those discussions and meeting those amazing people! Patricia knew it was Joe's birthday, and brought a cake for him as well as a card for everyone to sign!
Here is Joe blowing out cake #2! :)
Sonny and Mali enjoying cake...
and Keen and Terry sporting their haircuts in honor of Joe's b-day! haha
My guy... (sigh)
Patricia and me!
After ALPHA was over, since it was still Joe's birthday, I stole him away for a special birthday celebration for just the two of us: Indian! I found this incredible, romantic restaurant called Tandoor that was PERFECT for our little party-for-two!
It was the kind of place that taking pictures wouldn't have been very appropriate...it was definitely a high-class setting and the best Indian food we have ever had in our lives.
After dinner I gave Joe my final gift: a book that I had put together filled with letters we had written back and forth to each other over the past year of separation. It will serve as a special reminder of how much we value going into this next phase of our relationship!
After dinner I gave Joe my final gift: a book that I had put together filled with letters we had written back and forth to each other over the past year of separation. It will serve as a special reminder of how much we value going into this next phase of our relationship!
Sunday, the day AFTER Joe's birthday, we pulled a little surprise on him...I took him to a restaurant and several of Joe's friends surprised him there! After dinner we went to Peter's Tex Mex...famous for their cinnamon rolls! mmm!
Here is Norman digging into Daniel's cinnamon roll...dangerous thing to do! lol
And here is RJ, me, and Joe
Yes, it was a weekend full of celebrations!
As if it wasn't enough...here comes cake #3...on Monday after a staff meeting a Joe's school! I was there for the teacher's meeting, and got to join the March birthdays party! :D
Wow...great times celebrating a great person!
I love you, Joey...looking forward to many more birthday celebrations with you! :)
wow! looks like an amazing birthday. so glad you made it special for him Nica.
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