My fantastic birthday!

Many thanks to all of my friends and family who sent me well wishes on my birthday! Thanks to everyone I had a fantastic day.

Raymond spoiled me from the start, with chocolate at midnight and a whole day of adventure ahead. Thanks to him, I have a new pair of shoes, ate at my favorite noodle bar, saw the James Bond 007 Skyfall movie, and even had a piece of red velvet cake! Nothing can compare to my mom's cake, but it was nice to still find some here.

I missed Kansas and my family a lot, but Raymond and my new English friends kept me busy all day so I never had time to stop and dwell on it! To finish off the day we carved pumpkins, roasted the seeds, and delighted in the Chianti we brought with us from Italy. Delicious!

I know I'll always remember this birthday abroad. I feel so blessed with this opportunity to see new places and meet new people. Although we miss home every single day, we also know that this semester is fleeting. We're already halfway through our time here! We recognize every day as a gift, and realize we will be home with our families, and back at school and work before we know it.

Here are some pictures from our wonderful day out! Enjoy!