267 pics in 2 hours. record.

Thursday nights are English Club nights. Usually pretty typical and standard. This Thursday seemed pretty normal to me. Kevin made us practice songs and talk over our game plan for the evening. We headed to the classroom building, set up and got started.

Everything was normal, we were in the middle of singing when....

The door busts in with YELLING...

And I before I know it I am in the air being hoisted around the room by Justin and Tim!

They ALL showed up for my surprise birthday party! My real birthday is tomorrow *May 7* and we were going to have to celebrate my birthday in a few weeks when things aren't so crazy.

But they fooled me.

TOTALLY surprised me and the students

I had no idea. Seriously. No idea.

And my emotions got the best of me and I cried. I tried to keep it in (for the kids) but dude, they got me good.

They had a birthday hat for me. Brought all the way from Shanghai by The Maynards.

There were baked goods, lots of snacks, and drinks!

And a birthday cake! WITH candles!

There was singing and wishes being made.

Mingling, chatting, eating!

A Chinese birthday party isn't a Chinese birthday party without...

cake in the face

I hate being dirty. Don't they know this about me!

No birthday party is complete without games....

Pin the tail on the donkey/monkey.

We led Tim out of the room.

AND... The ultimate party game in any country.

LIMBO!

Luckily for me, I dominate at this game.

I blame the slippery floor for my out.

But little Martain who is about 2 feet tall and I won! Winners!

And of course, every party needs a tribute to the birthday girl!

Tim had creeped on ALL my facebook pics and put together an awesome Heidi slide show! The last few pictures were Marshall and I... I said "IS HE HERE?" I honestly thought he was going to walk in. Dreamer.

Kevin used his Heidi knowledge and put together a pretty great quiz full of ridiculous questions and answers. Some of which the students actually guessed that my fathers name was George Washington.

We took lots of pictures.

And we all laughed a lot!

And there can not be a party for Heidi without my my favorite thing to do....

DANCE!

Just Dance.

And sometimes the students don't take the hint that it's time to go. So you play them the closing song.

Take Me to Your Heart.

Oh but then you forget that these big kids are at the party

And they get everyone all riled up.

But it was perfect. So perfect. A successful surprise party.

I was talking with Marshall earlier, being a brat, about how it was my "birthday week" and no one was celebrating. He reminded me that not everyone (mostly no one but me) celebrates "birthday weeks". This party made up for the 5 days of no birthday week celebrations. I love attention. We all know this!

My China family takes care of me and loves me. I am so blessed.

p.s. The celebration doesn't stop. Tomorrow, real birthday. We'll see what crazy things happen then.

p.p.s Special thanks to Kara for her picture taking of the evening.

kisses.