It was my birthday last Friday. And I felt this morning I wanted to count my blessings and tell you about the presents I have received over the past days. There are four presents I want to mention.

First. The long Newbold drama ended last Thursday, meaning that we finally welcomed a long awaited lecturer of Biblical Theology in Tallinn. It wasn't Dr J. B. who isn't fit to travel but fortunately T. L. was able to come. He just submitted his dissertation in Oxford and could find four days in his busy schedule to come and teach our conference's students. And as I had my birthday just when he was lecturing, I thought I'd invite the students over and have some cake and tea with them in the evening. So on Friday, after a busy lecture day some of them were able to come (and also take T. with them) and we had the loveliest couple of hours together at my place. The students had really made an effort and they got me a real present - a small suitcase. So that I didn't have to carry all my books when I went to Tartu to teach them, they said. They are the sweetest guys, them students, they really are!

Then secondly. I got sick on Friday evening which was about the worst thing and the worst timing ever. Because T. had also agreed to teach at our Bible school over the weekend and I was suppose to organise it and be the translator and all. I was so terribly disappointed when I had to wave my students and T. good-bye as they left my place for Haapsalu on Friday evening. I was suppose to go with them! But I couldn't. I had to go to bed instead. So all I did all Saturday was to stay in bed, drink litres of tea and water, and constantly think about how everything was going at the Bible school. But the heart-warming thing was that thoughout the day J. and V. kept me updated about the Bible school doings. J. basically reported everything that was happening, sending me photos and commenting on everything. V. even sent me a short video of one of the worship songs they sang. So although I couldn't be there I realised I had just about the greatest friends in the world, people who knew how much the Bible school initiative really meant to me. It brought a big smile on the face of the sick kid. Friends. Awesome friends. That's two.

Thirdly. I arrived in Newbold yesterday. Oh! This itself is one of the greatest birthday gifts I could wish for. Yesterday the place was as dead as a ghost town so I didn't have anything else to do than to eat ice cream in K.'s office. I didn't mind at all, I love the place all the same. But today is a different story - they have the academic board so everyone's here. I get to see all of the brethren (as Dr A. N. calls the lot), I get to have an important meeting with the leaders of the department of theology, I get to have a catch up appointment with The Lady, and I get to clarify the details of tomorrow's Girls in London Day Tour with Dr A. N. Oh, and I just ran into J. on my way to caf. This is perfection.

And the fourth birthday present arrived, disguised as an email yesterday. It was very short, only a couple of sentences and that's what it said - you have been chosen as one of the plenary speakers for the pan European youth congress in Valencia, Spain next summer. This, my friends, is madness. This is beyond my dreams. This is unbelievable. And this can only be God's doing. The first thing I did this morning was to find my phone and check whether the email was still there or whether I had dreamt it all up last night. The email is still there, and there are still words like 'plenary speaker', 'Valencia', 'you will be contacted' and 'congratulations' in there. Do I need to add that a massive smile has not left my face since last night. How could it?! :D

It has been a happy birthday indeed.