Birthday at the Gas Station Cafe

Cafe at the gas station.

The waiter pouring Moroccan tea.

The thing about Morocco is that you just never know....about anything. The cafe at the gas station might be horrible with cow hooves staring at you, or the restaurant at the gas station just might have chandeliers hanging from the ceiling along with delicious food, yummy Moroccan tea and several waiters serving you in handsome outfits and impeccable manners.

Courtney, me, Lindsay and Jill

You just never know, but tonight, for my birthday, Jill, Gail, Courtney, Lindsay and I celebrated another year of my life. It was so nice of them to treat me to dinner, toast my life with tea and water and Coke. I was ready to just call it a night, but we'd heard there was a good restaurant at the gas station near us, and, sure enough, it was gorgeous; it was a gift!

So, I have very special memories of my first birthday in Morocco at a gas station. How kind of my roommate and special, new friends to care about me. I must think of a special way to thank them.


Before I say goodnight tonight, I want to remember some of the art that happened today. One thing I noticed is that many students are eager to learn and to try to make art even though they just have not been exposed to a variety of medium. Today, I did color wheels with a couple of the classes. I did a simplified version with the first and third grade, and I did a more sophisticated version with fifth grade.

5th grade Students' color wheels

It is so rewarding when a quiet, diligent student comes up to me with a beautiful color wheel so carefully crafted; he or she gets the concepts readily and executes it wonderfully.

Eating cake with the art ruler.

Several other really nice things happened to me today, first thing in the morning. Jill put special birthday notes by my coffee, Bible and toothbrush. Two special friends, Judy and Lynn, brought me a breakfast cupcake and then Judy bought me a coffee. So sweet of them! Then, Gail came into my room with freshly made cupcakes (without using.....


cupcake tins/papers) which was another huge kindness. I know how hard it is to bake anything here in Morocco! I took the only ruler that is firm in my classroom, and I dug into one of the cupcakes off and on throughout the morning.


I was battling a huge headache today. The heat, mugginess and humidity was nearly doing me in. I was taking Excedrin like they were breath mints. Finally, it rained and thundered along with lighting; fresh air came in behind the wicked storm. It is now beautifully clear outside. I am hoping I will get a good night of sleep with my windows open. Thankfully, the tent mosque is long gone.


As my birthday party was coming to a close, I asked the ladies if we could huddle up to sing a little birthday song I always sing to my students back in Seattle. They humored me, and I sang my song which I will quote here, just because it is very special to me tonight:
"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, every day, every hour, may you feel Jesus' power, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, and the best year you've ever had!"

Gail and me at the party.

The ladies all shouted Amen, and I thought at that moment, 1) I might be deported for saying Jesus' name, and 2) oh well, I loved singing the song on my birthday. Good night on my birthday in Morocco!