How do you throw yourself a surprise party?

Oddly enough, I think I did. I planned to have some people over tonight; just six or seven people to hang out, talk, and play some games. Having been busy all day, I was frantically trying to get the house ready for them, because I had (strangely) agreed to go to dinner with my brother two hours before the party started. As I was cleaning, I wondered what had ever possessed me to go to dinner right before a party. But I went out with my brother, had a great time, and came home to find that everyone was early! And there were way more people than I expected. Then I walked in the door and everyone yelled "Surprise!" Well, I guess I wasn't too shocked...but if you think about it, it's the perfect way to hide a surprise party. Make the person think they're having people over. Although, it might have been more effective if no one had been standing in front of my house talking, or if familiar cars hadn't been parked on the road, or if I hadn't seen the people through the window as I walked towards the house.
That's a second attempt to throw me a surprise party, and my siblings were much better at hiding the secret than my fourteen-year-old friends looking at me and whispering loudly to each other "SHE'S COMING!" This one almost worked...well, it sort of did work. Anyway, it was a great happy birthday/going away party. Thanks to my amazing siblings for the party and hilarious video; thanks to my awesome friends for coming. I'll miss you all crazily.

Packing for six months

I had no idea how hard it would be to pack for six months. Plus, I'll be on the road, so I need to make things somewhat portable. Right now, I'm trying to fit everything in two big suitcases and a backpack. Kudos to Lesly for packing for four months in Africa. I understand now.

The beginning...

For those of you who don't know, a few weeks ago I applied to tour
across Canada with a Christian drama group. They asked for an
audition; I sent them one. They liked it, and on January 2nd I leave
for a widening in the road called Barons, AB, population 200, half an
hour north of Lethbridge, where they rent out a school for their drama
training and practice. I'm going to spend six months travelling around
Canada, performing mainly sketches at churches and conferences.

It's all very sudden and more than a little scary. I start in
Vancouver, then head to Winnepeg, Halifax, Ottawa, and who knows where
else. I'm travelling with Spread the Word Ministries, a part of
Wycliffe ministries. We're a team of five; two men, three women,
together for six months. I'm the youngest, but for some reason that
feels normal. I should be coming back to Edmonton for Missonsfest and
possibly a conference here and there. For updates on the team and our
full itinerary (eventually), they will be posted at
www.spreadtheword.ca . Please pray for me; that I can keep from
burning out, that we'll be a tight team, for safety, and anything else
that comes to mind.

This is one of my dreams, and it's happening. I never would have
thought that I would take a semester off school this year and see the
rest of Canada, but here I go. God bless you all! I'll miss you!