Little Birthday Celebration

Not being a big fan of my birthday in general and especially not during Ramadan, I still managed to have a lovely little birthday. Day started off badly, but ended up great, complete with a bouquet of roses, an amazing Ramadan meal with my closest friends here, a lemon cheesecake birthday cake and champagne (given to us awhile ago for our house warming party).

Dinner was at my dear friend Lamia's who's family is really my family here. I teach english to her oldest son, know and love her entire extended family, do 'couples' nights with her and her husband who is hilarious, i'm there at least twice a week for dinner and I love her daughter as if she were my own (in picture). Her name is Rania and she is absolutely the most adorable and intelligent 1 and a half year old i have ever met- although she can be quite destructive and has a tendancy to grab at breasts which has caused a few awkward moments! I always say that she will either cure cancer or AIDS or she will start WW3 considering her intelligent cunning and sniper like reflexes. But she does bring a lot of laughs! Ah, and i've taught her to say 'Hi pretty'!

This may sound weird, but friends know that i've always said that I plan to adopt children, whether i have 'my own' as well someday is another question, but I've always felt that there are so many children out there without homes or who live in abusive situations that what a wonderful thing it is to be able to provide a loving home to someone that needs it. This has frequently been met with the response 'yeah, but you can never love an adopted child as if it were your own,' or 'it's not the same magical connection as when it comes from you' and i always said 'Bullshit'. Well, now i KNOW that's bullshit and that makes me happy that i can now say first hand that I know it is possible to love a child like your own even if technically it isn't 'yours'. Hope that doesnt come out creepy which i think it does a little, but its supposed to be a happy thought.

On a completely separate note, we're heading to Barcelona on Thursday for the weekend as kind of a belated birthday celebration and it'll be my first time there.. any suggestions??!