Turkey!

Hello from Turkey!  I'm visiting my best friend and her husband as they prepare for the arrival of their first child, hopefully very soon!  Lynn's due date is tomorrow (the 16th), and though I strongly suggested to her that the best birthday gift she could give me would be to see little girl's face, it doesn't look like that will be the case (though, I still have about 8 hours US time before it's not my birthday anymore...)

I arrived in Turkey over a week ago, spent 2 nights and a day in Istanbul, got to see a lot of cool stuff that I'll tell you more about later, and I've been with Lynn for about a week.  It was a big holiday week here last week, and there has been lots to do!  In addition to the joy of getting to hang out with my BFF, we've been busy with lots of stuff!

House Cleaning... (I'm washing the top of the refrigerator - when was the last time you cleaned yours??)  Notice our three little helpers crowding around the bucket of soapy water...

 

Footrubbing... (this is a nightly activity, with hopes of speeding up Baby Girl's arrival!)

And LOTS of walking... (you can't tell from this photo, but we're on top of a large plateau that we walked 45 minutes to, hiked 45 minutes to the top, and did the same to return back to the bus stop.)  Cheers for the 40 week pregnant woman for completing this with me!! 

It doesn't look like it from this angle, but we are waaaaay high up, and behind us, where that yellow grass is a major drop off.  Below, you can see the ruins of the castle around me, as well as a minaret they are renovating.  HUGE lake in the background!

 This is a picture of the "mountain" we hiked up...

And, today is my birthday!  I'm so blessed to get to spend it with my best friend, though I'm definitely missing Brian, my family, and all my friends to celebrate with as well.  I like having big parties for birthdays :)  It's just so much fun!  

We did celebrate on a smaller scale - Lynn sneakily found out that my favorite type of cake is carrot cake, so Sheryl made me one for my birthday!  After going to the salon to get our hair cut, Lynn & I went to Sheryl's place to blow out candles and eat cake with the wonderful baker and her very enthusiastic 3 kiddos!  I unfortunately forgot to snap a picture of them, post cake, running around like crazy on their sugar highs...

After a couple of quick calls home to family, Lynn, Dan, & I headed out to one of the nicest restaurants in town for a birthday dinner.  Three yummy Turkish dishes later (though no singing waiters like at Hickory Park) we concluded my birthday celebrations! 

Well, concluded them for now... if you know me, you know that I looooove birthdays!  I blame it on my mom for always throwing me the best birthday parties when I was younger.  I'm looking forward to returning to Spain to celebrate as well!  Brian's parents are arriving in Madrid this Friday for a month, and the day after I return from Turkey (I fly back one week from tomorrow), Brad, Mollie & Kez arrive!!  I am SO excited to get to see everyone!  This is going to be quite the month :)

And, one last piece of entertainment for you - Dan is amazing at writing and performing songs!  I don't think I know anyone as talented as he is with music.  I mentioned that I hadn't heard him sing me happy birthday today, and late this evening, when he was over-tired, he graciously performed one for me!  

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THIS VIDEO:

1.  My brother just let me know this week that I'm going to be an Aunt!!! Congratulations Mark & Marissa!

2.  Brian and I are NOT expecting a child!  (Dan references something about B and I having a kid... but I only think thats because it rhymes...)

3.  Song writing is a typical occurrence in this household, and late at night it tends to get goofy :)

Dan's Birthday Song for Kate 2010 from kate on Vimeo.