My best birthday ever

I celebrated my best birthday ever yesterday in Takoradi, Ghana. The primary reason it was the best ever is that I received many blessings throughout the day. I woke up to have many wonderful blessings proclaimed upon me, from Theo, Helena, Derrick, and Nana. And the blessings continued as the day went on:

“Look up to the sky and see how beautiful God has made it to look. So today as you go out you will determine to think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. Today by the grace of God you will forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Today your life, family, and business are blessed. Whatever you touch prospers. You shall hear great news. Today the goodness and mercy of the Almighty God shall follow. And you must live for God alone. Happy Birthday!”

“Tasha, if there is something that you’re dreaming of, then may it all come true because you deserve it all, my dear. Happy Birthday to you!”

“Happy Birthday, Tasha! May God richly bless you so you may live longer, up to 100 years and above.”

“God has a true meaning of the names of His favourites like you, and it is:
T – To the end of the world, God is with you
A – As the eye of God, anyone who touches you touches God and will face the predicaments
S – So precious to God that He uses you to glorify His creation
H – He will bless you on this day and the rest of your 80 years left on earth
A – As you enjoy the blessings, good health, and prosperity of God, don’t forget to thank Him.
Happy Birthday, Sweetness!”

“Your best years are still ahead of you. You are not getting older, you’re getting better. Happy Birthday, T!”

“Happy Happy Happy Birthday. Have a wonderful day. May God give you many many healthy, happy, and successful years. May today be the beginning of God’s great promise in your life.”

Another reason my birthday was the best ever is that I didn’t work much. Ananda and Rosa agreed to work long hours (including part of a holiday and part of a Saturday) so that we could take off my birthday. We worked for a few hours total, and even that was from the lobby of the hotel, so it was very low-key and it made it much more enjoyable for me. Thanks, Rosa and Ananda, for being the best teammates!

The day was full of love, blessings, fun, and surprises. We had lunch with Nana, Kwesi, Charles, and James at God is Love chop bar (yes, that is really its name). I enjoyed the best fufu and light soup so far in Ghana. Helena and Vivian used a stick I found outside to curl the ends of my hair since the salon near our hotel was closed. When Derrick got off work, we met him at the course to golf along the beach and enjoy the wonderful sea breezes.

I was also blessed with a lot of gifts. The morning brought me a card (with a picture of me and my braids) from Nana on my bed, as well as a collection of gifts from Helena. Samson knocked on my bedroom door as soon as he got here to wish me a Happy Birthday and give me a great big birthday hug (he was as excited about my birthday as I was). Isaac texted me and then gave me love when he got to the hotel in the evening.

I received a lot of traditional Ghanaian clothing. Helena gave me an entire outfit (bubu and scarf, necklace, and shoes) as well as a keychain. Samson, Vivian, and Helena helped me get the hair and dress correct:


Then had me sit in a chair like the African Princess that I have been feeling like all month (see the shoes that match?):


And finally here I am with Boakye, Samson, Charles, Solomon, and Helena on my best birthday ever:



Charles and Kwesi gave me a traditional shirt that I wore to dinner later in the evening. We had dinner at Raybow, complete with a cake, singing, and dancing. The cake was actually tasty (banana flavored), but the funny thing is I had to dis-assemble it to cut and serve it. I had to remove the frosting, peel off some ribbon that covered the top and sides, and only then was I able to cut the cake. It was quite fun:


The best part is that in Ghana, when they sing you Happy Birthday, they add a whole verse of "May God Bless you" and then I get to sing back and tell them how old I am. What a wonderful experience for me to celebrate my birthday here.

Many thanks to all my friends and loved ones for their birthday wishes!