Amazing Thai Birthday Time!

So today was my birthday, and the people here in Thailand made it SO amazing.  Last night Anneliese gave me a beta fish that her and Mitch bought me... amazing!  I have been saying for the past two months how I want one and I haven't found one and they bought me one!  I decided that the little guy should have a totally American name and I am taking votes for what it should be... Anneliese voted KFC Double Down, but call him Doiuble Down for short.  I love it and I can't really think of anything more American than that... but I'm open to all suggestions.
                     Now on to today.  First, I woke up and we had running water... it was a birthday miracle!  Then I put on my new awesome birthday dress, grabbed all my project making stuff, and headed to Noonoy for a full day of classes.  As soon as I got there, Prathom 4 saw me and immediately broke out in an adorable 9-year old Thai kid version of the Happy Birthday song... it was awesome.  I had prepared poster/drawing/art projects for all of my classes so that all I had to do all day was walk around and look at kids drawing, which was great.  After Noonoy I went to Super English where I had a birthday card from my mom waiting for me, as well as a card and a present from Mitch.  They were awesome... then I went to Mister Donut and bought a bunch of donuts for my students.  Then I had them color for their entire classes and gave them donuts at the end; I really needed an easy Super day.
                                 After Super English I went to Baan Sateak, where Anneliese had arranged for everyone to meet for my birthday dinner.  Hilarious side note--for whatever reason Thai people seriously struggle with saying words that begin with the letter s and are followed by a consonant.  For example; Star.  They pronounce it sitar.  Or square, they say saquare.  And Baan in Thai means home.  So the name Baan Sateak means Steak House, but Steak got lost in mispronunciation translation.  Amy, Brittney, Chris, Janet, John, Blake, Mike, Mitch, Brian, and Anneliese were all there.  It is a great place to go because they have cheeseburgers.  And they're good cheeseburgers.  I got one and loved it until it was over, when I felt like a sloth that should go into hibernation.  Janet and Brittney made an awesome cake that was delicious in taste and inappropriate in shape, and that was good and extra fatty too.  Also, everyone gave me the cutest presents!  Anneliese gave me an awesome Hello Kitty laptop case, and John and Janet gave me a Hello Kitty tee shirt.  Brittney gave me some beautiful incense in a cute bag, and Amy gave me some cute earrings and some nice lotion.  Mitch gave me a sweet teeshirt that says "Old Skull" on it, rad.  And Chris did such a cool thing... he had three photos that he had taken in Thailand printed in a large size.  Man, I have such awesome friends here... THANK YOU!!!!!!!  It was a great night.
           As if Anneliese wasn't already my favorite person in this country... what is happening right now is just making my birthday so much better.  We are at this hotel downtown called My Place.  We have air conditioning, TV, a shower with hot water, comfortable beds, and free internet.  Five things we never have at our place.  Oh wait, 6; it is clean.  Hahaha.  Awesome.  I am so excited to go to sleep!  Anneliese, I love you boo.  <3  Tomorrow night Kru Ying is taking me, Chris, Anneliese, On, Nan, and Gain out to eat and presumably drink a lot of wine.  Kru Ying's birthday was yesterday so she figured we have to celebrate, and who am I to argue with that.
              To everyone who wished me a happy birthday, and to everyone who worked so hard to make it a happy birthday... thank you.  I feel so incredibly blessed on this birthday.  I am so happy.  Xoxoxoxxo