It's Nicole's 14Th birthday. I will post photos of her big day later on our family blog. This morning at breakfast Thomas had the biggest frown on his face. You could hardly get him to sit down with us. He can not stand to watch another member of the family be celebrated. In the orphanage in Bangkok, if one kid got a party, they all did! They celebrated every ones birthday all together in one big party one time a year. It doesn't help to tell him his birthday is only one month away. He is as sour as a lemon! Sometimes cultural attitudes are impossible to change in a person. I feel the same way on my birthday. In America I had loads of friends calling me, taking me out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I did not throw a party for myself...they gave me a party. It isn't like that in Germany. Here I have to give myself a party. That's just the culture. I hate it! I hardly ever give myself a party because it just makes me feel like I have no friends. In my emotional self, if I had friends, they would invite me and I wouldn't need to invite them. I know in my mind that's just how things are in this culture...but that's not how it feels! I feel rejected on every one of my birthdays...and Thomas feels rejected too. The difference is I only feel like this on my own birthday...Thomas feels like this on everyone’s birthday except his own! Sarah wasn't happy to see us sing happy birthday to Nicole. I wonder if she ever had a birthday?