Adna secretly told Lex, ‘’what would be your idea in celebrating Azia’s birthday?’’ Lex answered, ‘’it falls on a Sunday, mom. If we go to the distant restaurant, for sure it is not open.’’ Adna told Lex, ‘’our visitors would be lawyers and also those who help us when we had the legal aid, our way of saying ‘’thank you’’ to them.’’ Lex told Adna, ‘’if that is so mom then we must provide them van so that we can go all together to the restaurant, it is not easy to locate and besides the retired judge is already old and it would be tiresome to drive long distance.’’ Adna replied, ‘’I know, and that would be your assignment.’’ Adna then got in touch with the restaurant owner to have their restaurant open for the occasion. She told the owner that they had been going there for many years already and to give Adna’s family a favor that the celebration of Adna’s daughter be held there. It was three weeks prior so they could not decide yet but they understood Adna. Adna was joking to the owner who was an old woman , ‘’I did not postpone the date when I gave birth to my daughter, so her birthday celebration must be on the day itself, so kindly make your restaurant available for my family and some guests.’’ Convinced with Adna’s explanation, the old woman told Adna to order the preferred foods as they would only have few staffs who be around on that day and it would be their first time to open the restaurant on a Sunday. Lex who is very good in choosing foods dictated to her mom the foods they would like to order. Adna asked the owner, ‘’is the payment needed to be given in advance?’’ She answered, ‘’no need, you live far so just give the payment on that day’’. Adna was very grateful to the old woman.

It was Lex turn to contact the driver, who would drive them to the restaurant. Lex gave the phone to her mom to talk with the driver. Adna asked him,’’ we would go out on a Sunday, are you available on that day and is it okay with your family because Sunday is a family day?’’ The driver excitedly said, ‘’yes, I would drive.’’ Many times he had been driving the family of Adna going to that restaurant and Adna would always ask him to join them for dinner and he is treated like family. Adna tried to recall one by one who would be invited on that very special occasion, Azia’s birthday. The retired judge, the lawyers, nuns, the one who helped Adna for the food during the legal and medical clinic, the church office secretary who helped in making the function room available for the legal clinic. There were more than fifteen guests listed whom Adna should call one by one . Lex told her mom, ‘’we are too many mom, how could we all sit comfortably?’’ Adna laughed, ‘’then we would ask the lawyers to use their cars going there.’’ March 17 came, early in the morning Adna was already busy cooking. She had prepared the most delicious salad made of jelly and mangoes, more delicious than ice cream. She also cooked delicious foods for their breakfast together with the whole family at home. Before Azia woke up, foods were ready. Coming from upstairs, Azia saw her mom so busy and when she came near she told her mom, ‘’so plenty of foods mom.’’ Adna replied, ‘’Happy Birthday’’, must have plenty of foods because today is your special day. Lex also went to the mall early to buy Azia’s birthday gift. Adna already prepared gifts for Azia. Adna and Al went to the mall five days before her birthday to buy her a new red dress and a nice pair of sandals. Adna then told Azia that after eating breakfast she would go to the mall to buy her a birthday cake. Azia went with Adna in buying her cake. The night before Azia’’s birthday the driver whom already said “yes, he could drive even if it is a Sunday’’ called Lex that he could not. Adna was mad as he was the very trusted driver for the family and this time with many lawyers and a retired judge. Later, it was settled, another good driver would drive them and he was more kind and respectful. Adna already expected that it is not easy to locate the restaurant. It is too private and the place looks like just a simple house in a village. No name of the restaurant is placed outside. For sure they need time to locate the place. The driver used google map as locator. The driver had been driving back and forth because Adna and Lex insisted it would be in the next street. It took time to finally reach the restaurant. The retired judge said to Adna, ‘’good that I listened to you not to bring my car, I could not find this place by myself.’’ Adna answered, ‘’judge, we had been here many times since 2014, and we still have hard time to find this place.’’ Coming in to the restaurant, the son of the old woman was waiting for them. Other visitors, Azia’s classmate with her husband and their two kids came. The eldest kid, a girl is Lex goddaughter, while the youngest son, Azia’s godson. She was the classmate of Azia in the University who used to come to Adna’s house and was amazed with the two Christmas trees. Adna with Azia one time visited their place told the older sister who is a policewoman to put a Christmas tree in their house as her younger sister loved it. The older sister promised to Adna she would place a Christmas tree in their house. Another friend came with her daughter, she is the Dean’s secretary where both Lex and Azia take up their law studies. It was not too many crowd of guests, much lesser than the twenty five guests of Al and Adna during their wedding, but the ambience of the place which was simple but so beautiful and serene, all of those who have their first time in that restaurant, including the retired judge were amazed. When foods were served, Adna who already gave foods she prepared from home to the son of the restaurant owner, asked him to join them in having dinner, ‘’I want you to join us in celebrating the birthday of my daughter.’’ The retired judge was amazed with the foods. They cannot consume the foods as it were too bounty. Adna told the manager of the restaurant to share some foods to the waiters and other staffs and too have the other foods packed for the judge to bring and other visitors too. It was a nice celebration, when they sang Azia the Birthday Song, she was so delighted. Going back home, the judge told Adna, “‘this is my first time to experience like this’’. He told Azia, ‘’ask me to come on your next birthday.’’ He told Azia, ‘’if you finish your studies and become a lawyer, I know you will be a good judge.’’ Adna and Al with the help of Lex being the older sister were so thankful to God. The best experience of their life, giving to Azia a simple yet so meaningful birthday celebration with such good influences who surround them. Thanks Be to God!

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