She made sure that we had a very authentic Hawaiian feel poolside as well with decorations that included fake palm trees and beverages served in coconut shell cups instead of regular soda glasses. My parents even agreed to hire a DJ for the party so that my guests and I could spend the day dancing when we were not engaging in dance contests. The DJ even gamely hosted our Hula Hoop contest where nobody was a loser and everyone went home with great prizes and gifts. The giveaway at the party was painstakingly chosen by my mom and myself because I wanted to make sure that my party would have my personal touch.
The most memorable part of the party for me though had to be when my dad rolled out my huge birthday cake. I was surprised by the sheer size of the cake that had a Hawaiian beach motif as well. Graham crackers represented the sand on the beach and wave-shaped marshmallows simulated the waves and edible candy palm trees topped off the cake and truly made my day. I remember thinking that my birthday was never going to end. My parents had rented the pool and the area for the whole afternoon and evening so my friends and I partied like there was no tomorrow.
To this very day, I smile every time I remember that party. I grew up in a devoutly Christian family. So aside from attending regular Sunday service, my parents also made sure that I attended bible classes after service in order to strengthen my faith in the Lord. By the age of 8 though, I had come to a milestone event in our faith, I was now old enough to receive the sacrament of communion. Although I was excited about being old enough to line up to receive the symbolic body of Christ with my family members, I still felt nervous about having to attend Sunday classes which were different from the ones I used to attend.
This time, I had to attend special Sunday classes that explained the importance of communion and what my responsibilities were as a communicant. Lucky for me, my best friend was of the same age and he was able to attend the bible lessons with me.
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