Happy birthday to me.

Today is my birthday. Thank you to everyone who sent birthday well wishes!! There was a flood of them and it was so touching! From every card I received, to every text, thank you ☺️
It’s a lovely thing to be reminded that there are so many people out there who know you and love you 😊

My crew of course gave me birthday well wishes throughout the day. Hearing Edison sing happy birthday is super duper adorable. He’s heard it a lot the last month or so, and sings it often 😂
Our morning plans to get breakfast and do some shopping was derailed due to SO MANY road closures..... thank you Richmond Marathon runner  :) But seriously, it was encouraging to see so many people running , and enjoying it! I wish I could someday get there!
When we finally made it back home, successful in at least getting my free birthday Starbucks ☕️, we ordered some really yummy Italian food from a place in our neighborhood and we all walked there. Which by the way is one of my favorite things about our new home 🥰

As we sat at home eating our lunch, I started to think about the births of all my kids and their birthdays. How it feels like such a huge deal, not just because they are another year older , but it grew me also. It opened my heart more, to give and feel more love. It grew me in confidence, that I could care for another tiny human, and it started a new journey, a new relationship with this tiny human being that I love so so much. Birthdays remind me that I was the very first touch they had earth side. That Shane and I had the honor of holding a baby, moments after they took their first breath on this earth... all their squish, warmth, and softness was shared with us. I thought of my parents , how my mom sent me a video this morning and she sang happy birthday to me🥰 I may not be tiny or fresh anymore, but I am still her child. Still my parents child. I wondered if they also had all those memories flood back to them on their kids birthdays. I hope they do. I hope they can close their eyes and see me, my sister and brother, moments old, and safe in their arms. I hope it fills their heart to have such sweet memories, while also finding joy in all our new memories. What a gift that will be, when my oldest turns 33, if I can still recall back and remember. I hope it is so, and we hold on to that😍

This birthday was really pretty fantastic. Free coffee, lunch I didn’t have to make, a cake choosen with love, dinner I didn’t have to make, a clean house, easy and sweet bedtimes... I mean, I really got everything in my list!  Shane is hard on himself and never thinks he does enough,  but it’s always enough. We spent the rest of the afternoon rearranging bedrooms.... which for me, that’s like such a fun thing!! I love to rearrange rooms. It’s not Shane’s favorite, at all, but he did it for me, because he loves me 🥰🥰☺️ And that is the best way to give a gift, with love. Also, 12 years ago on this day, Shane asked me if I would be his wife! How has it been 12 years and I love having that memory on my birthday. What was a great one!!

Thank you again for all the birthday wishes, it made me feel so so loved. Here’s to 33!! May it be my best year yet!