Turning 31

Friends, there are not many things that make me happier than the weather this past week. It’s been crisp and chilly, and got cold enough for a fire. This is also the most colorful time of fall, and driving the back roads just fills me with joy every time I see all the colors at once. When I say I love fall, this is the stuff I’m talking about. Even though this October has been the busiest, I've been able to find time for a bonfire, time outside, lots of walks, and the things that really make fall, fall.

All this to say, I really couldn’t have asked for a nicer birthday week. A lot of times, my birthday falls over our Indian summer, and it’s quite warm. I have a colleague who is from the South and I actually had to explain to her what an Indian summer is and her mind was blown. But this year, it was a brisk 50-something day, and I got to wear a sweater and eat soup and bread and it was amazing.

For my birthday last year, I rounded up the last decade and made a list of things I wanted to do in my 30s. This year, it was fun to look back at the last year and all the wonderful things that came with it.

For example, this year, I…

• Finished breastfeeding Will, after 11 1/2 months.

• Started attending a new church that is perfect for our family.

• Celebrated Will’s first birthday, which he absolutely hated, by the way. I learned that he can’t stand the birthday song. It’s super fun.

• Got my first professional headshot taken.

• Got COVID again.

• Celebrated my 5 year wedding anniversary with Elliot.

• Enjoyed the first year in our new home - and continued updating it.

• Planned and enjoyed our first vacation as parents without the baby.

• Hit my (unofficial) 5 years at my company and now I get more PTO, so don’t mind me when I take off random days.

• Took a family vacation with my best friend and her family - kid vacations are wild and so fun.

• Went on a lot of walks.

This past year, I started to learn what it looked like to slow down, just a little bit. I’m looking forward to slowing down a little bit more this year.

“God has the power to provide you with more than enough of every kind of grace. That way, you will have everything you need, always and in everything, to provide more than enough for every kind of good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

“Even those who live many years should take pleasure in them all.” Ecclesiastes 11:8