A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes

There were a lot of thoughts about wishes today as another candle flickered on a birthday cake. . .my birthday cake that welcomed me to the last year in this decade known as my thirties!  Wow!  It was an extremely busy day, but a blessed one for sure as I participated in twelve prayers for my heart, which was sponsored by an Instagram friend and the perfect way to ensure extra special blessings on myself today. It felt like the perfect gift to give myself: focused, intentional prayer.  I've come a long way in my thirties, that much is true!

Being so busy with all of my kid's things today felt like a huge blessing instead of the dread I originally felt.  A friend had recently asked me to pray for a close friend of hers: a mama of a one and four year old who had a cancer reoccurence. She is younger than me and she died yesterday.  Just like that my little pity party about not having a day that centered all about me disappeared and I made a decision to look at all these activities to do with my kiddos as the best gifts of all.

And yesterday, the big kids came over with flowers and cake and encouraged us to go out to dinner by ourselves; we might have just ran out of the door!

But I'll never tell: )

I was spoiled rotten with things I don't need but I appreciated the effort E put into choosing gifts I would love.  He is the best gift giver ever. It helps that he knows me so well.

This morning I headed to a field trip with Jonathan.  I love that at nine years old he still wants me to go.

He is such his uncle's mini-me

I might have sent out a text to my people about 11:15 for a spontaneous lunch date in downtown.  Low and behold ALL of them showed up!  I love when it happens like that--totally last minute because I cut out of the field trip a little early to relieve grandma from her babysitting duties and I got to see my friends for lunch!
Perfection.

Gymnastics followed, as did multiple pick ups, and then volleyball practice.  We rushed home to get Lene ready for her first choir concert.  A good friend took her and grandma went to watch the show.  Know what exciting thing I did?  Showered, sat in the back yard watching Janessa and Jonathan play.  Corn dogs for dinner all around.  Might not be everyone's idea of a great birthday. . .but it worked just fine for me!

Today I enter my 39th year keenly aware of the fragility of life and the fleeting moments I have with my littles.  My dream of being home with them is more than just my mere physical presence.  I want to be truly present, without distractions, and experiencing my life the way my heart longs to live it.  I'm one year closer to kicking my people pleasing self to the curb.  39 and feeling better than fine about the life I'm living and all that it entails.