this is thirty

A week has past since I celebrated my thirtieth birthday. It was a wonderful day. Waking up to receive a cake delivery from the man you love and your favorite girl is a great way to start a birthday. Presents in bed with both kids and cake for breakfast were the next treat of the morning.

It was my day off and my mother-in-law offered to take the kids so I had several hours free to do with as I pleased, a true luxury. It only seemed right to spend some time with my mom on my birthday because now that I'm a mother, I understand how special and significant birthdays really are, especially to the mother. We met for lunch at The Kitchen, a Wolfgang Puck concept that recently opened downtown. The food was delicious and I was so glad to have spent that time in such good company.

That evening, Todd and I enjoyed a long and relaxed meal at The Chop House then out for a drink. Again, a great meal and better company. We often spend so much time focused on the kids that it was refreshing to have an adult conversation with my husband for once. Exactly what I needed.

My birthday was just perfect and to top it off, Todd asked my friends and family members to send me birthday cards and they flooded in over the weekend. I was so happy to hear from everyone and sincerely touched that people took the time to make my day by sharing their well wishes with me.

Thirty. It sounds more significant than it feels. At the same time, I have been feeling reflective. I've been thinking about the person I am, the people who have helped mold me, the things I've done and would like to do, and the woman I want to be as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, professional, and friend. Thirty feels like an opportunity, a reason to work on those things that nag in the background, that you'll get to some day. I'm not sure exact what that will look like but I'm looking forward to jumping in. I'm feeling optimistic that thirty is going to be a good season for me, a season of growth, of confidence. This is thirty and thirty feels full of promise. Cheers.