Speaking of chocolate, the cake above was a surprise from my husband (way to go, honey!). Being married to a greeting card writer is a lot of pressure. But he’s handled it quite well and just keeps getting better at holidays the more years that go by.
Those are some of my lovely friends around the table. They’re also part of my church small group. I can count on them to share laughter, tears, and cake with me anytime I need them.
(If you’re wondering why my kitchen table has a stripe down the middle it’s because this is the table my husband had as little boy. The rest of the table got a lot more use than the extension so they’re now different colors.)
To celebrate my birthday I ate—a lot. On the actual day my hubby took me to a fancy-dancy restaurant called Theo’s. I had squash bisque, pork with pears, and yummy dessert. My coworkers brought me my favorite doughnuts for breakfast (long-johns!) and then took me out to lunch at a local café too. We also shared some tasty food with friends over the weekend. And my parents sent me an edible arrangement. All in all, I was quite spoiled.
So I’m starting off my 31st year feeling full in more ways than one. I was a bit sad to see 30 go. It was an eventful year. One of my cards won “Card of the Year” at the Louie Awards in New York City, I wrote my first full-length book (more about that later!), I started my counseling internship, and I made some really good memories with people I love.
I wonder what 31 will hold but I don’t mind getting older. I’ve got some grandparents living life to the fullest and they’ve made me realize that life is all about finishing well. Writers and counseling interns also get taken a bit more seriously when they’ve got a few more years on their side. I’m in the weird in-between space right now where the college kids at the bookstore call me “Ma’am” and some of my counseling clients say, “You’re just a baby!”
There’s a verse I love that says, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter until the full light of day” (Proverbs 4:18 NIV). I believe with every year our candles shine a little brighter…and we can too.
