2.8.24 My 33rd Birthday

My 33rd birthday was pretty wonderful. Mundane and wonderful. This was my first birthday at home since high school.

I woke up late and took my time starting my day. My friend sent me a fruit bouquet which is gonna do it for me EVERY time.

Then my neighbor took me to lunch. She also cross stitched me this incredible dandelion. She used sparkly thread and pastels. It’s kind of perfect and spectacular. She said it took her 2 weeks. Can you believe that? That someone took two weeks to make something for my birthday?

Then my older sister brought my nieces over! They brought little snack cakes and a candle, a bracelet that spells “she believed she could, and so she did” in morse code. I love it so much. I shared my fruit bouquet with the girls. They got a kick out of the grapes on a skewer. My sister said, “Are you girls eating all of aunt Gabbie’s grapes?” And I said, “You brought me cakes, I give you grapes!”

Gift-giving is my love language. I LOVE the look one someone’s face when you give them something that you just KNOW they’re gonna love. I keep a note in my phone whenever I hear someone mention something they like or want or need. Then when it’s present time, I’m not scrambling to get just anything. It feels equally amazing to receive gifts from people I love. It’s really not about price or anything else other than thought. I don’t care if it’s thrifted or handmade- actually, my favorite gifts I’ve ever been gifted were thrifted or handmade, now that I think about it.

I adore a good hand-me-down.

One of my favorite gifts I’ve ever gotten was this tiny ceramic sculpture of a mama siamese cat and her two babies sitting on a slab piece of amber. My mom found it at a thrift store. I’ll, hopefully, have it forever. I love it because I know my two siamese cats look at me as a giant siamese mama cat.

My niece bought me a heart shaped mood ring from Santa’s Lane at school this past year. I’m obsessed with it. It’s the moodiest mood ring I’ve ever had, the colors are constantly changing. The shape and size are stellar.

My sister hand burned a bookmark with my name and a scripture in it, and watercolored it. It’s my favorite bible bookmark. 

One gift I really loved this past Christmas was a sterling silver spinning ring my dad bought me with gold crosses on the spinner. Genuinely an incredibly cool piece of jewelry. I bought my dad a sterling silver spoon ring that I had engraved, so it was cool we both got each other silver rings. I’ll keep it and love it forever.

Then I went and taught a class at the YMCA. It was a super good class! A new student came, but I have regulars now :) It’s really, REALLY fulfilling. Especially when someone tells me I helped their back pain or sciatica. Thank you God for that opportunity :,) How incredible, to be able to help someone manage their pain?

I had plans to go out, but I decided to stay in and go out this weekend instead. It’s good I stayed home, because some things popped up that started to be a little stressful. I got all riled up thinking I was going to get pulled into something kinda serious. I cried a little and my friend made me feel better. It’s not a big deal, people were just trying to take advantage of me.

I went outside to take out my trash out, and on the way in, I started speaking the Word out loud. “Don’t be anxious about anything.” (Philippians 4:6-7) “Don’t worry about tomorrow, tomorrow has enough worries of its own.” (Mt 6:34) “Cast all your anxieties on the Lord, because He loves you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

I felt better. Truly, God is always so close. Everything that happens is in his control. I have nothing to worry about, God has me in any situation. 

I walked in and saw the cross-stitched dandelion on my counter, and started literally skipping and smiling. It all hit me at once, what God did for me this year. Who I am, where I am, what I am at 33.

I’m home.

Amen.