Happy Birthday….to myself. But not in a weird condescending way. As though not enough people have acknowledged my day of birth…because they have. I am honored and overwhelmed by the kindness of it all.

But when I say happy birthday, it’s to this new woman I am becoming. The one who sees life in more depth than ever. Whose trust in God has grown, whose happiness is flowing from within.

I have always seen the world a little differently. And for many years I felt it was a curse to be so different. I struggled, I fought against the idea of being, seeing, acting differently. But as you live the years you are given….you learn to find a peace in who you were made to be.

Each year that passes, I find…me. So I am thankful for 41 years of learning, of gaining wisdom, of making mistakes and moving on. Of being broken and gaining strength through it.

I am thankful for the clients I meet and the little pieces of people I gather and carry along with me. Pieces that make me whole. From being voted most likely to own a farm & feed store my senior year, to teaching myself photography, to becoming a wedding photographer, mom of 2 natural born kids, and heart mom to 6 exchange kids. Life has flowed and changed…….

And I for one am beyond thankful it has.

So happy birthday woman…keep growing and changing and learning….and to all my other ’80’s babies…….run forward bravely into the next year and make it the best yet!!!