Thirty

I guess I am growing up! I am finally 30. I actually have been looking forward to it all year-- even though I am not sure why. I have so many blessings and I feel content with many things in my life. I have so much room to progress, but this year I feel like I have finally embraced who I am and have stepped into my unique role and my unique voice in ways I have been unwilling to before. And I am grateful that it only took me 30 years to love myself enough to be different from everyone else. I am glad that I look like myself. I am glad that I have my husband, my children, my life. It is mine. No one else has one like it. Even though there are certainly things I would love to have different, I have spent a great deal of time on my knees this year asking God to give me a grateful heart. Not just gratitude that things aren't worse. Gratitude for what IS. All of it. It is still a work in progress. I still need more humility, more trust in my Savior, more selflessness, more understanding and willingness to see things from another's viewpoint. I don't pretend that I have mastered this, only that I aspire to have this attitude. To be grateful with all of my heart that my life is mine. To feel peace with both my blessings, and my trials.
Burke made me this yummy cake for my birthday. He was so cute fussing over the whole thing and working to make my day special. He is so fantastic. Seriously, I wonder how I got such a wonderful husband. So blessed!

I got a new camera! And I like it. It is not too fancy (which is good, I get intimidated by fancy)--overall a HUGE improvement :) So who knows? Maybe I will take more pictures which always helps me blog more. I just have to get in the habit of taking more pictures again!!

Here are the kids posing for me as I was trying it out!

Rebekah was seriously out of control and crazy. I have about 10 more pics of her being crazy. What a funny girl!

Of note other un-pictured highlights:

• Preston and Rebekah insisted on taking me to Chuck E. Cheese for dinner and games Friday night. It was really fun and so cute that they thought of that fun way to celebrate with me.
  
• They also helped Burke pick out my presents and they were amazingly good at not giving any direct hints. So cute & I loved sharing their excitement about birthdays!
• Beautiful New Bedroom Bedding set. I can't believe Burke and the kids picked this out themselves. I love it!
  
• Burke took me out to dinner Saturday night and then we browsed the bookstore for what seemed like hours. I love going to the bookstore without my kids!
• The primary had their first practice for our Sacrament meeting Presentation on my birthday. They were amazing. I love those children so much and even with the stress of putting this all together, I am excited to see them working so hard and sharing their developing testimonies. It is so beautiful to be with the primary children each week.