B.Y.O.B

Today, I am 32 years old. It's a fairly boring number, with no life changing significance to it. Except that it is another year, another opportunity for learning and growing and making memories. I often wondered growing up if I would ever reach an age where birthdays wouldn't be a big deal. When it wouldn't matter to me that I got the presents I wanted or had a big party. I think I am there. I am so blessed with loving family and friends who give me great gifts. And our sweet church family gave me a surprise party tonight. And those things were so fun. But the truth is that I truly feel so blessed that those things were just icing on the cake. I feel like this last year of my life brought with it a peace and an acceptance I hadn't known before. Peace with myself and who I'm becoming. Acceptance of hard things and extra appreciation for the good things.

Last night as Josh and I sat in the living room completely exhausted I told him I felt like I should be doing something memorable on my last night of being 31.  And then I decided my last meal as a 31 year old was memorable enough.

I made turkey meatloaf, corn on the cob and brussel sprouts. My meatloaf was so spicy we all had smoke coming out of ears, we kept squirting corn on the cob juice and the brussel sprouts....well, let's just say they didn't go over so well.......

In case you are wondering, yes, that is a bag just in case my child needed to spit out his food. Is that classy or what? Earlier in the night we had realized we were out of paper towels and napkins which was very bad since we were eating corn on the cob. Eli had grabbed a dishcloth to use (that's a big improvement, usually his shirt does just fine :), and during this exact moment that Eli was doing this Sarah says, "Will you hand me the napkin?" And for some reason that caused me to burst out in hysterical laughter.  Because here we were, eating food that caused my child to bring his own barf bag to the table and my daughter is asking for a dishcloth that at some point became a group napkin. And we just laughed. And ate brussel sprouts and spicy meatloaf. And made a memory. And I realized that somewhere along life's journey sharing a meal and some laughs with some of my favorite people is just about all I need to be  happy. Barf bags and all.