Turning thirty-four

Earlier this week, we celebrated my thirty-fourth birthday. I remember watching Thirteen Going on Thirty as a kid and thinking that thirty seemed very old, let alone any of the years beyond it. It's amazing how time and years and the Lord's work in our life change how we view things like getting older!

Birthdays as an adult, especially as a parent, are in many ways just normal days. I come to think of it as a special birthday when it's a normal day and there are sweet little moments sprinkled into it– that description fit this year's birthday to the bill.

I took the boys to do our typical raw, grass-fed jersey milk run, and then my parents called to wish me a happy birthday. Then, my friend Molly came over for coffee. She is very gifted a portrait photographer, and as part of her gift to me, she offered to take some photos of me, as well as some with the boys if they wanted to join. I absolutely love them. They were casual and spontaneous and everything that fits with the rhythm of life these days. I love that "Big Puppy" even made an appearance in some, a true picture of our little life. Thank you, Molly! I will treasure these forever.

While Finn napped after lunch, Cooper and I did some homeschool – we are doing kindergarten at home this year! So far, we are both really enjoying it. And then the boys helped me shape the dough for my birthday treat of choice, this sourdough Finnish Pulla (cardamom) bread.

For dinner, I made a whole chicken in the instant pot, using this go-to recipe, along with mashed potatoes and oven steamed carrots. After we all had some cardamom bread, Cooper and Finn gave me a card that they made (Cooper wrote it all), I teared up with happy tears, and then I snuggled my boys while they fell asleep. That evening, Nicholas and I spent time together, sharing a warm milk drink (frothed warmed raw milk, with an egg yolk, collagen, honey, and a small amount of cocoa powder), and watching the latest video on the Simple Living Alaska YouTube channel, while I did a little bit of knitting.

I received some really sweet birthday gifts this year:

• a cozy organic cotton cabled cardigan (yes, I could knit one, but that won't happen in the next decade and this one is so wonderful, I can't stop wearing it. I'm wearing it in all the photos Molly took)
• the book Everyday Crochet: The Complete Beginner's Guide by June Gilbank
• A beautiful floral ceramic bowl and some Scandinavian-esque kitchen towels
• Some delightful coffee beans from Bold Wind Roastery
• a set of 4 beautiful blue and white mugs (pictured in the photo with my latest sock project)
• A new battery-operated handheld frother
• A stainless steel milk warmer/Turkish coffee pot to use to heat/froth milk.
• Hand cream
• another 9" circular US 0 so I can knit socks at that gauge concurrently
• a meticulously compiled and assembled cookbook of "Favorite Sourdough recipes" that my friend Kathleen made for me, consisting of all our favorite sourdough and/or baking recipes, formatted and printed and bound beautifully. Another treasure!
• And of course, I don't want to be remiss in mentioning the quilt my mom made, along with some other sentimental and special gifts, as an early birthday present. We snuggle under the quilt almost daily.

So many thoughtful and useful gifts – things to use in my daily life and remind me of the friends and family who gifted them. There were messages and texts and sweet gifts and notes from friends and family, and I felt so very loved and celebrated.

At thirty-four, I am in my third trimester of this longed-for and prayed-for pregnancy (what a gift)! I am delighted by the jokes my 2.5- and 5-year-old boys tell me, the way they call me "mama," Cooper's eagerness to show me his drawings and Lego creations, Finn's way of doing "Family Roll call," especially when he's happy. I feel somewhat perpetually overwhelmed by what we'd like to accomplish before this baby arrives (and I'm coming to terms with the fact that it might not all be completed before he or she arrives). I love quiet evenings and mornings at home, and I always feel best when I eat enough protein. I am loving the routine of The Bible Recap (and learning so much from it). Knitting is very much my favorite creative activity, and one that fits fairly well into this stay-at-home mom and wife life. I love sharing a life with Nicholas, a friend and confidant, a wonderful husband, and excellent father. Between the baby kicks and sweetness of the day, I am just so thankful for this life the Lord has given me. Another year of hard things and joy, and more opportunity to see His goodness and to learn to love His nearness in all seasons.

Thank you, God!