30

In the year leading up to yesterday, my thirtieth birthday, I spent random segments of time trying to figure out what I should get in order in my life before closing out my twenties, and what kinds of goals and ambitions I should set out for my thirties. I do not have a big list to show for my efforts. But I can see what God has done in me over the last ten years, and how faithful He's been, so I am excited to see what His grace will accomplish in my life in time yet to come.

Looking back over three decades God has given to me has made me so grateful for His goodness to me, and for the family and friends He has put in my life (some since the very beginning, and many new people along the way)--who have made these thirty years so wonderful.

My birthday itself was very nice. John wrote me a birthday card all by himself (with Adam telling him which letters to write), Adam had a nice fish meal made for our lunch, and Esther Zubot made me an amazing cake topped with chocolate frosting and (real!) M&Ms. Sam did sneak a few off the cake ahead of time, but I still let him help me blow out my candles.

In the evening after our kiddos were all in bed, Neil and Esther brought over their nifty new portable cinema (consists of a tiny projector and large white painted board for projecting a movie onto) and we watched a movie together. It's convenient that our homes are so close together that whether we sit in our living room or the Zubots, we can pretty much hear if one of the kids wakes up at either house.