Thirty-seven.

Happy Mama.

I turned thirty-seven on Monday.  It's not exactly a milestone birthday, but it seems that I get a bit more nostalgic and meditative with each passing year.  In some ways, I feel like I'm just getting used to being a thirty-something and here I am, quickly approaching 40!  It turned out to be a lovely day.  I was able to connect with a dear friend and leisurely do girly things in the morning and then have lunch with her outside at a new cafe, soaking up the sun and the newly chilly breeze.  We have thankfully had a lot of rain recently, but my birthday was bright and clean and fall-like.  My husband brought a beautiful bunch of happy flowers home after school and we enjoyed an afternoon together with the kids, had a delicious dinner made by my house-helper and then a quiet night, just the two of us.  It was my kind of day.

I was talking to a friend about getting older and we both agreed that the 30s, at least for us, are when you do a lot of growing up.  My 20s were all about fun and adventure and love and new things.  The 30s have brought little kids, routine, hard work, tragedy, life changes.  I feel more grounded than I ever have in who I am, in how God has created me.  But, it has come with pain, with tears, with work, with choosing over and over again to believe the Lord and trust Him.

One thing that stands out to me from this decade is how blessed I have been by friendships.  I still have wonderful friends from my younger days, but I've been surprised by how many new, deep relationships I have been graced by in these last few years.  I don't take that for granted, especially as I am far from my home country and know that many missionaries struggle for years without good friends.  Many of these wonderful woman have come and gone and it has broken my heart each time.  But, how much more have I been able to experience God's soft and patient repair of those broken places, encouraging me to open my heart again.

What will this year have in store??