Older Than Jesus

It's official. Today I'm 34 and therefore older than Jesus. I don't mean to sound irreverent but that's what I've been thinking all week and to tell you the truth, I feel a little odd. I feel as though I've lived longer than I should and that I'm receiving a gift of life that the Savior never got.

Perhaps it's this feeling of life as a gift that has been coloring my day because it has been wonderful! And it's only 11am here.

I woke up at 6:28am (I know, not quite so wonderful) to the sound of a text on my cell phone. My BFF sent me a note (Happy Birthday squishy) which so made my morning. I set off with Carbon, our black lab, for a walk on Sandy Beach (we're terribly original with our names here) and had a nice chat with Lizzie on the phone.

I met my aunt (my mom's sister) at the beach. We've been walking together in the mornings for the last week and a half. Today was the last day we could go together as she's a teacher and starts work on Monday and leaves today for a weekend away. I have loved our walks - it's a bit like having my mom back. She too feels the loss of my mother. We have spent hours talking about family - current and ancestoral, the gospel, politics and life. We have talked about nothing. We have watched all the wildlife on the beach (seagulls, bald eagles, ravens and blue herons, jellyfish and dead chum salmon) and picked out all their footprints. We have seen mining relics and wondered at the little odd things one finds here and there on a beach.

It has been wonderful.

Upon arriving back home, I got to crawl back into my pjs and into bed and was then showered with gifts.

It's funny you know. I've heard about the 5 love languages and always paused to think about what my love language was and could never figure it out. It came to me today: it's receiving gifts. It's a bit of a heart shocker because I have always prided myself on not being materialistic but I feel loved by receiving gifts. I will say, though, that it's not a matter of money but of thought. I love it when someone brings me something that I have desperately wanted or speaks to my heart or fits me; I love to see the thought and time that someone has poured into a gift for me.

This morning my husband gave me the most perfect card I have received (I'll try and post it sometime) and then gave me a peridot (my birthstone) ring. It's perfect as I lost my ring years ago when I put it in a "safe place" while I was prego with Lulu and I have wanted a ring on my finger again. It's also perfect because it's just a peridot and so while I know he spent some money on me, I rejoice in the fact that we will not be selling our kids to pay for it.

The kids came in with breakfast in bed: scrambled eggs, milk and two pieces of toast with marionberry jam. They all had cards and presents. Lulu's was a bath scrubby that could reach my back, Quinn's was a pink (I know - I'm such a girl!) water bottle with a built in straw that hides when I twist the lid and a clip so I can take it walking and Rhys' was a box of DARK chocolate cherry cordials. It felt so good to know that they each hit on something I needed - my back is always itchy and needs to be scrubbed, I LOVE to drink water all the time especially on the go and I LOVE dark chocolate.e

Afterwards I took a hot shower which used to be one of my favorite things but over the last few months has become more of a chore than anything else. I even (it's true) have taken to only showering every other day and throwing my hair in a pony tail. (Gasp!) I know. But today I reveled in the pleasure of hot water running down my spine and through my hair. I reveled in the feeling of clean skin.

My SIL Mia brought me my birthday cake (devil's food cake with chocolate chips baked in and homemade chocolate frosting - Y.U.M.M.Y!!) and lots of birthday love. My SIL Julie called me from Oregon and we had a lovely chat.

And the day is still young.

You know those days that are just so delicious that you feel happiness, joy and goodness just oozing out of your pores? This is one of those days for me. And I'm lucky enough that it also just so happens to be my birthday.

So, thank you to all my loved ones who have sent me birthday presents, wishes, prayers, love and thoughts.

And thank you God for giving me life and more time on earth than Jesus.