this is thirty-nine

Today I turn thirty-nine. THIRTY-NINE! How did this happen? As I approached my last year in my thirties I found myself reflecting, re-centering, goal setting and dreaming for the future. I had planned to call this post ‘Forty Before Forty’ and share a list of things that I want to accomplish before my next birthday… things that are both big and small, some easy and some risky, things that are meaningful and some that are just for fun. But as I was writing this post, I decided to hit the pause button on my ambitions today.

You see, as I worked from upstairs in our home, there was a lot going on downstairs. I could hear the excitement in my son’s voice and his squeal of delight as he was working hard to decorate the house for my birthday. I could smell the cake that my wife was baking for me. I could feel the vibration from the pounding on the floors as my daughter jumped her way around the house. These sounds and smells reminded me of what a beautiful life I’d already been given, and of all the good and joy that surrounds me. I couldn’t help but just stop, be still and take it all in.

Don’t get me wrong… I still have my list of ‘Forty Before Forty’ and I want this last year in my thirties to be intentional, focused and disciplined… but today I added to the top of my list to live each day with joy and gratitude no matter what the day may bring.

Thirty-nine… let’s do this! We’re coming for you Forty!

These photos were taken by Katie Delorme this summer in my in-laws backyard while we shot our new online course with the team from Once Wed and If I Made! Huge thanks to Jamie and my mother in law Gail for making all of the pies, and to Cozbi for all of her creative assistance while we did this scene for the online course!

And while I chose not share my ‘Forty before Forty’ list today, I will say that one of my goals is to post 40 blog posts in the next year. Putting it out there so I can stay on track and be held accountable to it! So here is 1/40. Hope you guys follow along this year to see how this unfolds!