What's in a Birthday?

Today is my birthday.
Yet it's as normal as a day goes. Usually a birthday is a day for you to stand out and feel special but I have no desire what so ever for that. Maybe I don't feel the need just one special day because Josh makes sure that I feel special every day (as cheesy as that might sound, I swear it's on his daily list of things to do and he's really good at it!)

Rather than just having people celebrate the mark of another year coming up in my life, I'm going to briefly describe what I'm looking forward to in this next year and give recognition to the people who have been a part of getting me to this day. I'm keeping it simple because I could write an essay if I elaborated on each person. Hopefully you know who you are, and if not, well then I'll work on getting my individual appreciations around :)
Thanks for the birthday wishes and know that I'm sending them right back at you, not necessarily in birthday form but in appreciation and love!

I'm excited for:
- finally getting to have Josh around without anticipating being separated long term

- discovering what plans lie ahead for our career paths

- developing the business we started and learning more about leadership

- spending the next 5(ish) months with the Gilchrist family

- our trip to Portugal during Josh's two week break in September :)

- house buying and getting going on our dream of community living

I'm thankful for:
- my parents who brought me into this world and did a lot to help me survive my first 18 years. I'm thankful for the relationship I can now have with them as an adult

-my sisters who I spent many many years fighting with but now we can get along and actually enjoy each other! They're both amazing people and I'm so proud of them!

-  my Carstairs friends. I was just looking at pictures of us from high school and remembering how amazing you all made my teenage years. I am so thankful to still be in touch with you (even if it's sporadic) and know that you will always always be there for me when I need a hand or a laugh :)

- my Edmonton friends and former roommates who have enriched my life so greatly in the past few
years as we journey together into adulthood. I love being able to have serious, life questioning discussions but also a whole lot of fun and more adventures than I can even begin to count!

- the families of my friends. Thanks for opening up your homes and sharing your wonderful children with me! You have been influential in my life in more ways than you'll know and I have, and will continue to, look up to you as role models (even if it's examples of what not to do ;) )

- my church family. Wow. You are the epitome of community, which isn't always perfect but constantly striving to grow while remaining open, genuine and honest. You are my family away from home!

- the adults in my life who have taken time to mentor me, listen to me, counsel me, help me job search, or simply just bake me some cookies! Thanks for showing that you care about me. Even if it is in the simplest of ways it has an enormous and lasting impact

- the youth in my life who have allowed me to hang out with them, mentor them and attempt to share some of my experiences and limited knowledge with them. They keep me young and remind me to just have fun! I feel so honored to be part of your life and I love getting to hear what you're going through and attempting to help you out in whatever ways I can!