Amy it's your birthday! Happy birthday Amy!

Today I woke up to a call from my parents, singing happy birthday to me. Then a text from one of my best friends, followed by several other texts, calls and of course, the countless facebook greetings. Though a minor snowstorm on the east mountains threatened to ruin my day, the sun shone brightly in the west (Yet another metaphor for my life...for another day perhaps) I ate delicious Brazilian BBQ and caramel chocolate cake - served by a yummy blue-eyed Brazilian waiter ;) And I was serenaded by one of my favorite men :) All in all, it was a lovely day.

29 years... That's a long time to be alive! I feel like I am a real adult today. I know, took me long enough, right? But don't worry, I sure won't stop having fun! And I still don't feel old, I just feel like this is some sort of turning point - the last year of my twenties...

For right now, I am simply grateful to be alive, to be young (relatively), healthy and happy.

I am thankful for an incredible family - both as individuals and together. They teach me, inspire me, and love me in spite of myself. I love them more than words could ever say.

I am thankful for friends who truly care about me and want me to be happy. I am thankful for goofy looks, warm hugs, heartfelt laughs, and honest conversation. I am thankful for uplifting music to both sing and dance along to. I am thankful for good food.

For once I am not looking back over what I have accomplished in my life; I am looking forward to the possibilities of what is to come. I am enjoying all the happy little things that brighten my life right now. And I am completely inspired and strengthened, spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically, by the goodness in my life and the promised blessings that await me.

The fun part of having a birthday so close to the new year is that your resolutions overlap a little, with the new calendar year and another year in your life. I feel so good about this next year! Good things have already happened, great things are happening every day, and amazing things I cannot even fathom at this point will most certainly take my breath away. The hope I have been feeling and building on this past year has certainly filled me, and now I feel it leading me to another simple, yet elusive word.

Happiness - even as a single 29-year-old. I'm going to make this year all about the little happy things :) Hurray for another year in the adventure of life! Happy birthday to me!!