Thirty-Two

No big party this year. Just us, a cake from Sweet Memories Bakery (because I’m not baking my own birthday cake, pandemic or no pandemic), and the kids’ handmade cards that made me cry harder than any Hallmark commercial ever could.

Thirty-Two

Sophie drew a picture of me in scrubs with a cape, which is both accurate and mortifying. Theo’s card has seventeen dinosaurs on it because apparently that’s how you measure love when you’re five - in prehistoric reptiles. Marcus gave me this beautiful necklace that I’m never taking off, and honestly? This quiet Tuesday night birthday might be my favorite one yet.

Thirty-two feels different than I thought it would. Six months ago I was worried about turning thirty-two and having crow’s feet. Now I’m just grateful to be here, to come home every night, to hug my people. Perspective is a hell of a thing. The cake was chocolate. Obviously.