There’s no better feeling than being appreciated and loved, especially on our birthdays!

I was lucky enough to be blessed with a mother who, during my birthday month, somehow managed to turn into a professional shopper, baker, and party planner all at once…I’d go to sleep every night before my birthday, knowing exactly what to expect, and there was something truly comforting about knowing that I’d never wake up disappointed. It wasn’t even necessarily about the amazing gifts or the decorations she had spent all hours of the morning hanging up…It was the way it made me feel so seen and valued.

Isn’t that the whole point of birthdays anyway? Ensuring those we love know how grateful we are for their presence on this earth! I still remember when I first moved overseas years ago…I was completely dreading having to spend my first birthday without waking up to a room filled with balloons and the sight of the sparkling candles…But somehow, as we get older, we attempt to take some of that pressure off that special day, as we realize that it may never feel as perfect as it did when we were turning 5 or 9 or 16…But that does not mean every single person feels that way (cough, cough…me). Some people still try very hard, even if we don’t admit it, to keep that magic alive. Even at 42…