12.07.2010

On Birthdays...

bunting from toast spotted via ink + wit...

I'm an awfully big fan of them, and it just so happens that today is mine...

I always feel different on my birthday, even if I'm sitting at work on an 8(!) hour conference call, things feel somehow, well shifted. Maybe it's some sort of cosmic thing (not to sound too flaky), maybe it's all in my head, but either way, things feel special.

Here's the thing...most of my life has been spent looking forward to the next birthday, wanting to be older...I always had this sense that adults had more fun, and I have to say, I was right, I love being a "grown-up".

But now I want to freeze time a bit. I love where we are in our lives; I love having a seven and a three-year-old... in Audrey's wise words, "it's hard but exciting."

So I'm going to really try (with all of you as my witnesses) to use this birthday as a formal commitment to truly notice and enjoy and savor the small details...and to be profoundly grateful that I get to enjoy another year of this grand adventure called life.

51 comments:

Lovin That! said...

Happy Birthday!! Hope you have the most wonderful day ahead :-)

mb said...

Happy Birthday Joslyn. Hope you are pampered and treated like a princess.

mb from Dallas

Chelsea said...

beautifully said. happy birthday, joslyn!

torrie said...

Happy birthday Joslyn!!
As Chelsea commented... perfectly put:).

Simply Mel {Reverie} said...

Happy, Happy Birthday to you, Joslyn!

May the simple wonders of life continue to make you smile forever and always ~

Ashley said...

Happy Birthday, Joslyn! I can see why you would want to stop and savor... it looks like you have a lot of lovely people around you! I hope today is the start of a beautiful year. xo

allison said...

beautifully said! happy birthday- hope it's filled with laughter and joy:)

avdesign
http://www.allisonviegerdesign.com/

LobotoME said...

Happy Birthday!! Best wishes for many more happy, healthy & lovely years to come... xo

Unknown said...

happy birthday love - and it's the SMALL things in life that make life so special - alot of the times we miss them and it takes something big for us to realize them - glad ur looking @ the small!

*kiss kiss*
Erika
~Tiptoe Butterfly~

Kristie said...

Happy Birthday! You are wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Have a wonderful birthday!

Ariel Gordon said...

Happy Birthday lovely!!

Unknown said...

A birthday means different things in a woman's life....my 30th was filled with stress....and the decade afterward too...my 40th was a relief....and much of the following decade...my 50th, well I would have to say "heaven", very little concern with the opinion of others, children are self=sufficient, and I am with the love of my life....hope your day is good...smiles.

misshannie said...

Happy Birthday!

I hope you enjoy spending some time appreciating the little things - I'm sure you'll have a lovely day.

Much love, Hannie
xxxx

http://teaandbiscuits13.blogspot.com

Kate said...

Happy Birthday! I also love birthdays and I actually love them even more since becoming a mother. As selfish as it sounds, I enjoy having that day that is all about me! :) My daughter is at the age where she really enjoys making it special for me too, so it's double wonderful. Have a great day!

What in the world do you do during an 8 hour call? I'm assuming it's some sort of training?

Kate said...

Oh and I always wanted to be older. Not really to do more things, just because I knew I would love being an adult and I was right...I do!

Loui♥ said...

hi Joslyn..
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
you share the day with my adored younger sis!
as we both are older, and because as a child, all presents for her day were" this can be for both your birthday AND Christmas", we do no celebrating until after her birthday! Then all festivities for Christmas reign. But as I said, we are both older, and there is just too much birthday to contain into a mere 24 hours! Once "senior" status is attained, one gets the luxury of celebrating for an entire month!!!
love it!! warmest BIRTHDAY hugs!!
Loui♥

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday Joslyn! I hope you enjoy all the little things today (and this year). Your blog is one of my favorite little things. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and finds. Have a lovely day.

Debbie Carlos said...

Happy Birthday Joslyn! Have the best day ever!

betty said...

Happy happy birthday! What a lovely philosophy to kick off the next year with!

Mary said...

happy birthday!!! we have the same one -- and i have so many of the same feelings as you today: http://tulipsandflightsuits.squarespace.com/tulips-flight-suits/2010/12/7/its-my-birthday.html
enjoy it! xo

Rachel said...

Happy birthday! And yes, slow down, savor, enjoy. Years pass too quickly!

Anonymous said...

happy, happy birthday!

Unknown said...

Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday!!! I'm sure your wonderful family will be making the day so special for you ;) xoxo
ps - on a silly astrology note (which I love) I knew if you weren't a Leo than you must be a Sag - yeah for fire signs!

Engracia said...

Happy Birthday may you enjoy all your days as much as you are enjoying your day today.

Flora said...

Joyeux Anniversaire Joslyn! Thank you for sharing bits of your life with us, I love it. Have a brilliant birthday, and a whole year full of love and happiness! today's my anniversary, I started dating my husband on a 7th December :)

Mary Nevin said...

Happy Birthday!!! I hope you have a wonderful day!!!

Michelle said...

Happy Birthday! Virtual cake, virtual confeti, vertual balloons and virtual party hats to you!!!

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday Joslyn! You share it with my brother another fabulous person! Wishing you a wonderful day and some slowed down time!

Emily said...

happy birthday, girl. wishing you a bit of "stopped time" this year. and able to savor the little moments from this day on.

xoxo

Emily

Fern and Feather said...

Wishing you a happy birthday Joslyn... Something that my very 'cosmic' aunt always says in that you are the most powerful on your birthday. This is the best day to exercise your powers. Right down all of your intentions/wishes/hopes today because the cosmos are perfectly inline for YOU, TODAY.

greenbeenfood said...

enjoy & happy birthday.....things do seem different on your bday too i find...the listen to the birds & notice the dew on the grass in the morning!

Britt Kauss said...

Happy birthday, Joslyn! I hope your day is magical.

la la Lovely said...

Happy Birthday! Hope you're day is magical and the coming year is heaven sent!

Mel said...

Being an adult is a great place to be. I think about the paths that my children will have to navigate to get to the place where they can just soak in their experiences and feel comfortable in their own skin. Two words and one hurdle comes to mind. High school. Or is that supposed to be one word, dunno...either way, the more birthdays that they have, the more journeys. And I hope they find themselves as you do today. Living in the moment. Happy Birthday!

Kristen said...

Happy Birthday! I never comment, but ALWAYS read, and I hope you know how enjoyable it is to read your words. Thanks!

Heidi said...

Happy Birthday! I enjoy your blog so much, and love reading about your family life. Thanks and best of luck with keeping it simple.

JRA said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Happy Birthday to a fellow Sagittarius :)

nichole said...

Happy Birthday! I can relate to everything you said. My sons are 3 and 6, I am 38 and life could stay like this forever. ;)

girloliver said...

SO TRUE! and..HAPPY BIRTHDAY! My birthday is upon us here in the next few weeks, and I always love the way I feel on that day too. Just want to be with family and friends...At (almost) 33 (gulp!) I so look forward to this time of year and wish I could freeze it. Here's to you.

Anonymous said...

Here's wishing it was a very happy one.

Cassi said...

I'm glad I visited today. Happy Birthday!! :)

Charlotta Ward said...

Happy birthday! (belated)

Loving this picture from Habitat!

x Charlotta

Melissa Blake said...

Lovely sentiments!! :) And Happy Birthday!

About Last Weekend said...

Happy Birthday! What lovely words. It's so hard to be in the moment with kids and you have exactly captured that moment.

jora said...

I hope you had the most wonderful day, sweet lady! xo

lisa leggett said...

hope you had a lovely day.
aloha.

emma@themarionhousebook said...

Happy Birthday fellow Sagittarian. I celebrated my birthday on December 4th. Perhaps that's why we have the same taste in so many things!

The littlest said...

beautiful thoughts. have a wonderful birthday joslyn!

Caley said...

Happy late birthday! I just barely found your blog today and I love it! I love the mobiles and the dress from this post! I'll definitely be coming back!