It’s unimaginable to enter a brand new decade with out doing a bit of self-reflection and one factor that stored popping up in my thoughts over and over as I believed in regards to the previous 40 years of my life is how freaking fortunate I’ve been to have lived a life surrounded by a few of the absolute best folks. And I received to encompass myself with a few of the individuals who imply essentially the most to me this previous weekend which felt like all I may need for my birthday.
Friday
We made our technique to Jacksonville Seashore, Florida on Thursday and spent all of Friday with my household.
Each morning of any Florida go to with our boys should start with a lizard stroll so naturally that’s how we kicked off our Friday. Chase gave Rhett some lizard-catching classes and Rhett completely beamed with satisfaction when he caught 4 lizards in a row.
Ryder and Chase had been particularly excited to catch and launch a inexperienced anole as a result of, as Chase defined, they’re native to Florida whereas the brown anole lizards are an invasive species which might be extra aggressive and aggressive than the inexperienced anoles for meals and territory. Creature Man Chase is without end educating us enjoyable animal information!
We spent the remainder of the morning at an area park (Sunshine Park our absolute favourite in Jax Seashore) and soaked up a number of cousin time.
Friday afternoon was consumed by seashore time as a result of the tide swimming pools had been superb! The boys crammed their mini catch-and-release aquarium over and over however essentially the most stunning catch of the day occurred proper earlier than we had been prepared to go to the pool. We caught three vibrant teal jellyfish and a fast Google search and a dialog with the native seashore lifeguard taught us they had been Portuguese man o’ warfare. We discovered they’re technically not jellyish however look identical to them with lengthy, skinny tentacles full of extraordinarily painful venom.
What actually blew our minds was after we realized one of many Portuguese man o’ warfare the boys caught was nonetheless alive. The boys assumed they had been all useless however the dwelling Portuguese man o’ warfare rapidly killed and ate the 4 tiny fish in addition they had of their aquarium (it regarded like they had been being electrocuted) and consumed the opposite two Portuguese man o’ warfare, too. It was WILD. Nature is totally fascinating.
Saturday
Saturday morning Ryan and I stated goodbye to our boys and my mother and father and made our means 4.5 hours south to Boca Raton, Florida. It’s wild how a 4.5 hour drive with out children can virtually really feel like a date to us lately. We had such a good time blasting our favourite music and simply having fun with distraction-free time collectively. It’s been a very long time for the reason that two of us have left the boys for quite a lot of hours and whereas we completely love household time above every thing else, couple time is the jam and one thing we stated we have to attempt to do extra usually if potential. Excellent news: My husband continues to be nice all on his personal. Ha!
We had plans to satisfy up with associates from school and joined them on the pool the place they stunned me with a birthday cake the day earlier than the large 4-0.
All of us have plans to get collectively once more in early June to have a good time two Fortieth birthdays in our group (mine and Laurel’s) however the function of this weekend was to assist my good friend Leah and her husband Ricky on the occasion they placed on yearly to assist increase cash for the Nationwide Pediatric Most cancers Basis.
I’ve shared about Leah and Ricky’s son Theo up to now through the years on Instagram, however he was essentially the most excellent little boy who handed away following a analysis of rhabdomyosarcoma. The way in which Theo has impacted my life and a whole lot of lives is unimaginable. After I inform you Theo modified me without end, I imply it. He’s somebody I consider each single day and he altered my coronary heart and the best way I method motherhood without end. I’ll always remember Leah saying she simply needed folks to recollect her excellent son and on Saturday evening, the eating room on the Boca West Nation Membership was full of individuals who love and bear in mind Theo.
Trend Funds the Treatment is a trend and fundraising occasion for the Nationwide Pediatric Most cancers Basis that Leah and Ricky turned concerned with a number of years in the past. Following a cocktail reception and dinner, we cheered for essentially the most lovely kids battling most cancers who walked the runway in a deeply transferring trend present.
I’ve attended this occasion a number of occasions up to now however each single yr I cry and really feel essentially the most intense feelings. Tears flowed as we watched these unimaginable, resilient kids stroll the runway with the largest smiles on their faces; the little lady who walked the runway who desires to develop as much as be a mommy, the 10-year-old in remission from the liver most cancers she had as a child and now makes listening to support charms that appear to be earrings for different kids battling most cancers, the dear little boy who desires to be a cowboy in the future. Thank God for the hope of organizations like NPCF, a vetted and worthy group that works tirelessly to boost cash that’s desperately wanted for pediatric most cancers analysis.
It was an honor to attend and contribute to the occasion, an honor to assist our associates, and an honor to recollect Theo. His mother and father proceed to be the perfect mommy and daddy to their boy. If you want to assist Leah and NPCF, you could donate right here. Please know your donations are extremely wanted and so very, very appreciated.
Sunday
Following the NPCF occasion, we had been up late catching up with our associates on Saturday evening till the lodge bar closed. Regardless of a late evening, our inside alarm clocks had us awake vibrant and early on Sunday. We grabbed lattes and breakfast after which Ryan and I hit the street again to Jacksonville to spend my birthday with my household.
My mother and father not solely helped watch our boys whereas we had been away on Saturday evening however in addition they stunned me with the sweetest Fortieth-birthday themed decorations and a few enjoyable blast-from-the-past photographs, memorabilia and tasks from my childhood that had been so enjoyable to see!
A couple of favorites:
My energizer bunny Halloween costume!
And all of my faculty yearbook photographs! The boys received an enormous kick out of seeing Mother at their present ages.
After a late lunch, we made our technique to the seashore and pool the place we spent the remainder of the day till we concluded the birthday celebrations with sushi and ice cream cake, two of my favorites.
And now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t wrap up a Fortieth birthday weblog put up with out letting all of you know the way a lot you’ve impacted the previous decade and a half of my life. After I consider the largest blessings in my life, this weblog, the flexibility to attach with all of you, and the assist I’ve obtained from this group thorough my late 20s and all of my 30s is one thing I cherish greater than any of you’ll ever know. Thanks for being right here. Thanks for years of encouragement and assist. And thanks for giving me the reward exhibiting up and permitting me to do one thing I like to do each single day.
40! Are you able to consider it!?
