Another Year

 On my last birthday I focused on the fact that by my next birthday I wouldn't be looking into the unknown.  It was such a hard time of transition with no apparent direction.  So this year, the deep gratitude I now feel at being settled was very present with me on my birthday.  It helped that my parents showed up on my doorstep the day before my birthday.  A surprise that never would have happened when we lived across the ocean.  It made me feel so very much at home.

My birthday itself was spent wandering the botanic gardens, watching wee boys play soccer and having dinner out with Jim at a wonderful local restaurant.

The botanic gardens here are wonderful.  Full of creative play spaces for wee ones!  I'm pretty sure that someone on staff has some Waldorf connection.

They have this large area under the ramp that goes into an amazing tree house filled with bins and bits of nature.  There are lots of signs hanging around that say 'hobbit hotel', 'gnome home', "pixie palace"... just inviting creation of the places named in the signs.  My boys had a delightful time creating!