To say I missed my family this year on my birthday is an understatement. This is the first year of my life that I have not had someone from my family with me on this day. It was hard.
But what was really incredible was to be able to spend the day with my extended family. My world race fam, and man did they make me feel loved, seen, pursued and extra special!!
I woke up to my girls climbing into my bed and snuggling me singing and full of joy!! I went outside to find my teammates making me pancakes. Not just any pancake, but Danielle and Christa went above and beyond and made shaped pancakes of all sorts. I was told I couldn’t eat them until I guessed what each one was. This pile of pancakes was huge and growing, I had to force Others to help me eat them all!!
I got to spend my day painting, cleaning, washing, singing, dancing and laughing at Hedges the rehab house we have been working at this month. On the way home, our van driver sang me happy birthday like they do here in Belize, it was so sweet.
The day was filled with so much fun, surprises and unconditional love. I got to FaceTime my parents which was a blessing in itself to have that option while on the race. They have been my rocks throughout this past year and I am so incredibly grateful for all they have done for me.
Later on in the night I was told to go to the kitchen area. I walked into the room where a homemade sloth piñata was hanging from the ceiling with balloons and my team waiting. (Sloths are my favorite) I could have cried I was so excited. After finding a broom stick and using my headband as a blind fold I was led to tackle the piñata. With a couple swings and then continued beating on the ground, I cracked that sucker open. This piñata was awesome. Filled with local candies, fidget spinners and a bag of Cheetos. Who could have asked for more!?
But guys it didn’t end there. Christa then brings me out a jar of PICKLES! I absolutely love pickles and was super excited. For dinner they made me Mac and cheese with hotdogs! And when they started to sing happy birthday…. they not only walked out with one pan of cheese cake, but two!!! One with a big H on it made from chocolate chips!! I don’t know how I got so lucky with these ladies but man did I feel special all day long. Thank you all for making my birthday one for the books!
And then to continue celebrating… we went on over to Caye Cauker the island of Belize to go snorkeling and relaxation. We arrived to beautiful weather and wonderful company! Floating in tubes at the local restaurant Sip N Dip, before live music and a nice burger at another place.
We woke up early for a day on the water! I got to hold a shark, touch a string ray and whiteness an eel swimming in the middle of our group! How amazing. This place is incredible. The most majestic creature I have ever seen is a swimming sea turtle! I was mesmerized and couldn’t believe my eyes!!!!
When we got back I went for a walk for some quiet time and relaxing. I stopped at the Split at the end of the island. While there I listened to music and watched the storm roll in while journaling. I took a couple shots of the storm, infatuated in the beauty that was seen in this painting by God. It got closer and closer and before I knew it I realized I probably should have already started walking back to our hostel. Welp, it was too late. The storm came fast and I found myself running into the closest restaurant. I spent the next 2 hours hiding out watching the storm, making new friends and embracing the twist in events the Lord sent me while trying to spend time with him.
Things don’t always go as planned, but this moment was beautiful and it showed me the drastic shifts, changes and fast turns life can take in the blink of an eye. Instead of dwelling that I got stuck in the rain, I decided to embrace it, take it all in, appreciating the beauty in the storm. Because some amazing things can come out of a storm! Like realizations and acceptance of where my life is compared to where I thought it would be turning 27.
I thought I would be settled down, Married thinking of kids, a home of my own, a steady job. But instead I ended a relationship, quit my job, and decided to travel the world for a year and tell people about Jesus, a man I was still trying to get to know myself. Well that took a turn.
Nowhere close to where I thought I would be and that hit me like a ton of bricks the week of my birthday. I am no longer in my early 20s… I am closer to 30 and nowhere closer to my goals and dreams. But you know what I learned in that storm?! How fast things change and that he always has a plan out of it all. If I had been where I wanted to be at 27 I would never have had the opportunity to be here on the world race. I never would have met all of these incredible people of F Squad, hosts around the world and never would have the relationship I have with the Lord that I do right now. So yes, it’s hard getting old with no plan, but man am I grateful for the unexpected. I am learning, growing, forgiving, teaching, healing, loving, helping, breaking chains, and most importantly I am LIVING.
I am forever grateful for hard birthdays that turn into amazing memories, lessons and big dreams!
Thank you to all who have been apart of my last 26 years of life and making them so wonderful. Here’s to 27 and whatever God has in store for me this next year! Living in trust, living in love and loving in trust in the Lord!
P.S
a couple days before my bday in the airport I was asked if I was a minor traveling alone….. no ma’am I turn 27 next week! Wooo aging well!
