my gifts

So I turned 28 on Saturday...another year has flown by.

Birthdays are great invitations to reflect life. I am a reflector. Can you tell? It is a gift. One of my many gifts.

So Joette got me amazing Chacos- I recommend them to everyone. Sandals that feel like running shoes. Chay surprised me with a flip down TV/CD/DVD player for the kitchen. He also framed Kenzie and Julia's hand prints- it was quite the struggle to convince Kenzie to put her hand into the tile grout and Julia is still so small she didn't want to open her hand up all the way- but that is what I love so dearly about the messy hand prints--Chay's loving effort to make it special for me. He also made me a CD of Regina - a new artist I discovered. thank you Chay. Jill made me lunch, many cards, phone calls of course, Tara made me a clock, Tami babysat, Emily got me the coolest dang measuring cups in the world, mom and dad are driving down to see me!.....thank you- I feel valued and special in people's lives.

Great gifts.

Now a gift to me from me...valuing myself.


I am trying to dive into a self actualization authentication realization phase in my life- I am searching for myself as I give and serve my life away to my family. I am wanting an overnight change. I am a true victim of instant gratification- it is chiseled into my personality and it is hard to smooth out- but I am learning slowly I suppose the simple yet difficult concept of how with "small things great things come to pass"- I have to tell myself out loud, "April, small steps...simplify...watch out don't get overwhelmed" I know there is so much for me to receive out there- more happiness, knowledge, accomplished goals, peace- I just have to take one day at a time and do the best I can.

So for my birthday I decided to reflect on my gifts as a way of inviting the spirit and being grateful to my Heavenly Father for who I am--what I am made of. I am also grateful for my faults for they too are invites to change and grow- but I dwell on those far too often and they get me down far too much so maybe later....

My gifts:

my imagination
play my feelings out on the piano
writing
analytical and critical thinker
singing
touching and holding my children often
speaking and giving talks
feel for others- words of comfort
creativity
passion for music, gospel, people, nature, children, art, truth

many more I am sure...but these seem to be pretty evident to me right now.

happy birthday to me