Time to celebrate my 45th birthday!
A few milestone moments that made my heart happy and gratitude peak:
Early Birthday Brunch
I've had my heart set on going to a spot called Akarua, about 10 minutes up the road from us. It's a beautiful restaurant and cellar door nestled in quaint Arrowtown.
I decided to prioritize me and an experience I want to have, and declared to Doug that we'd be going there for breakfast on the Friday morning ahead of my (NZ Tuesday) birthday. We've had insanely beautiful Summer - and now Autumn - weather the past months. Friday ended up being uncharacteristically overcast and chilly, but I didn't mind one bit; it meant we had the outdoor garden virtually all to ourselves!
My breakfast dish was beyond tasty (grilled halloumi cheese, crispy bacon and poached eggs over pesto ciabatta). The whole experience, food and conversation was top-notch. I still had to work that day, but it was a fantastic treat and the "high" of a gorgeous breakfast experience carried on through the day :)
Impromptu Friends Celebration
We ended up at some close friends' place for dinner that same evening. Vanessa, Luke, Scarlett and Riley sweetly made an impromptu birthday "cake" for us of stacked donut holes and Easter chocolates. The celebration was complete with birthday banners, candles and a boisterous group sing of "Happy Birthday". How lucky are we to have such kind, fun friends!
Village Celebration
Fast forward to Sunday afternoon (still not even technically my birthday, ha!) when we invited over the "Village" (our "Tiny House" and "Lettuce farmer" neighbors) for a joint Paige + Sarah birthday gathering.
Paige and I made cake pops that afternoon to share with the Village. There were highs (we did it! they're so pretty!) and lows (1/3 of them plopped off their sticks, ha!), but in the end they were tasty (sickeningly sweet as expected) and enjoyed by all! So all in, a success.
We enjoyed nibbles, adult beverages and cake pops on a stunning afternoon. The beautiful flower bouquet picked for us by Jayne from her garden made my day. Silliness abounded with Paige, Sadie, Lani & Mika. An afternoon to bottle up & cherish, with a crew that we've so enjoyed living amidst as neighbors for the past two years. Only regret of the afternoon was not snapping a full group picture.
Birthday Eve Ride
On the afternoon eve of my NZ 45th birthday I went out for a bike ride along the lake/Kelvin Heights while the girls were in their afterschool activities. There are so many times I pinch myself at the beauty of Queenstown, and the good fortune/serendipity to find ourselves making a life here when it was never part of our plan. I soaked up all the beauty and gratitude on that bike ride. Just gorgeous.
The Big Day
My actual big day was relatively uneventful after all the lovely, celebratory moments leading up to. Normal school/work routine day, but sprinkled with thoughtful messages from family & friends, far and near. We had parent/teacher conferences for the girls at school that evening, so we grabbed takeaway food (snuggles with Sadie while we waited for the food) in town beforehand. Cozy back at home I enjoyed receiving homemade cards and wee gifts from Doogie and the girls. My heart was "happy as" as they say here.
I feel ready to embrace all that 45 has to offer. I hope for more special times ahead in NZ, connecting with dear family & friends (both in the States & sharing NZ with them) and having experiences that fill my heart/soul/well being and sharing those with people I care about. That would make for an epic year! xoxo
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