More eye candy

Tomorrow is my 43rd birthday, and since I'm rapidly heading towards 50 (and a potential midlife crisis), I have been reflecting deeply on my life.  Plus, my mother from Germany is visiting, and we've been talking about our past for hours every day.  There's a lot of painful stuff there, since we are processing our childhood traumas.  We are healing together.  It's so beautiful to have this new trust and love between us.  I treasure it immensely.

As I'm reflecting on my life, I feel so grateful for the growth I've experienced in my life.  I'm even grateful for the pain my Mom and I have been talking about because it has made me into the person I am.  I like that person now.  I am completely amazed at the life I have created for myself.  I feel like I am in the center of my calling!  I am doing what I love, I feel a tremendous purpose, and I am accompanied by some of the best people on the planet.

No, my life is not all roses and sunshine... Far from it.  Despite the paradise you see here on my blog, it's not always easy and gorgeous.  I do yell at my kids.  I get bone tired and bored with my chores.  My husband pisses me off sometimes.  I fall into a hole of depression for weeks when it rains every single day.

And yet.  After having lived on this planet for 43 years, the big picture of my life is filled with positivity, love, gratitude, blessings, support, friendship, and lots of bliss (just don't mention laundry right now).

One reason why I feel so grounded is where I live.  I am surrounded by mountains and wild rivers, and the ocean is only one and a half hours away. One of my blog readers calls my blog eye candy, so let me show you some more.  
I took these pictures on a trip with my Mom last week.  We drove up to Mount Baker's Artist Point and hiked around, surrounded by the grandeur and holiness of the mountains.

A few days before that trip, we showed off the mighty Skagit River to my Mom in our friend's boat.  Luke brought his fishing pole, but the fishies were shy that day.  Instead of catching fish, we caught some great pictures on camera.

We also went to Whidbey Island for two days, played at the beach, collected many crab shells that stunk up our car, and walked miles by the water while the Olympic Mountains kept watch over us in the distance.

Here are more reasons I am happy with my life: my garden and my animals, and the connection my kids have with them.  It does my soul good to spend time with four legged and winged creatures, and witness my children and their friends handle them gently and with compassion.