36 Birthday Moments of Gratitude

Friday is my birthday and I am excited! I truly believe that there are good things in store for this coming year and that healing and many answers to prayers are on their way! I am excited to see what the Lord has planned for this coming year!

I have shared in the past that while I know some people reflect on the past year during New Years I have always looked back on my "new years" in two different ways: (1) at the start of a new school year and (2) on my birthday. 

As I approach my 37th birthday on Friday, I look back on thirty-six with so much thankfulness and gratitude from the past year. While I could list hundreds of blessings from this past year I wanted to share thirty-six moments of extreme gratitude that stand out to my heart from this past year (in no particular order).

one: the amazing generosity and kindness of so many people that have walked this journey with me and continue to stand by my side. Truly I am incredibly blessed. 

two: being protected from the blood clot that was unexpectedly found a few days before my birthday and the miraculous removal of the clot

three: the start of the fourth spring

four: visiting the Mother Cabrini Shrine and discovering more about this beautiful woman who said, "I will go anywhere and do anything in order to communicate the love of Jesus to those who do not know Him or have forgotten Him."

five: Learning the beautiful truth of celebrating ordinary accomplishments

six: The joy of celebrating old-fashioned Sundays

seven: these two beautiful people that sacrifice every single day in so many hundreds of ways...to not only help me get better but for the ability to bring joy and laughter to each difficult day. 

eight: Seeing the Lord answer some intensely private prayer requests 

nine: visiting the Wildflower Loop Trail at the Desert Botanical Garden in Arizona

ten: for precious friends who have walked this long journey with me and continue to pour out their love each and every day... sharing continuous grace upon grace onto my life

eleven: Path of Hope Book Release in April! 

twelve: the beauty that comes with forgiveness and making peace with the fact that while some friendships change, shift, and end there are the friendships that grow so deep that you could never have imagined life without them.

thirteen: learning in new ways that the Lord meets us in faraway places

fourteen: a successful port placement of #courtneytheportney 

fifteen: visiting Muir Woods and Cathedral Grove

sixteen: starting treatment round #3 and then treatment round #4

seventeen: remembering so many precious memories the day before December Caravan was released

eighteen: seeing Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe

nineteen: visiting Golden Gate Bridge North Observation Tower

twenty: the Cloudsplitter Gondola Ride that swept me away in its beauty

twenty-one: the engagement party at the camp this summer

twenty-two: for the release of December Caravan, the book that taught me so much

twenty-three: attending the Hearties Family Reunion with my Mom

twenty-four: writing on this little space for FOUR years (!!) It has been so lovely to connect with so many people, develop deep and lasting friendships, and to grow in this community

twenty-five: a grandmother who prays and prays and prays... and prays... and prays.... 

twenty-six: spending a day at Disney with friends

twenty-seven: spending a day at Disney with Emily

twenty-eight: the entire Disney Dream Cruise ... absolutely AMAZING (and visiting Castaway Cay and our exciting port adventure at Atlantis) 

twenty-nine: thoughts on starting the 5th fall

thirty: the opportunity to speak on writing and marketing for Indie Author Day and speaking in Phoenix, Arizona on Lyme Disease

thirty-one: attending a dear friends wedding

thirty-two: learning personally the truth of the Lord giving strength for each day...for every battle... and for this fight for my health.

thirty-three: traveling with my parents on their first cruise and returning to Coco Cay 

thirty-four: having so many new adventures

thirty-five: starting a new season in this Lyme Disease journey

thirty-six: learning that the Lord has a plan beyond my own little imagination.

2016 alone brought so many different, unique, and precious memories that I shared about HERE which I am also so incredibly grateful for! 

Thank you so much to all of you who have made this past year such a blessing! I am so thankful for each of you in my life! Thank you again!