Happy Birthday, Spirit

It's no secret that I was anxious about my birthday.
Part of my problem is that I don't often let myself have high expectations but once I get them...well...that's a problem.

I knew if I woke up expecting the birthday I wanted to have...or thought I was going to have a couple of months ago...the day would be full of disappointment.

And so, several days prior to my birthday, I made a decision.
I remembered the powerful message of a talk I had heard and a process I had experienced.
And I decided my birthday was going to be all about what my SPIRIT...the part of me that is eternal...the part of me who knows who she is all the time...the part of me who is most connected to God...well, I decided to do what SHE wanted to do.

Turns out...

My spirit wanted to get up early.
My spirit wanted to get on my treadmill.
She wanted to run faster (but thankfully not longer...I knew I liked her) than I've been running.
She didn't want to watch the news or listen to talk radio while I got ready for the day (THAT was interesting).
She wanted a scrambled egg for breakfast.
With broccoli.

But, my favorite part is where she wanted to go.

I love that she wanted to drive to Manti and spend the day in the temple.
Just me and her...and Him.
And that's exactly what we did.
And we stayed there, disconnected from the world, for a really long time.

And that's exactly what I needed.
And it was perfect.

It. was. perfect.

And while the flowers were a nice surprise
And the mexican dinner with friends was a great compliment
And the IronGirl interval training dvd and the Jane Austen treasury and the old-fashioned cake plate I've wanted since November and the secret emails and packages and texts from my family and the ridiculous number of facebook greetings and the iTunes gifts and the GNO FHE the night before were all gifts my little heart needed...

Tuesday was exactly what I needed.
He knew that...and so did my spirit.

And I think I might let her be in charge of my birthday more often.