Thirty-One: Still Dreaming, Still Grateful, Still Growing
August 18: A Birthday Written in Love August 18 has always been more than a date on the calendar for me. It is the day I pause and thank God for giving me life, for bringing me into this wonderful world, and, above everything else, for blessing me with the most wonderful parents. Every birthday reminds me that my story began with them—with their love, sacrifices, prayers, and all the dreams they carried for me before I was old enough to dream for myself. For the past few years, however, my birthdays have felt a little different. I have celebrated them here in the United Kingdom, far away from my parents. Distance teaches us the true value of the ordinary things we once took for granted: hearing footsteps in our childhood home, sitting together for a simple meal, receiving a blessing in person, or waking up knowing that the people who gave us life are only a room away. A phone call can cross countries, but it cannot completely replace a hug. Still, love has its own wa...
