Redheaded Jill

And I’m going to be a little selfish.

Birthdays are hard for me. They’ve always been hard, but especially now that I’m in my 30s and I haven’t achieved a lot of the things I thought I would have by 30. They’re also hard because I am an emotional person, and it’s the time of year that both of my grandparents passed away. So I’m thinking about them, and I’m reminiscing and I’m feeling all the things.

Well, last year was the first birthday in probably a decade that I was genuinely happy. I asked my family to help me do some chores so my dad and two of my brothers helped build me a giant garden box. They also helped clean up the chickens’ fence and cut down a bunch of brush and weeds in the yard.

This year I’m asking them to help me install my wood stove. I bought it two years ago and it’s been sitting in my garage. I do feel a little bad because they just helped me install my new kitchen floor, but that’s been on the to do list since February so… I’m still going to pull the “it’s my birthday” card and ask them for help yet again.

Another reason my birthday is hard is because I’m an introvert. I like to do things with my immediate family and a close friend or two and that’s all. Well, my birthday usually falls on labor day weekend. When people are traveling. Which has either meant, 1. nobody is in town to celebrate with me or 2. people are coming to visit and I have to share my birthday with extended family when really I just want to grill out at my parents house with my brothers and sisters and eat pumpkin cheesecake and pretend all is right with the world.

Part of what made last year so special was that I vocalized what I wanted instead of expecting my family to read my mind. Even though I still felt a little selfish I really enjoyed the quality time I got to spend with my family doing yard work and completing a project I’d needed help with for a long time.

** I don’t know about ye, but I’m almost 33!**