26th Birthday

Time is such a strange thing. As I sit here typing this post, I could swear to you that I just turned 25 yesterday. Instead, an entire year has gone by. So much has happened in the last year. I have seen incredible growth in so many areas of my life. Growth that has been 26 years in the making, and I find myself taken aback my the amount of gratitude for where I sit today. All of the incredible highs and unbearable lows that life may throw your way start to make more and more sense as you get older. They make you appreciate things more. They make you recognize what is worth your precious thoughts and what is not. They make you laugh a little louder, love a little deeper and see the world for all of its possibilities. As another birthday passes, I realize more and more that materials don’t mean anything. Life is all about the connections you have with those close to you and the moments you get to share with them.

A few years ago Patrick and I decided that we were no longer going to get each other gifts for special occasions, but we would instead make memories together. It is the best decision we have ever made. We spent my 24th Birthday in Punta Mita, Mexico and last year we spent my 25th exploring Big Sur. This year, for my 26th, we took the 3-hour scenic drive from San Francisco to the most breathtaking resort we have ever been to, the Heritage House Resort & Spa. Nestled into the vast Pacific Coastline of Mendocino, we spent the weekend gazing out into the endless ocean, celebrating life and the beauty it has brought into our lives.

We arrived to the resort last Friday afternoon, and as the sun went down it lit the sky with the most incredible fire sunset. The sky reflected off our large floor-to-ceiling windows that sat on the edge of the cliff, giving us front seat views to the show. We ran outside our front door and right over to the water where we took these magical photos with Anna Perevertaylo. When I found out we were going to the Heritage House Resort I begged Patrick to have pictures done with me there because the location is strait out of a dream. I wore the most beautiful Leanne Marshall gown and florals by Le Bouquet. And as the sun faded away, we went back to our charming room and cuddled up in our hammock on the back porch under the bright stars.

Yeah, 26 is looking pretty great.