Happy 44th Birthday, Natasha!

For this year's birthday post for Natasha, I decided to do something a little more numerically oriented, in honour of her 44th birthday. I've picked two sets of four topics that celebrate Natasha's gifts and convey some highlights from the year.

So, the first four topics will share some of Natasha's qualities and interests that are quintessentially "her." Regular blog readers likely won't be surprised in the least by these photos, but they capture things from the past year that she loves, and I wish her much more of these in the year to come.

A deep, abiding love for flowers and gardening

A fervent passion for baseball, especially the Toronto Blue Jays

A love of books, including participation in two 24-hour read-a-thons.

Last, but certainly not least, her love for her family, both near and far.

The second set of photos, meanwhile, convey some of Natasha' perhaps lesser-known gifts. These are things that pop up unexpectedly, or are part of everyday life, but are also well worth celebrating.

A spirit of adventure, which has led her up a rock-climbing wall, down the Grand River in a canoe, and across a frozen lake on snowshoes.

   

An interest in our local history, which has resulted in her adopting the role of unofficial tour guide for our family's walks around our neighbourhood (and beyond...) in Kitchener-Waterloo.

   

A sense of craft-y vision and creativity that has enabled her to create coin collages, cupcake cakes, and pillows made from rally towels, to list a few of her projects.

   

Finally, a spirit of spontaneity and fun that emerges and often has us creating a new family celebration, or heading off on some new adventure.

Natasha, here's wishing you a wonderful 44th birthday, and a fantastic year ahead!