Celebrating a Birthday and Sisterhood in Utah

My baby sister Charity turned 40 last week. I love that I got to be there for her grand birthday celebration. My sisters always know how to make celebrations sentimental, and this 40th birthday was no exception. It included a special motherhood ceremony, a hike, delicious food and cookies (of course), and some pretty beautiful togetherness.

I was bursting with joy to walk up to Charity’s house after my time with my big kids and see my sisters and Mom as well as Charity’s sweet kids, exuberance filling up the house.

We took off from there to head to the first birthday celebratory event:

The Closing of the Bones

The first event of the celebration was a “closing of the bones” ceremony. It was meaningful enough that it deserves it’s own post.

For this post, here we are, ready to attend to this special motherhood bonding experience.

You can read all about our special closing of the bones experience detailed in that other post.

A Birthday Dinner and Sleepover

I always love dinner with my sisters and mom, the food appreciation, the conversation wrapping up that special ceremony, the unconditional love filling us all up.

We talked late into the night at Charity’s for a sleepover.

A Beautiful Utah Hike

Our hike was so green and beautiful it made me want to cry.

For real.

I love Utah in the summertime more than I can say, and hikes with sisters even more than that. And Mother Earth, especially following on the heels of the closing of the bones motherhood evening, cradled us so snug.

This is Primrose Overlook hike with a trailhead on the Alpine Loop for anyone who wants to pack up and head there right this minute…my suggestion is to do it! It was so very beautiful.

The view at the top took our breath away.

I felt so bathed in God’s love when we got to that incredible view, gushing waterfalls in the distance.

We were bathed in sister-love sitting on that log eating the granola and yogurt Saydi prepared and lugged up the mountain for us in her backpack.

We pampered ourselves and got facials at this new place Charity loves (K-Ari):

A Parting Lunch

When we pulled into our designated lunch spot I looked up and saw Grace’s car in the parking lot (I had no idea the lunch spot was right next to her work place where she does prenatal ultrasounds) and boy howdy did I ever jump at the chance to run in and surprise that girl.

We had lunch with my parents, filled with so much love. Especially for Charity.

Of course, as per Eyre tradition, we took turns sharing the things that we love that make her so special.

I left with an even deeper appreciation for this baby sister of mine and the beautiful life she lives. The goodness she is putting out into the world with all her passionate might, and that I get to learn from her on repeat, as we are interwoven into the fabric of motherhood/sisterhood/family glory. I am the luckiest.