A wonderful 28th birthday weekend

 Hello everyone,

I have recently been given the advice about blogging that if you want to keep readers interested in your blog, you should do entries regularly. So, my goal with this blog is to write at least 2 entries month.

For this blog entry, I thought I’d give you an update on my 28th birthday.  28!! I know!! Almost 30!! My 20’s are dwindling! 

I still get excited for birthdays. A day to celebrate me! Ha! 

Honestly, I used to get a bit nervous about turning another age older . My birthday is January 8th, one week after Christmas. I used to get very excited for Christmas, and then after that, I would get nervous about turning another year older, because I wasn’t sure how people who are the age I was turning were supposed to act. Independence was something that was talked about a lot in my childhood, and I was slow to meet some of my milestones as I grew, and sometimes I feel like I didn’t measure up to others who were my age. I felt like I still had a lot of maturing to do. I still do; but after proving to myself that I could live on my own, and do really well in college, thinking about the future became very exciting! And, look at all the amazing adventures I have had since then; so many that I can fill a blog with them! Plus, after my traumatic birth experience, I feel very fortunate to be here, and have so many more years to look forward to . 

Besides, I do LOVE birthday parties ! My family and friends have always made my birthdays so fun, and #28 was no exception. 

For the past couple years, my family and I have spent my birthday up at Panorama. It’s become a new tradition, and I love it! Our Panorama Adaptive Snow Sports(PASS) program this year started today, but because I’ve skied on January 8th before, the ski coaches knew it was my birthday, so they invited me on their training day to celebrate. I felt very special. I got to be with my family, and ski with Catrien; the lady who started my ski journey with me, along with another one of my wonderful ski coaches, Nicole, and another man, Greg also skied with us, who was very nice. My sister, Natalie got to ski with us, too. It is always a magical moment when the Gibbs sisters get to ski together. It’s definitely become something we bond over, and my mom says it’s amazing to watch the two of us ski down the hill together. 

I was surprised how quickly I picked up skiing again this year. I feel that my legs are getting stronger. I have really been working on my walking lately, and building muscles in my legs like I never have before, and it is really showing with skiing. Years ago, I would get very tired standing in one position for long. Now, I feel that my stamina is building and  I’m starting to figure things out in skiing, like timing for making turns, and how much weight I need to have over my own skies when I turn. It is very exciting to experience the progress I’m making.  It’s pretty amazing! And, the friendships I have made through it all, are even more so.

After we skied together on the 8th, we all went out for birthday celebration drinks at what’s called the “T-bar”. We had so much fun together; chatting and laughing. Many of the people I have met through skiing have become true friends; who are always cheering me on, and supporting me with life in general. I am so grateful for them. I know we will be friends for life! 

I am also so grateful to my family for coming up to our condo at Panorama to celebrate with me. My mom organized it, and my aunt, Jo made all the delicious food, including a decadent chocolate cake! We were up at Panorama for two nights, and both nights we went out for great dinners. For people who live in Invermere, or around Panorama, we went to The Heliplex(Haven’t been there in ages. So glad it’s finally open again) with my aunt, and Greywolf(or The Cliffhanger Restaurant) with my mom, my sister, and sister’s boyfriend, Mitch, whose birthday was the next day. Two great restaurants.  I got some great presents, and wonderful phonecall wishes.

It was an awesome birthday weekend. I was a little sad when it ended. So much family and friend fun! 

I did have friends that hosted a belated birthday party for me yesterday, whitch, again was really fun. It was another group of friends I always enjoy spending time with, and there was homemade pizza, and cake.

I was definitely spoiled while celebrating my 28th, and I feel very loved. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead in the year to come, and promise I will do my best to keep you updated! Stay tuned!☺️

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