another year older!
yesterday i celebrated another sweet, sweet year of life! the day was spent with family & friends enjoying homemade cake, opening gifts, eating waffles & sushi & then sweet crepes, working with amazing kiddos out in the school garden, making a stop at the thrift store & simply savoring this precious day of life.
i am writing this blog post mostly for me, although perhaps you will get a kick out of it, too.
i started this blog in september of 2008. luke & i were freshly dating. we had just started our second year of college & we were smitten with one another. we lived in columbia, missouri. fast forward five years, we are married & we adore one another. we love & understand each other more now than we ever could have imagined. we live in luke’s hometown in arkansas. i am still writing here.
i absolutely love this space because it serves as my life journal. it doesn’t include my fights with luke or the gritty details of our arguments. it doesn’t include a lot of life’s frustrations or the day-to-day heaviness. but it does include our wedding, our graduation from college, our gardens sprinkled here & there, our losses & our gains, our growth as we moved south, & our creative adventures. it includes the magic of life.
we have a tradition of taking photos on our birthday. we were just babies when i started this space. we probably still are.
today, as i reflect on these last (almost) five years, i want to say thank you for following along on our journey. some of you have been here from the very beginning & we have formed deep friendships. thank you. it’s been an adventure & i have loved every moment.
in celebration of this year, before turning 25, i am going to complete 25 creative projects. these projects will be home projects, garden projects, sewing projects, self-care projects & anything else i might think up. this year, more than anything else, i want to make time for creating.
welcome, 25 before 25 projects!
i will share my first project on monday!
thank you all for following along! you make my days so much brighter! love to you all, sweet friends.
love,
natalie
Julia | 12th Apr 13
natalie! you are still a baby 🙂 but a beautiful, loving, giving, wise beyond your years person who i am glad to know. i know this year will be good to you and luke. i hope it brings you much joy, love, laughter, and meaningful moments. xo
Natalie Freeman | 12th Apr 13
julia, you are SO right! i am still a baby :)! so much more growing to do! so thankful to call you friend :)!
Jen | 12th Apr 13
Happy birthday to you! The year I was 24 was the year before we got married and the last 10 years are a wild blur! I love your yearly pictures – great idea. You look more beautiful each year!
Daniela B. | 12th Apr 13
You are gorgeous in the blue dress 🙂 happy birthday form Italy Natalie!!
Anonymous | 12th Apr 13
I always forget to tell you when I see you in person — I just love your blog! It's very inspiring! I won't say you're a baby, just like I won't say I'm "old" at almost 40. We should all continue to grow and create and cultivate wonder, no matter our age. Thank you for reminding me of that. 🙂 I like the "25 before 25" idea. Maybe I should try "40 before 40"! That gives me about a year and a half…better get busy! — Robyn Metzger
shari | 12th Apr 13
happy birthday, beautiful natalie! xo
amosclutchpedal | 12th Apr 13
How adorable are you guys? I love your hair. Happy birthday and here's to many more!
Kelsey W. | 12th Apr 13
I remember that haircut! Oh, goodness.
Janet | 13th Apr 13
natalie, Hello! Happy Birthday to you. 🙂 I just started reading your blog a few weeks ago and just love your sweet little space. I started my own blog this past August. I also just started following you on instagram. I go by magnoliawind. I have tried emailing you, but, my computer does not work right, quite a bit. Please send me your email, so I can try again. Maybe I was typing in the wrong one. My email is: janscar692@gmail.com and my blog is raindropsaresweet.blogspot.com . I hope that you are enjoying your weekend. Take care and I hope to hear from you soon. Janet Scarborough
Chelsea | 14th Apr 13
Thank you for sharing your beautiful life with us, Natalie! Checking up on your Instagram and blog is part of my daily routine. It's an everyday treat 🙂
abby | 16th Apr 13
I missed this post! (Another) happy birthday Natalie! The world is lucky to have you in it. You are such a light. xo
Anonymous | 5th Sep 14
Hello, Natalie!
I like to go through your archives, both Instagram and on your blog, for a colorful pick-me-up. Your home and farm are familiar, cozy, inspiring. Lately with more tumultuous stories on the news than normal, I've been feeling a little down and found myself coming to your online spaces for color and fresh air. It (and lots and lots of walks outside) really helped me get back to feeling centered and hopeful. Thank you for that.
When reading this one, I found that we were born just hours apart–I was born on the 10th, just barely. Little spring babies. And I live in Fayetteville, too! 🙂 I always hope to see you around town somewhere to thank you for providing me with so much house and farm eye candy. It gives me lots to look forward to for after we finish school and can settle in to our own little plot of land and rhythm of working it.
Thanks for sharing your lovely space and your lovely heart,
Jo Farmer