Before the Candle Is Lit

Four years of reflection before the next pour

In my head, I wanted to do four post to reflect on my birthday's as a countdown before my upcoming one in a few days. The last four birthday chapters have unfolded with quiet intention and have been rolling becuz OMG, I'm adding another one **DJ Khaled voice**. Since my 40's kicked off; each year arrived carrying its own emotional temperature. One marked becoming and the courage it takes to trust timing. Another focused on recalibration, naming what no longer fit and learning that release is a form of refinement. There were seasons devoted to rebuilding confidence, redefining success, and honoring growth that rarely announced itself but changed everything.

Lordie, I'm 40

These birthday posts became more than tradition. They became checkpoints. Thoughtful pauses to take inventory of who I was with cleaning my mirror, who I was becoming which continues to thrive, and what I was finally ready to leave behind in order to solidify who I am.

Forty Won

Over time, the tone shifted from searching to settling. Not settling in a lazy way. Contentment. What once centered on figuring things out matured into clarity, boundaries, and a softer sense of certainty. That evolution mirrors the journey from Balls of Beauty to The Dainty Brew.

Oooh Forty Tew

A rebrand shaped less by aesthetics and more by alignment. Less rush, more rhythm. Less proving, more presence. As I step into Forty Five, this birthday doesn’t feel like a reset. It feels like a continuation. A woman grounded in her knowing, pouring from a place that feels intentional and unforced. I'm smiling at re-reading this so ya know, lol.

Forty ThWee

If ever you needed a recap of the last four birthday's, click on the pics to take you back to that year where I celebrated the blessings of seeing another trip around the sun as we call it. I hope you can see the years that have "shaped the pour" and see progression with time. If you KNOW me, whether personally or virtually...even at a distance, you can pinpoint the differences. Thank you! Thank you for being apart of my growth.

Forty Force

So here’s to the years that stretched me, the words that held me steady, and the season ahead. Forty Five is brewing. And if the past four years taught me anything, it’s this: I don’t chase the moment anymore. I sip it n savor whatever taste comes with it-the bitter and sweet ☕✨