Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.

Welcome to 3 in 30, a podcast for moms who want to create more meaning in motherhood.

Each 30-minute episode will feature three doable takeaways for you to try at home with your family this week.

I'm your host, Rachel Nielsen. Thank you so much for being here.

Wasn't that introduction fun? Yes, today we are celebrating the fourth birthday of 3 in 30,

and that little sound bite was recorded two years ago when I taught an in-person workshop with over 100 women to celebrate this important day.

And I have to say that it cracks me up that they even broke into harmony at the end of that birthday song.

I look back on that event with so much fondness because it was the last in-person workshop I taught before the pandemic hit a few months later,

and canceled my plans for several more in-person workshops I was supposed to teach around the country that spring and summer.

I miss being together with the women in this community, and I wish that we could be together today to celebrate the podcast,

but I do have a big announcement of some opportunities to get together virtually this month, which I can't wait to tell you about.

But first, I want to tell you a story. This is a moment from my life that happened just this past week.

One day after school, I convinced the kids that we needed to get outside and go for a walk.

It was a perfect October day with a bright blue sky and golden and red leaves all around us on the trees.

Perhaps predictably, my kids were less than thrilled about this idea.

They were tired after school, understandably, and they wanted to veg out in front of the TV,

so there was lots of whining and complaining, but I heard them out the door. We tracked down socks and rollerblades and helmets,

and one of them had to run back inside to get a drink, and then as soon as she came out, the other one had to run inside to get a forgotten jacket.

And so we finally got out of the house and started making our way slowly down our street.

There was a couple of steps behind my kids because they were each on their new rollerblades, sort of scooting along, trying to get used to them,

and they were bickering loudly with each other, completely oblivious of the stunning leaves all around them I might add.

And as I watched them from behind, I suddenly felt this unexpected surge of delight and contentment just wash over me.

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