a day in the life of a latvian mom

Good morning!

Today is a special day because it only comes around once every four years. February 29 exists thanks to leap years, which help keep our calendars aligned with the Earth’s journey around the Sun.

But this date is special in my family for another reason.

My granddad, whom I never had the chance to meet because he passed away when my mum was only 13, had February 29 listed as his birthday in his passport.

Who writes that in a passport?

I’ve always found that a little amusing and somehow fitting. It makes him seem just a bit more mysterious and special—a man whose birthday only appeared on the calendar once every four years.

I don’t know much about him, but every time February 29 comes around, I think about that unusual date and smile.

Ilze