In my Next 30 Years

Warning: self-reflection to follow.

So, it is finally upon me.

I will be officially 30 years old in 11 hours. For most birthdays I usually agree to my birthday starting at Midnight on the 13th. This year, however, I can wait till the official hour. I have been thinking a lot about it all lately. I have gone back and forth between the ideas of "oh no, I'm so sad I'm thirty" and "no big deal, I'm still awesome:)". For myself and just for the sake of writing down my feelings at a milestone like this I'm going to share my recent emotions here. It is a pretty weird feeling that I will no longer be a "twenty-something". I truly am having a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that I attended my 10 year high school reunion 2 years ago! I wanted to record what I'm feeling right now...so then I can look back when I turn 40,50 etc. I'm sure this will probably seem hilarious then. In a lot of ways I am really excited to turn 30. In your thirties, you are truly a grown up. I know I already am one, but when you are still in your twenties it is still easy to tell yourself that you are younger than you are. Even when you are in the tail-end of the twenties...you are still in your twenties. Once you turn thirty...there's no denying you are an adult. Full on, an adult. This is a good thing.

Mostly, I am just trying to think about how young I feel, but appreciate all the wonderful things I have done and learned in my first 30 years .To quote one of my fav's Tim McGraw, "in my next 30 years", I want to do so much more. I guess I am just feeling reminiscent because I feel like this is just a great evaluation point. I feel like for me, in this particular stage of my life... starting this lifestyle and getting ready to move across the world right now is pretty great. It will help me divide my life into sections that round out nicely. Pre-30 life until FSO. Post-30 life after FSO. I like it when things work out nicely like that:) I guess that is why I was born a "Decade Baby"!

I decided that I wanted to write down some highlights, and make a few little goals just for posterity sake. We'll see when it's all said and done what life brings... but as for now I am pretty happy with the results and the possibilities.

In my first 30 years:

-played, played, and played in dirt,trees, "the rocks", playgrounds, backyards-you name it. I feel like I had a fun childhood.

-learned to drive, and got my licsence

-graduated from high school

-attended and graduated from BYU with my Bachelor's degree

-met my fabulous hubby and got married

-went to Europe for the first time, and multiple wonderful trips since

-had two beautiful children

-had two corresponding and only surgeries thus far of my life

-lived in 15 different homes in 4 different states

-drove on nearly every square mile of I-80 from literally coast to coast except a 40 mile stretch in Indiana

-went to Madagascar and La Reunion-truly a trip of a lifetime

-made many AMAZING friends that now live in nearly 20 different states and soon to be 10+ different countries

-made mistakes, cried, regretted things

-was proud of myself, happy, and laughed A LOT.

-learned I DO NOT like to be upside down on any amusement park rides

-ate a lot of licorice

-had way to many other awesome experiences to even write down. In thinking about all the many things I could add to the list, one thing is clear. I have been very, very blessed. I am in awe. How thankful I am for all the amazing experiences and people that have made my life so rich.

In my next 30 years:

-want to visit all the places on my top 25 list. There are some good ones... I won't bore you with the list in this post. maybe another time though.

- want to finish building our family

-learn to make bread (yup, I'm pathetic. can't do it)

-brush up on my piano skills

-be a better friend and sister

-be the best mother and wife I can be

-read more books

-ACTUALLY LEARN FRENCH!!-also, hope to learn several other languages too

-make it through a FSO career without too much turbulence. yup. not my favorite thing. I'm praying for many good flights:)

-take Noah to a KU game

-buy a house one day

-take my kids to DisneyWorld

-make a quilt for every country that we live in

-enjoy the traditions that we have made so far in our family, and pass them on to our children.

-watch my children grow up, get married and hopefully give us some grandchildren!

ok. that is enough of my thinking for one night. I just felt like I wanted to write something. To have something to remind me of this milestone in life. that's all. I'm done. If you made it through, thank you for reading.