30.

Well, it came and went, in one short day. But is it possible to feel changed? I don’t feel older per say -thank goodness you don’t just automatically get another wrinkle, back ache, or new problem with each birthday-but I do feel different. I have to admit, the day didn’t start off good. Despite the cute surroundings- mom and dad brought balloons and streamers-and they, including Brandon,decorated. But, I was still feeling moody about turning thirty. On the one hand, it sounds old, and I am not ready to see myself as that age. But I wonder, do you ever see yourself as the age you are? You hear older people saying how they look in the mirror only to be surprised at the person staring back at them. I would image that to be very true. And thirty,to me, always seemed like this far way age that I would reach- eventually. Hmm. But eventually is here. And about halfway through the morning I decided I have a choice. I can choose: a). to be in denial about turning 30, b). be bummed and pathetic and mourn the loss of my twenties, or c). embraced it. Most things in life we certainly cannot control, but we can control how we react to them. So, I chose to react with excitement. Okay, not completely true.  I’m not quite ready for excitement, just yet. But I am ready to embrace thirty, and that is big step for me.

I would think by age thirty, people might start to take you more seriously. And so, might I be entering into a decade where people don’t just ride me off as a young person who doesn’t know what the heck I am talking about? Is that because by thirty, people have experienced some life? Perhaps it’s this magical place where you have earned some life salt, and maybe even some wisdom, but you are not bogged down or cumbered with an aging body. Sounds like a pretty good combination to me.  I guess we’ll see…

And so, to carry on traditions-of which I am a huge fan-I was hoping to go all out for my birthday. The day was delightful, and so fun to celebrate with family, even though we are so far away from all that is familiar! The day started with Brandon making my favorite-french toast-for breakfast.  Mom and dad helped make my second favorite thing for lunch-pizza. We had that along with a present opening extravaganza! It was so so so fun.  That was followed by tasty enchiladas made by mom and dad, and they even brought in brownie mixed and they all sang happy birthday! What a fun day! And a special and unique celebration of 30. If you would ask me where I thought I would be celebrating my 30th birthday-never in a million years would I have said Haiti. Crazy! Certainly one I’ll never forget!

To keep the birthday celebrations going, we went out with some friends the next night too! We had a great time hanging out, and we even had ice cream-yum!