Diary of a 30 year old...

Perhaps it's the fact that I have always felt a little out of my "element" as a teen and young 20something...but turning 30 last Saturday was really no big deal! :-) I'm proud to say there were no tears, no regrettable tattoos, and no time on the couch sulking at old photos of my "young" self with a bottle of wine asking pathetic questions like where did the time go or when did my life end? (Well, if I could have had a bottle of wine on my birthday...I probably would have...but you get the point!)

My sister Jessica's birthday is the day before mine...so it's always been as if we're "twins" celebrating our big days. As kids we had the two-for-one family parties where Mom would bake one cake and presents were given at the same time. As teens and adults, we often tried to get together and celebrate together when possible perhaps because it always felt so natural for us.

With my sister in Chicago and myself living near Flint...celebrating our birthdays together has been a little more difficult. But as a surprise to me, my husband came home last Thursday presenting me with a card and a polite order to pack my bags and head to the west side (my parents home) to have a girls weekend away...no husband, no toddler...just time to rest, relax, pamper, eat, and enjoy time with my mom and sister.

Honestly, my first reaction to this "surprise" from my husband was...shall we say...a surprise? I guess it felt a little weird that I wouldn't be ringing in the number 30 with my best friend amidst a romantic dinner...or see my child at all that day. But once I got over that...I made the drive out with no extra sounds like baby whining and listening to the music as loud as I liked :-)

Friday (Jessica's bday) was spent sleeping in and then shopping with her. Being almost 7 months pregnant...I didn't try on or buy anything...but instead watched my trendy, "city-girl" sister whip out that credit card faster than you could say "sale" treating herself to many classy and chic items. It was so much fun to just hang out, laugh, and discuss our family, our jobs, and our lives even for just those few hours. :-) We ended the evening stopping by our youngest brother's football game...and then out to eat with our parents.

My birthday started with the sun and almost 80 degree weather...hard to believe! Sleeping in has a whole new meaning now that I am a mom...and I took advantage of that indeed. Around 10:00, mom, Jess, and I had pedicures and manicures while drinking coffee. Following that...we stopped by local pastry shoppe for some much needed sweet treats. Our day continued with a nap and a Mary Kay facial...only to end the 30th year of my life with dinner at Tosi's with my mom, dad, littlest brother, and sister. It really was a fun weekend that was much needed!

Almond horns from Bit of Swiss...heaven!

Dinner @ Tosi's



The birthday girls!

While turning 30 hasn't made me bitter...it has made me more sentimental. Time is moving fast when you think of it...and it sometimes does feel like only yesterday I was playing Barbies, riding my purple bike, riding horses in the fair, graduating high school, entering college, getting married...pretty soon I will be saying these same things about my little guy, Noah (where's the Kleenex???)...well, not the "playing Barbie's" part I would think.

 It's amazing to me how much change happens, for better or worse, in a short decade. Just ten years ago I was a single gal entering my sophomore year of college at Western Michigan University. Fast forward 10 years...and I am a college graduate with a Master's degree, former teacher, married, mother of one with another on the way. Wow! God has definitely blessed me more than I deserve and that is enough to make me one thankful, happy 30 year old :-)