The night before 30

March 26, 1984. That was my mother's due date.

Thirteen days later on April 8, through the aid of forceps, I entered the world.

So here we are: the eve of a decade change for moi. 30. Being an avid blog reader I've been reading turning-thirty posts for years (what does this say about my generation?)....and now it's my turn.

they got me birthday cups/swag!

Thirty had always seemed far away until all of a sudden it wasn't. When Jonathan started medical school, I would think to myself, "I will be thirty when he graduates." ie, that is so far away still. And here we are by gosh. Graduation is staring us in the face and so is the completion of my third decade on the earth.

Honestly I don't really care too much? I don't want to be 20 anymore. I know who I am. I don't need to be the youngest, or the skinniest, or the prettiest, or the richest. I'm over all the "-est"s in a lot of ways. I love the life that my husband and I have made together.

My twenties were for learning how to be an adult, how to be a wife, how to become a mother. I suppose I'll spend the rest of my life learning those things, but maybe without so many growing pains? I've had jobs I hated and learned how to be resourceful and move on. I've budgeted vacation days. I've learned (sort of) how to cook. I've learned how to get life insurance. I've GC'd a home renovation. I've gotten up every day and gone to work. I've grieved: loss of a dear friend and a close grandparent, mourned the loss of a pregnancy, had a major health scare with Jules. We've celebrated the birth of two healthy children, success at work, sold our first place and bought our first house, celebrated accomplishments, deepened friendships and made new ones.

Though not handling everything always so gracefully, I do recognize God's kindness to me in it all. This is something Im always learning too--it's all just grace upon grace.

I'm excited to be thirty (besides, Jonathan has been doing a great job blazing the trail, for several years now :) ).

It seems like the best years are ahead. Let's go.