30 at 30

Tomorrow I will be thirty. And I must say, I am delighted to be thirty.

But tonight I am 29 so I am going to meditate on that. It has been quite the journey to get here and thirty seems more like an award than an age. I am going to reflect on all the valleys I have stumbled in and mountains I have conquered throughout my twenties and all the life lessons I have gathered on the way. These lessons have led me to where I am now: settled and content. I am living in a place where the number thirty doesn’t resonate because I am at the beginning of a new chapter of my life. I know who I am, where I want to go and who will be by my side on the way.

I have discovered…

….that I have an addictive nature, currently being practiced on Coco-Cola Classic (p.s. I don’t intend to ever give it up).

… that I am a unique individual, similar to not one single soul on this earth. My crazy curly hair is my hair. My big nose is my nose (and by the way, I prefer “prominent”). And my small soft brown eyes are my eyes.

… that I’d rather be the person making the mistake and learning from it, than the person who judges people who make mistakes

…that love is not how someone makes you feel, but how you desire to make them feel.

… the importance of putting the marriage commitment before the wedding day

… that it is okay to “wear my heart on my sleeve”

… that being a “cup is half full” kind of girl is a practiced art.

… that whoever this Atkin’s guy is that thinks you can live without carbs is no friend of mine (* Side note, I am currently eating a baked potato and potato chips)

… that God is the author of my story, but I choose to be the narrator.

… that I love being a business owner

… that I was born to be a mommy and that is a gift.

… that reading a book and having a glass of wine will always be a perfect escape

… that being in love with someone who appreciates my goofy side makes for a more entertaining time at the bathroom sink brushing our teeth.

… that if I had to do it differently I wouldn’t be who I am.

… that I passed the age of working out to make my body look good, now I work out to eat whatever I want.

… that I want to live in a place that always smells like Bath & Body Works, Coconut and Lime Verbena

… that the greatest gift I can give to anyone is my time

… that being a blogger has been a wonderful way to try to share all the love I have

… that I am not a desk job kind of gal…enough said

… that I have no specific style and that is my style

… that I can rely on and appreciate my family

… that I know the importance of making someone feel special and loved

… that finding and embracing my purpose is much more important than being successful

… that loving myself was the first step to finding my husband

… that my parents really were right about some things

… that I prefer to wake up earlier and have a productive day than to stay out late

… that I am able to forgive myself

… that photography affects my soul

… that loving my husband in plain view is a profound statement to our children and to the people we know around us.

and
… that I am always capable of loving more