I have always loved my birthday. My incredible husband always turns it into a celebration that lasts all week and makes sure I feel special and loved. If I ever have to work on my birthday I'm super grumpy about it all day long because even if hardly anyone cares about it, it is MY day! I want to be a little selfish and do things that I want to do.
This year, in the months and weeks leading up to today, I was feeling a sense of dread. Thirty. 30. 3-0. Every time someone would mention my birthday I would get a little sulky. One day I was in the car and I randomly had the realization that I have been driving for as long as I was not driving. I started crying in the car right then and there (silly, I know). But the last 15 years have seemed to go by waaay faster than the first 15. I mean, 10 years ago I was in college having the time of my life and it literally feels like it was a year ago. So much has changed in this time (for the better, of course) but it's still a reminder of how quickly time goes by. Then I think about where we'll be in 10 years when I'm turning 40...we will have teenagers! 😱
Thirty used to seem so old. I remember being in high school and some of my friends had older siblings who were in their upper 20's, approaching 30. I thought they were so grown up and had so many responsibilities. Their lives had to be so boring! It's hard to believe that's now us.
And then there was this one time (I think it was about 5 years ago) when my sister was telling us about this "old guy" who almost drowned at Point Mallard water park. I was thinking she was talking about an elderly person. When I asked how old he was she said "I don't know, like 30?" This has been a running joke in our family since. She now says that I'm not old, I'm "still ok".
We've got a few fun things on the schedule for this year's birthday. This past weekend we celebrated by having an 80's themed joint birthday party (kid free!) with my good friend Maegan whose birthday is a few weeks after mine. We had fun dressing up and spending time with some close friends.
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| Birthday girls. I love this friendship that we have found over the past couple of years |
This party was seriously so much fun to dress for! I wish that all this would come back into style! The colors, the big bows, off the shoulder shirts, the leg warmers!
{This outfit was so easy to create. I found a neon yellow tank and a blue top at Walmart for less than $5 total. (I cut the blue shirt so it would hang off the shoulder.) My silver glittery shoes are also from Walmart. I ordered pink leg warmers, jelly bracelets, and fishnet fingerless gloves from Amazon. And I found the pink star earrings, huge pink bow and a pink scrunchie at Claires. Oh and don't forget bright eye shadow, blush and hot pink lipstick! So easy!}
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| Cookie cake - our favorite! |
Tonight we're going to my favorite Mexican restaurant with my family. I'm also picking up my favorite treats this afternoon - macarons from La Rue French Macarons. I ordered pink champagne and chocolate espresso...I'm way too excited about it!
David and the girls have been incredible today. When I came downstairs this morning there were 30 pink balloons all over the kitchen with numbers on them. He wrote memorable things that have happened throughout the years on them like the year we met, going to Bama together, getting married, our first house, having babies, etc. He is always so thoughtful and loves to do things just to make me smile.
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| Boy meets girl when we were 16 |
This morning Raley was sitting in her seat eating breakfast and she randomly said "I love you, Mommy. Happy birthday!" It melts my heart when she tells me she loves me unprompted. Both girls keep coming up to me and singing happy birthday. Raley made me a cake out of blocks. Audrey keeps bringing me things and saying "happ birday to you, Mommeeeeee!"
Today has been a low-key day at home since schools were cancelled because of the storm but so far it's been a good day.
If you asked me today how I'm feeling, now that this day is finally here, I would say that I'm feeling pretty good. I've decided to embrace it. I owe a big thank you to my friend Michelle for this new perspective.
She turned 30 a couple weeks ago and I asked her how she was handling it. She said that she had been having a hard time with it leading up to it but her 11 month old nephew was recently diagnosed with cancer and it made her realize that she should be thankful for every day and every year she gets.
She is absolutely right. Our time here is not guaranteed. Our life on earth can be taken away from us in an instant. So can our quality of life. I realized I shouldn't worry about some number. I am in good health. I have an incredible family. Over the past year I have made some great new friends. I am fully capable of taking care of my children, of working, of being independent. All I can do is continue to be thankful to the Lord for blessing me in the ways that He has. Lord willing I will have another 30 or 40 or 50 years to spend with my family.
Thank you to everyone who has sent birthday wishes my way today! I'm not in my 20's anymore. I. am. 30. I'm excited to see what the next 5, 10, 30 years will bring!
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Labels: birthday, Birthday Parties, holidays, Let's Party, motherhood, party planning
