And a decade draws to a close...

Well, this is it. My last day in my 20's. My last day to be a twenty-something. In reality, I know I won't wake up tomorrow feeling a bit older than I do today (at least I seriously doubt it) but I will embark a new year/age of my life and say goodbye to an old. Tomorrow I will turn 30, the big 3-0. I never thought it would bother me, but as I prepared for Daniel's birthday last year and especially after the festivities died down, I somehow knew this year would be hard for me, or at least not as exciting as it was for him. Remember how he was looking forward to turning 30? Weird, I know. Anyway, so this is it...I'm at the top of the hill, looking over the cliff about to take the leap. I know, I'm dramatic. The cliff really isn't 'til 40. And boy will that be tough, ha!
How will I spend my last day as 29, my last day before forever kissing my 20's goodbye? Most of it will be spent traveling. Lackluster, I know. BUT at the end of the drive is a beach vacation! So when I wake up tomorrow morning, I'll be starting my 30's with a beautiful view of the ocean (well, Gulf of Mexico anyway). Not a bad way to spend any birthday....should soften the blow a little, don't you think? The closer I get to this milestone birthday, the more I've thought about how I spent my 20's. My first thought, and I believe I stated so to Daniel: what did I accomplish in my 20's, the fun years, a whole decade of my life? I didn't discover any ancient relics, build any structures, invent a product, learn a new language or earn millions of dollars. I reflected on what I did do and reminded myself that I don't have to 'do' any of these great things by society's standards to have found success or accomplished something. So here's a few things I did do (in semi-chronological order):

• earned a Bachelor's degree after 4 years of college
• met the love of my life and married him--my best friend
• moved to another state, away from family, friends & all things familiar
• bought a house
• traveled across the country and through the ocean
• worked a variety of jobs, getting my feet wet in the world and grew up ALOT
• built a family--including two beautiful children (almost 3...missed it by just a couple months)
• discovered how to be a mommy and know what unconditional love really is
• learned how to be a stay-at-home mommy when I quit work to raise our son full time
• invented ways to keep myself and a child active all day
• learned how to live on one income
• built a new, stronger relationship with Christ
• survived many of life's road bumps- financial, spiritual, emotional and otherwise
• learned how to be a mommy to a special needs child
• discovered that the little things in life are not to be taken for granted
• shared a home and family with two lovable doggies and said goodbye to one

So maybe I didn't accomplish anything 'bucket list' worthy, but I believe building a family and pouring one's self into the loving and caring of that family is one of the most difficult, rewarding and best things a person can do with their life. Perhaps society wouldn't be impressed with how I spent my 20's, but I hope God is. I'm not exactly looking forward to turning 30, but I'm not dreading it either. One things for sure, I certainly can't complain how I'll spend my big day....sitting on a white, sandy beach, under an umbrella, with my family overlooking the great expanse of the ocean, one of God's most splendid creations.