Goodbye 20s

If you asked me 10 years ago how my 20’s would go. I think it is safe to say I wouldn’t see them playing out like they did. After a weekend of birthday celebrating it is time to face the fact that my age no longer starts with a 2. You know what, I’m completely okay with that.

My life is completely different than it was 10 years ago. My friends are fairly different, my husband wasn’t even in the picture, I had expected to spend two more years in college & figuring out my way in the real world was the last thing on my mind.

10 years ago, I was a college student who had no idea what I wanted to do in life. Did I want to go to seminary? Design websites? Work in the IT field? 

I had no idea that I would wind up graduating the next year, I would start coaching gymnastics & I would meet a life long friend at the gym.

I had no idea that my college best friend would move to Texas (even if we still keep in touch), my boyfriend at the time would be long gone out of the picture, my college friends would head off and start their own lives and most of us would lose touch (aside from Facebook).

I had no idea that Microsoft Excel would become the most used program on my computer and “as seen on tv” would be a phrase I used multiple times a day.

I had no idea that I would meet my husband when I was 24. Little did I know that the guy sitting next to me at the singles table would be who I would say “I do” with two years later.

I had no idea that two short months after our wedding that we would say the hardest goodbye of my life to my dad. Our lives changed in a matter of hours & there was nothing we could do to stop it.

I had no idea that at 28 I would have a sweet little baby boy to keep us on our toes, make us laugh when we didn’t want to, snuggle us at all times and turn into the sweetest little mama’s boy.

I had no idea that running would become such a big part of my life. Not only is it an experience I get to share with my close friends, but it has changed the way I think about so much of my daily life.

I had no idea that we would buy two different houses, wind up in completely different jobs than when we met and take late night golf cart rides to the park with the little man.

The last decade has been a lot of ups and a lot of downs. I’m far from the person I was 10 years ago and I’m completely okay with it.

We celebrated this weekend in Toledo with my mom, Aunt, Uncle, cousin & his fiancee. There was the must have chocolate luscious cake from Food Town. Little man helped me tear open my presents (much faster than I could) and blow out my candles. As I look through my phone from the weekend, I realized I pretty much only took pictures of food.

Sunday was a different kind of celebration. My dad and I actually share a birthday month… actually a birthday week. I was born about two and a half hours after his 30th birthday ended. While there was a lot of birthday celebrating, there was also a lot of memories of our angel up in Heaven.

We took flowers & a balloon out to the cemetery for him. Little man doesn’t quite get it, but he did a good job helping us clean everything up a bit.

Before we hit the road back to Indiana, there was a mandatory stop at Biggby for some Caramel Apple Cider. It’s a rare Fall treat and it did not disappoint.

Even though my actual birthday fell on Monday, I had an awesome day. From an early morning run to dinner with my two favorite boys the day was filled with fun. My co-workers surprised me with toilet paper, over the hill signs and boy band pictures. I couldn’t stop laughing all day as I my 13-year-old self had Hanson hanging up in her desk. Don’t worry, that picture isn’t coming down! I was even surprised with flowers from my good friend, I can’t wait to celebrate both of our birthdays the next time I see her!

From phone calls to surprise visits at work, my friends, family & co-workers made sure I had an awesome day. My boys topped off the day with a delicious dinner at Red Lobster and some bedtime snuggles.

It was a wonderful weekend & birthday celebration but now it is officially time to say “goodbye 20s, you’ve been a decade to remember!” Cheers to 30.