Welcoming With Open Arms

Growing up I always loved my birthdays. I would start the countdown after Valentine's Day. It was so exciting anticipating what I would get to do, what my friends would say and do and even which gift I would get.

I loved my birthday! The ENTIRE day was about me. Sounds selfish, yes, but I know I am not the only one who feels like this! I can remember my banana seat bicycle, Mexican food, waffles with TONS of peanut butter for breakfast, my pound puppy, and all the special laughs my family and friends provided. Birthdays were what life was about. Never once did I DREAD getting older. It was "fun" adding another number to my age. I remember my 10th birthday. I thought I was hot stuff being 2 hands full, two digits... I even got my ears pierced that birthday.

Once I hit my 20s my birthdays became less anticipated. Not because I dread being another year older. It is not the fact that I don't want the gifts, hugs, special food or what not. Life just happened. It all started on my 24th birthday. I was 9 months pregnant with Madison (my first) and I was miserable, HUGE and down right tired. A lot of things that were not expected happened in my extended family and celebrating just wasn't all that thrilling. That was my first year to not be enthusiastic about my age. Some how 24 seemed OLD. (That was the year I started finding those wrinkles around my eyes and my forehead.)

Since then my birthdays have come and gone with sweet hugs, kisses, snuggles and cards from my girls. Chad always found a way to surprise me and got me something extra thoughtful. But somehow my 20s were somewhat... boring. I never fit in with the 20s crowd. I was a young Master's graduate, young teacher, young when I got married and started a family. My peers my age were still out "sowing their oats" so to speak. That was just not for me. That was fine with me, but I always felt strange in my 20s. I was SO YOUNG to hang out with the 30s crowd and not cool enough to hang out with the 20s crowd.


Onto the relief. This past year I was scared as my 30th birthday approached! As it came closer I started to LIKE the idea of being 30. It was so "old" to me when Chad turned 30 (5 years ago!!!). So what changed my mind? I started thinking about how once you are 30 society almost accepts that being married with a family, content with life and not needing to go out and be wild was a good thing. (Not that I need society to be okay with my choices.) When you are 30 it is "okay" to have a mommy belly, a little extra weight and the wrinkles are a given and all tell a story.


This week someone asked me how old I was. I proudly said 30! They were shocked and then started talking about how old 30 was and how they hated when they turned 30. I just smiled and explained that I am blessed to have a healthy family, home, husband who loves me the way I am and 30 is another year wiser, not older.

This decade I plan to embrace my age. I am PROUD to be in my 30s. I do not feel old. I do not look old. (I get carded all the time!) This is my decade to become comfortable in my own skin, look to the blessing around me and thank the Lord I am here, another year wiser, with my family and friends.