The Big 3-0

It's official. I have joined "The 29 Club", as a dear friend put it. Starting a new decade has not been nearly as traumatic as I thought it would be. Probably b/c I already have gray hair, wrinkles, stretch marks, and a wide assortment of delightful characteristics, none of which I can blame on baby J. But seriously, some people I know are shaking off their twenties, ready to embrace a better set of years, you know 30 is the new 20, and that is great. I love the optimism, but I leave behind a beautiful 10 yrs. They weren't always pretty, but they were beautiful and I will miss them. Here are the most memorable moments from each year:
20- lived in my first apartment with friends--Beauregard anyone?
21- graduated from Mississippi College, armed with a BA and a set of irreplaceable friends and memories
22- got my first real "i'm on salary" job--Recruiter at MC (then i thought salary was a good thing!)
23- had an incredibly fun year of friends/roommates, work and just being out on my own--even a budget seemed fun back then
24- trained for and ran the New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon with 2 very dear friends--we still talk about it like it was 6 months ago
25- moved back to Memphis, met this cute guy named Billy and got engaged
26- got married a week after my birthday to my younger man, traveled to San Francisco, became Orthodox
27- traveled to Boston and just had a fun year of married life--footloose and fancy free!
28- bought our first house in Evergreen.
29 Took an amazing out West vacation with my husband; Had my sweetest baby boy, Joseph John
So, twenties, cheers to you. Thanks for the mistakes, the regrets, the lessons, the love, the growth and the gray hair. God is good to allow all of it to work together for His plan. I'm thankful for the path traveled, but even more so for the one ahead. So, as much as I will miss you the people and circumstances that made you so truly one of a kind, I'm ready for what's next. Good thing because ready or not...I'm 30.