On Thirty

As of this past week, I have officially completed three decades of life. And I will no longer say my age starting with two as the first digit. I keep waiting for a woah moment, but nothing seems to be happening. Either I haven't been giving adequate time and space for processing this landmark, or I'm just not going to come to any dramatic conclusion.

Here are my thoughts about thirty:

First of all, the only thing that feels the strange about it is the way I used to think about thirty when I was, say, fifteen years old. Thirty was really old back then. And I distinctly remember being in elementary school and saying my mom's age as thirty-something. So maybe it is a little bit weird to reach thirty with those distant recollections surfacing.

But in practicality, it turns out there is nothing that weird about the feeling of thirty. Besides getting dizzy when swinging, peeing my pants when attempting to jump on a trampoline, and recovering less quickly from injury, I feel physically about the same as twenty. Well, maybe not entirely. At twenty I was playing volleyball at the collegiate level. But I'd actually say that I enjoy fitness more now - or at least in a different way - than I did back then. I certainly didn't anticipate running would be part of my weekly routine (ever!). Or training for my second half marathon at the age of thirty. So I'm thankful that the bodily feeling of old hasn't arrived quite yet, at least not entirely. ;)

At twenty I was months away from getting married (craziness), in school to become a teacher, just beginning the journey that would become finishing school, moving, starting my career & putting Jono through graduate school, moving more, traveling abroad, settling back in Spokane and starting a family. Whew.

At thirty I find myself approaching our ten year anniversary, with two little kids, having pressed the pause button on teaching/coaching/career for a pretty sweet life doing what I really have always wanted to do most: be a full-time mom. The days are long and there are plenty of challenging moments (plenty!!!), but I feel so incredibly blessed to be in this exact spot right now. So thirty is pretty sweet, I'd say.

As a dear friend has articulated so well, at thirty she felt comfortable in her own skin. Confident in her role as a mom and wife. Thankful for the opportunities she has with her kids. And more at peace with her strengths and gifts - as well as her weaknesses, than she did in her twenties. I want to say that the same is true for me. I know it will be a lifelong journey - letting Christ & what he says about me - be the place I find my identity. But I do feel much more okay with the ways God has made me unique than I did ten years ago. For that I am also thankful.

There is not much more to say, really. Except share a few pictures from a thirtieth birthday party a few friends threw for me a week or so ago. If I say I've been blessed as a wife and mother, I must also include that I'm blessed beyond measure in the area of friendship. I think I knew a few things about friendship at twenty, but I'm pretty sure that friendship gets even sweeter with age. 

My dear friends reserved a room for the party at a local restaurant, decorated it beautifully, made the most delicious chocolate peanut butter cake known to mankind (two of them, actually), and proceeded to surprise me by going in for a joint gift for me (an Ipad. Ridiculous and awesome, I know). I am one blessed woman.

The one behind all the planning, Carly!

So decade #4, here we go! I am sure there are all kinds a wild and wonderful, challenging and joyous things in store.