Thursday, November 13, 2014

TBT: Farewell Twenties

When Theodore finally told me happy birthday this morning, I reminded him I was getting old. With the most serious face he asked, "Are you going to die?"

Great way to start being 30.  The lady at the gym telling me she used to have my color hair before it faded didn't help either.  I have grown so used to this exact shade all my life, I don't know what I'll do if/when it fades.  It was a little tough to see the digit in my tens place change, but I'll get used to it.

We had a good celebration though.  A fun lunch in DC with daddy, and a good supper and (half) moon cake at home. Theodore was so anxious all day to show me the card he had made.  It was a train, (his part was the coal car) and Elijah even started saying "caboose" for his section.  Hearing his new little words is a gift in itself.

It seems that as I get older, birthdays have changed from only a celebration to also a time for reflection. It is so strange for me to be at this place in my life at 30. I never really thought I would be staying at home (most likely because my mother always worked so I never really thought about being a stay-at-home mom) with two boys (I pictured girls first since my family had four girls), outside of DC (though I'm open to living anywhere, it's still crazy to think of actually living anywhere but my hometown) after teaching for seven years between Delaware and Phoenix (I didn't decide to be a teacher until I was 18).  Most of the decisions I made at 18 totally shaped my twenties-mainly moving to Arizona with Brian and studying education. And my twenties turned out pretty good.  We had a lot of adventures, made it through being newlyweds, and then were lucky to have two precious boys.

As I move into my 30s, I am at a good place. I am finally settled in here with some social networks and hobbies of my own, and fitter than I was in all my twenties.  I am no longer a new mother full of questions but an experienced one with some answers and confidence to find other answers I don't have. My boys are growing and developing beautifully. My husband is in a job he enjoys and seems to be content.  And even though we're not where I'd like to be financially (no cars owned, no house, don't ask about savings), it's okay because we can get by and I'm proud I could let my husband finish his education and we could still start a family.

But I feel like we are in the calm before the storm.  Life seems almost too easy right now. I can't even guess what the next 2 years will bring, much less the next decade. Whether the next storm is me needing to go back to work, health concerns, having another newborn in the house, car trouble (well, this one is happening already-both check engine lights came on today) or perhaps moving again, I am excited (though somewhat timid) to see what the next decade brings.  It seems like life can't get better than this.  

No comments: