on the eve of 30

Tomorrow I turn 30 years old. I can’t believe it. I don’t think it has quite sunk in. Thirty. That’s so very, very…grown up.

In my reflective (and yes, hormonal…thank you, pregnancy) state, I have been thinking back this week to some of the best days of my first 30 years. This has been a fun little treat for me and a positive way to enter a new, big number. I thought I would share…

Days at Camp Gago (Grandparents and Grandchildren Only), a “camp” run by my grandparents for my cousins and me during the summer at a rented lake house. So much swimming, plenty of playmates, and sugar cereals!!! A kid’s dream. Yes, I was the only girl for a long time. That’s me ruining the pic with bunny ears.

Friday night football games on the dance team. Never another time like that. So much fun and freedom at 17 with so little real responsibility. Me with my best friend, Amy.

Senior prom. I felt so pretty in my dress, and I thought I was such a grown-up.

My high school graduation. I literally could not stop smiling.

Summer of 2000 at Ridge Haven. The mountains, new friends, adventures in rock climbing, ropes courses, and white-water rafting. I came back a different person.

The night Ande proposed to me on my parent’s dock. Such a wonderful, complete surprise…hence my wearing pajamas!

Our wedding day. Nerves and excitement rolled up together. A sunny but cold December day. Driving off thinking, “I can’t believe this just happened!”

A day spent kayaking in the sun at Wekiva Springs with Ande. Minus the fight we had at the beginning of the day over our super heavy kayaks and the long walk to the water, just a perfect day.

Ande’s graduation from seminary. I was so proud of him that I thought my heart would burst. This meant more to me than my own graduate school graduation. I felt like this was our degree, since we started dating weeks before he started seminary. It was a long time coming.

First night in our new (current) house after months of renovating. I could not have been more excited.

These next three pictures go together and involve the vacation Ande and I took right before we decided to become parents. It was the best trip of my life: just me and Ande, a loose agenda, and several amazing B&Bs through Massachusetts and Maine. Sigh…

In Freeport, ME. So in love with my husband.

The best food I have ever eaten. We ate there four days in a row, even extended our trip one more day because we were enjoying the food/town so much.

World’s cutest little room at our B&B in Southwest Harbor, ME.

In fact, it was on that trip that the switch was made for me somehow, and I decided (after years of putting it off), that I really wanted to become a mom.

The day I finally met my Owen.

Owen’s first birthday. This was a “we did it!” party, for me and Ande as much as for Owen. The first year of parenthood was just amazing.

First day in Ireland. So exciting. A truly beautiful day. I think all of Dublin was outside enjoying the sunshine.

Seeing U2 with Ande in Dublin. And feeling pretty sure I was pregnant again. So glad our precious babe came along with us to that concert. One of the sweetest things about sweet pea’s short life was that I got to share this night.

Random, beautiful beach day where we watched Owen really enjoy the beach. Bathing suit bottoms full of sand. Happy hearts.

Seeing O Toodles moving and kicking and growing right on track. Can’t wait to meet him/her.

Dinner with Ande last week at Circa 1922 in Wilmington, NC. Words cannot express how delicious that food was, and sharing it with my husband was even better. No picture…we forgot about the camera once we started eating!

Reflecting on the sweet days behind me makes me feel blessed and ready for my thirties. And these are just SOME of the best days so far. I’m looking forward to many more best days to come.