...and you know what? It feels good. I have had a whole year to think about how old I would be today, how old 30 sounded, what it meant to be 30....but now that I'm here, I'm kinda excited. I feel like I've earned it. I have lived a lot of life in 30 years, good life too! There are not many regrets. I know exactly who I am and I'm proud of how I got here. I'm waaaay more comfortable in my own skin than I was at 20. So, for those of you who wonder what 30 is like...it's awesome! I wouldn't trade it for anything!
Here is a list of things that I've done in the last 30 years:
Grew up with awesome parents who never told me how weird I really was!
Had many dear friends.
Went to cosmetology school.
Worked at Glamour Shots as a make-up artist and "hair-puffer-upper". Oh yeah! Remember that??
Learned sign language.
Worked the Summer camp at the Institute For Deaf and Blind, where I met so many awesome kids!
Worked at a hearing aid shop.
Attended every loud Christian concert that I could find with a car load of 13 year olds from the youth group.
Went to nursing school, made the deans list, and graduated.
Married my best friend.
Learned to be his wife.
Lived in a garage apartment.
Got a tattoo. LOL! Bet you didn't see that one coming!
Worked at Children's Hospital as a nurse, this was truly one of the most touching experiences of my life.
Found out that my first baby, Molly, was on her way!
Survived a scary and rough pregnancy for 35 weeks.
I held an angel seconds after she was born. She was 6 lbs and 11 oz and she changed my life!
Succeeded in NURSING A PREEMIE!
Came face to face with a breast pump, and WON! No big thing you say? Have you ever been attacked by one of those things? Just sayin.
Became a stay-at-home mama.
Started sewing to keep my hands busy....just a little hobby, right?
Battled with depression and WON!
Ben and I (well mostly Ben) built our home. We did everything ourselves except sheet rock and air conditioning. It took us 1 year and 3 months. We are hard core do-it-yourselfers!
Moved in. And went on bed rest pregnant with Timothy.
Lived through the week they told me that Molly may have leukemia (just 6 days before Tim was born) and had to have a bone marrow aspiration.
It wasn't leukemia, but it was another blood disease, ITP. We started treatments.
Tim was born at 36 weeks and taken from me. 7lbs and 12 oz, but he couldn't breathe.
He had to stay in the NICU for 10 days and on the fourth day I got to hold him.
On the fifth day I finally walked into the NICU without crying. It had been a rough couple of weeks.
On the sixth day I got to nurse him, he was such a good baby even though he was so sick.
Lived through having a 2 year old with ITP and a baby with asthma, for 6 months my life was steroids and breathing treatments! No sleep to be had.
Molly went into REMMISION!!! Tim got tubes in his ears and life started to feel normal again.
Bad pregnancy NUMBER 3 didn't even seem bad! I even learned to give myself all of the injections! The brethine pump was old hat. I thought I had this pregnancy thing whipped!
My sweet Madeline came into the world 7lbs and 14oz, and as healthy as a horse!
I learned to be the mother of three kids. There is a learning curve at 3.
Enjoyed, appreciated, and was grateful for THREE healthy kids!!!
Got to nurse Maddie for 2 1/2 years! I had to wean the other two at 18 months because of pregnancy, so getting to have extra time with Maddie was so sweet.
I lived through loosing or fourth baby to miscarriage.
I started a blog and an Etsy shop! This was the beginning of The Handmade Dress business!
Started making crochet patterns.
Was contacted by a distributor who wanted my stuff!!!
As a family we started moving out of that "war zone" that is having three very small children and life got easier. I started getting to sleep through the night (if I wanted to)!
Designed the Miss Molly pattern and found my niche in the sewing world!
Became a homeschooling mama, that's another learning curve!
We did the Dave Ramsey thing and Got to say "WE ARE DEBT FREE!!!"
We lost our fifth baby to miscarriage.
I learned how to accept God's will for my life.
We decided to adopt and started the process!
And here I am. 30 years old. I am all of these things. I have a wonderful family, three beautiful children here and more in an orphanage in Bulgaria, I'm still married to my best friend, we still live in the house we built with our own two hands, and I am happy. Very happy. And today I'm proud to have been the one that got to live these 30 years.
Here is a list of things that I've done in the last 30 years:
Grew up with awesome parents who never told me how weird I really was!
Had many dear friends.
Went to cosmetology school.
Worked at Glamour Shots as a make-up artist and "hair-puffer-upper". Oh yeah! Remember that??
Learned sign language.
Worked the Summer camp at the Institute For Deaf and Blind, where I met so many awesome kids!
Worked at a hearing aid shop.
Attended every loud Christian concert that I could find with a car load of 13 year olds from the youth group.
Went to nursing school, made the deans list, and graduated.
Married my best friend.
Learned to be his wife.
Lived in a garage apartment.
Got a tattoo. LOL! Bet you didn't see that one coming!
Worked at Children's Hospital as a nurse, this was truly one of the most touching experiences of my life.
Found out that my first baby, Molly, was on her way!
Survived a scary and rough pregnancy for 35 weeks.
I held an angel seconds after she was born. She was 6 lbs and 11 oz and she changed my life!
Succeeded in NURSING A PREEMIE!
Came face to face with a breast pump, and WON! No big thing you say? Have you ever been attacked by one of those things? Just sayin.
Became a stay-at-home mama.
Started sewing to keep my hands busy....just a little hobby, right?
Battled with depression and WON!
Ben and I (well mostly Ben) built our home. We did everything ourselves except sheet rock and air conditioning. It took us 1 year and 3 months. We are hard core do-it-yourselfers!
Moved in. And went on bed rest pregnant with Timothy.
Lived through the week they told me that Molly may have leukemia (just 6 days before Tim was born) and had to have a bone marrow aspiration.
It wasn't leukemia, but it was another blood disease, ITP. We started treatments.
Tim was born at 36 weeks and taken from me. 7lbs and 12 oz, but he couldn't breathe.
He had to stay in the NICU for 10 days and on the fourth day I got to hold him.
On the fifth day I finally walked into the NICU without crying. It had been a rough couple of weeks.
On the sixth day I got to nurse him, he was such a good baby even though he was so sick.
Lived through having a 2 year old with ITP and a baby with asthma, for 6 months my life was steroids and breathing treatments! No sleep to be had.
Molly went into REMMISION!!! Tim got tubes in his ears and life started to feel normal again.
Bad pregnancy NUMBER 3 didn't even seem bad! I even learned to give myself all of the injections! The brethine pump was old hat. I thought I had this pregnancy thing whipped!
My sweet Madeline came into the world 7lbs and 14oz, and as healthy as a horse!
I learned to be the mother of three kids. There is a learning curve at 3.
Enjoyed, appreciated, and was grateful for THREE healthy kids!!!
Got to nurse Maddie for 2 1/2 years! I had to wean the other two at 18 months because of pregnancy, so getting to have extra time with Maddie was so sweet.
I lived through loosing or fourth baby to miscarriage.
I started a blog and an Etsy shop! This was the beginning of The Handmade Dress business!
Started making crochet patterns.
Was contacted by a distributor who wanted my stuff!!!
As a family we started moving out of that "war zone" that is having three very small children and life got easier. I started getting to sleep through the night (if I wanted to)!
Designed the Miss Molly pattern and found my niche in the sewing world!
Became a homeschooling mama, that's another learning curve!
We did the Dave Ramsey thing and Got to say "WE ARE DEBT FREE!!!"
We lost our fifth baby to miscarriage.
I learned how to accept God's will for my life.
We decided to adopt and started the process!
And here I am. 30 years old. I am all of these things. I have a wonderful family, three beautiful children here and more in an orphanage in Bulgaria, I'm still married to my best friend, we still live in the house we built with our own two hands, and I am happy. Very happy. And today I'm proud to have been the one that got to live these 30 years.
Comments
Those are 30 wonderful years you have had. With ups and downs, but still wonderful, huh?
i am hoping to say the same when i turn 30 too. :D
www.iamonly1woman.blogspot.com
You know what??? I turned 30 on May 7-- I am exactly 5 months older than you! You know the picture of me you can see next to this post??? That was taken of me at five months on the day you were born!
I love your list!
Marlya xx
Great to read of your journey, here is to many happy memories and good times ahead!
warmly,
jenn
You have accomplished so many wonderful things and been a part of so many miracles in your life. You are a blessing to so many. I pray that God blesses you so much today and grants you the desires of your heart.
Sivje
a truly blessed happy birthday to you, may the Lord hold you close in the crook of His arms all the days of your life....
God bless you and your family
becky from malta
bpbajona@maltanet.net
annie
tell how I pushed you off rocks and out of trees and how the coyotes almost eat us alive in the wilderness. I love you Babe and HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Papa
I pray your feeling better.
Fondly,
Marla