The Big 3-0

I'm almost 30. Yikes. I never thought I would make it to 30. I'm not really sure what I thought would happen to me, but I could never really picture what I would look like, who I would be married to, etc. when I was little. I think I just always thought I would stay young. The good thing is that I still feel young and I still look like I'm 13! I have heard that 30 is the new 20! Let's hope that is the case.

In honor of the 30 years I've been alive, I wanted to write 30 things that I love.

30 things I absolutely LOVE:

1. Spanx. These delightful undergarmets can take a jiggly stomach and make it look like a six pack with very little effort. They used to be called girdles, but now they have the super cool name Spanx so you don't have to feel like your grandma if you wear one. Now breathing while wearing spanx, that is another story.

2. Air conditioning. How we lived without air conditioning while growing up is still a mystery. We must have smelled so bad. Now I can't go outside for more than 5 minutes before I'm sweating and smell like a dead animal.

3. Minivans. I didn't want to transition to the "mom-o-mobile" but now that I have, I couldn't go back! So much more room for the kids to spill and make messes! It's like a second home to clean.

4. Dustbusters. When I was younger, it was one of our chores to vacuum the basement stairs with this handy little gadget. I didn't appreciate it then, but I do now! I now don't have to get out the giant vacuum to clean up little messes. And who knew you can vacuum up a whole bowl of spaghetti that has been thrown on the floor? I didn't but I'm sure glad I know that now!!

5. Dogs (other people's). I am not really a dog lover so it is convenient that I am also allergic. It gives me a great excuse to tell the kids why we can't have our own. But I LOVE watching my kids with other people's dogs. They get their dog fix and then I'm long gone when their dog eats their dining room table or barfs all over the floor. I have kids who can barf all over the floor...I don't need a dog to do that.

6. Hulu. I love this website where I can go and watch episodes that air on cable that I don't get to see. I can get my HGTV or Food Network groove on now whenever I want...for free!!

7. Facebook. I love to be able to spy on people without them knowing that I am spying! It satisfies a deep curiousity within me!

8. Old friends. This past year I connected with my best friend from childhood thanks to Facebook. It has been so fun to reconnect with her and to find out she has 3 boys just like me!! She is about to have her 4th baby though and this one is a girl. I hope I have as good of luck as she has!

9. New friends. I get really scared when I have to meet new people but when I click with someone new, I love that! In the past few years, we have gotten to meet a lot of great people who have become very close friends.

10. No more dating. It is such a relief to go from a dating couple to a married couple. No more showing off. Now, what you see is what you get. You go from sharing romantic dinners over candlelight to popping each other's zits or clipping each other's toenails. Why am I thankful for this you might ask? Because I get to do life with my best friend. A friend who has pledged to be with me for life. Someone who loves me for me.

11. Mom jeans. Mom jeans exist as proof to me that I am way cooler than my mom was at 30! Now if you see me sporting stonewash jeans clear up to my bellybutton, I give you permissions to call me a loser.

12. Fannypacks. See #11.

13. Authentic people. Whoa. I know I just got super serious after just saying that I am thankful for fannypacks. But I am so thankful for the people in my life who tell me like it is and aren't afraid to be themselves. Even when it's ugly. I would rather have 1 authentic friend than 100 surface friends. This is where true relationship takes place.

14. Sisters. Whether they are my sisters or sister in laws, I love the place that sisters have in my life. It's like having built in girlfriends you can hang out with when you are forced to celebrate Aunt Mildred's 100th birthday.

15. Brothers. I can't say something about sisters without saying something about brothers. Brothers are so fun to have around. They are like sisters without the drama!

16. Free stuff. I love getting good deals free at the store but I love it even more when people are getting rid of things and they give them to me! I have tried to start passing on the favor when I get rid of stuff too.

17. Dave Ramsey's Envelope system. I get a lot of flack from people who think I'm crazy or they think Dave Ramsey is sham but the proof is in the pudding. His envelope system has revolutionized our finances. By using all cash, I have stopped overspending about 75% of the time. Nothing I have tried has come even close to this.

18. Parents who have come before us. Since our parents have all been through this parenting phase, they can have an awesome perspective and some great advice to give. The kicker is that you have to be willing to accept the fact that they were good parents in order to appreciate the good advice.

19. That babies don't stay babies forever. I do not like infants. I just find the baby stage a little grating. This baby just sucks the life out of you (literally) by feeding constantly and then stealing sleep around every corner. And then they don't even say thank you or crack a smile. Ever. They just scream at your face. Talk about ungrateful. I'm just kidding, but honestly I love it when the baby hits about 4 months when they can start interacting; smiling and laughing.

20. Full nights sleep. Until you have a baby, you don't truly appreciate a full night sleep until it has been taken away from you. I love sleep and waking up in the middle of the night is not my idea of a great time. But once that baby starts sleeping through the night, a huge "ahhhh" comes out of my mouth whenever my head hits the pillow.

21. Cake. Yummmm.... I just love it. I love frosting as well, but not as much as I love the cake. It's just soooo good. Now if only it was good for you! Then I would eat it all day long.

22. Giving guilt trips. One good thing about getting up in the middle of the night is that it is the ultimate trump card. Because I have gotten up in the middle of the night while Wes has snoozed, later on I am able to use it as a weapon. "Who's going to give the kids a bath?" Well, I would but you see I didn't get a whole night sleep so I'm a little tired. If you want to wake up with the baby tommorow night, I would be more than happy to give the kids a bath." SILENCE. Yeah, that's what I thought.

23. Doing hard things. I love it when people do things that are almost impossible. I am so proud of my sister Lindsay for sticking to her guns and figuring out a career that she is passionate about. We were a little worried that she wouldn't, but she has and she has flourished. She is going to make a wonderful PA.

24. Doing hard things (part 2). I love that Mike and Mandy took the situation of them not being able to have their own children and turned it into a beautiful love story. They have changed the life of a little boy forever and I think it is so inspiring. You both are such wonderful parents.

25. Doing hard things (part 3). My sister Sara wins the award for "doing hard things." This last year has been the most difficult she has ever seen. She has just continued to push forward through the pain, even though it has been intense. She has been an inspiration to so many. I know she will find healing from here.

26. Charles T. Creech. (Chuck). My time with him was much shorter than I would have expected but during that time I was able to learn a lot from him. I learned how important it is to have a love for your country, even if you don't agree with everything that is going on within it. He was such a wonderful husband to my sister and will be missed by all of us, forever.

27. Cameron (Cammie-J) My littlest baby. You are such a bright spot in my life. I don't think it's an accident that you are my nicest baby. You are so quick to smile and snuggle. Every moment we have together is a moment to be cherished. You are my cutey.

28. Owen (Owie-B) My boy who still wants to be a baby. I just love you so much. Your

personality has flourished in the past few months and I love to see what a wonderful little boy you are becoming. You never cease to make me laugh like when Daddy yelled up to you and Preston in bed last night "Who wants a spanking?" because you both were being too loud and we heard a little voice say "ME!" Please be kind to Mommy when she starts potty training you this year.

29. Preston (Presty) It frightens me to see how fast you are growing. You don't need me as much anymore. You can now get your clothes on, your shoes on, go the bathroom by yourself and all sorts of other things. I love the conversations that we have. You have such wonderful questions and have such a tender heart. You truly care for others and I love to see that. As you begin school in the next year, I'm going to miss you so much.

30. Wes. I have now spent a total of 11 years knowing you. They have been the best 11 years of my life. You are the man I always hoped for. You are such a wonderful, encouraging, caring husband (although you could do the dishwasher more! ha) You make me laugh and are so fun to build dreams and a life with. I love you.

And as a tribute to the coming year, I have saved what I love the most for last.

31. God. This has been such a difficult year for our family with losing our aunt and then losing our brother Chuck. At some point in the process, you realize the only thing you can truly count on is that God is God and we are not. We don't understand His ways all of the time, but we know He loved us enough to save us and bring us to Heaven with Him. There is no greater love. I can get through all of the bad stuff because I know that I have a hope for my future which has nothing to do with earthly things. I have a hope of Heaven when the things of Earth fail me. I love that.