I am a lover of birthdays - an excuse to throw confetti, pick the restaurant and no one can refute you, and unashamedly make everything about you for 1 out of the 364 days of the year.
This last birthday was a hard one though because I thought I was turning 24 when I was abruptly reminded that I was, in fact, turning 25. What?!? When did that happen? I feel like I lost my entire 24th year - just evaporated into the birthday cosmos.
I remember as a child being so flabbergasted that adults would ever need to ask the question "how old am I?" Because all-be-damned I knew I was 8 years, 3 months, 1 week, 2 days, and 12 hours old.
So, in celebration of being 25 years, 1 month, 1 week, 2 days, and some hours old here are...
The Good
 |
| PC: sweetandsavorybyshinee.com |
1. An Amazing Husband
He's funny, he's hardworking, and he always does this dishes. Winning!
2. A Strong Relationship With My Sissy
We hated each other in middle school and in high school - like to the point where we would whack each other with spatulas and tongs while emptying the dishwasher. I would have never believed you if you told me she would be my ultimate best friend by the time we were in our 20's.
3. A Phenomenal Career
That's right, I said "career" not "job". 'So long' to the days of working at tanning salons, water parks, and Abercrombie & Fitch. |which really was just code for getting payed to spray perfume on everything at the top of every, single God-forsaken hour| Now, I get to do something I am passionate about and get paid for it - something that doesn't feel like work at all. Careers are cool!
4. An Unbelievable God
I have always been a part of a church-going family but being able to choose it for myself as an adult is pure joy.
5. A Budget
Aparently once you have real-life responsibilities it is wise to only get Starbucks once a week. Priorities?
6. A Weekly Meal Plan
This helps with the whole "budget" thing. I guess if you go to the grocery store without a plan you end up leaving with an armful of bagels, spaghetti sauce, Doritos, and every other product ending in "-itos". I use this meal plan here from Mix and Match Mama to keep my self in check in the junk food aisle. She pots a new one every Monday!
7. Fancy Wine
Most of the wine we have comes from the 2 Buck Chuck section at Trader Joe's. But... now we actually have nice wine from our trip to the vineyards! We don't open it because Lord knows when we will have more of it but... the fact we have it makes us feel very 25.
8. A Highly-Trafficked Crock Pot
In highschool I never thought I would realize the stress-relief that comes with dinner waiting for you when you come in the door. A Crock Pot is like having a personal chef that you don't have to pay hourly for.
9. Time To Write For Fun
Blogging is my escape. It is so cool getting to write by choice instead of being forced to do it by crotchety professors who suck all of the fun out of it.
10. A Growing Retirement Fund
I get this envelope every month that makes me feel so dang old, so dang responsible, and so dang unprepared. Putting money away into my retirement fund is probably the most adult thing I do and, while it is growing, the small number in the account makes me so thankful retirement is faaarrr away.
11. Loads of Smell-Good Candles
It is funny how my idea of decompressing has changed from aimlessly driving around with music blasting and the sunroof open to lighting every varietal of lavender, vanilla, and sandalwood candle I own |what the eff is sandalwood & why was wasting gas so cathartic in high school?|
12. Dinner Parties
People actually come over and eat a meal that doesn't consist of PBR & Dominos. We actually use the platters Brady swore we would never use when we were registering for our wedding gifts.
13. Nursing School
Speaking of Brady... he spends countless hours studying and at clinical shifts. He is busy, he is exhausted, and he is hardworking. Seems like it wouldn't fall in the "good" category but my extreme pride in what he is doing for our future is enough to land it in this section of the list.
14. Choosing School
It is weird that as an adult you get to choose going to school to better yourself and your career. The difference with going to class as an adult though is that you don't have to ask the teacher to go to the bathroom. Trust at its finest, folks.
15. An Extreme Desire to Buy a House
This is our next lofty goal. I spend countless hours on the Zillow app daydreaming and then lowering the price window filter waaay down.
The Bad
 |
| PC: agirlsrighttodream.tumblr.com |
16. The Extreme Inability to Buy a House
So much daydreaming is done that Zillow has actually started contacting me. I feel bad the employees are wasting their time. Nursing tuition means no down payment.
17. Actually Thinking "Kids These Days" And Meaning It
When did this start happening? I think teaching did this to me. Watch your mouth, young man!
18. Inability To Wear Uncomfy Shoes For Prolonged Periods of Time
Sensibility or Style? Why must I choose?
18. Extreme and Prolonged Hangovers
How is it that one glass of wine while watching The Bachelor makes it feel like I was at a frat party into the wee hours of the night? How is it that I am rendered helpless for the entire day and a plate of bacon doesn't just fix me like it used to?
19. A Necessity for 9 Hours of Sleep
Only 8.5 hours? I feel awful. 7 hours? I simply cannot.
20. The Realization That If I Don't Clean It Doesn't Happen
My mom isn't there to put the leftovers from dinner in tupperware. My dad doesn't take my car to the car wash every Saturday anymore. Apparently those are my responsibilities now. What?
21. Incessant Laundry
When I lived on my own my laundry hamper didn't fill for weeks. Now there are these huge shirts and giant jeans that belong to this tall man I live with that find their home in my hamper. My hamper overfloweth all-the-timeth.
22. Babies?
I never thought the contents of my uterus, or lack thereof, would be such a consistent conversation at 25. The babies aren't "bad" but the awkward conversation is.
23. Receiving Emails I Actually Have To Respond To
I think fondly back to the days where the only emails I got where promotion coupons to Forever 21 and Express. I can no longer do the whole "select all" and "delete" shtick.
24. Bills
Need I say more? I guess I was under the impression those wouldn't come until at least mid-30's. :)
The Ugly
 |
| PC: contributormagazine.com |
25. Gray Hair
Wait, what? I am way too far away from joining the AARP to become a silver fox. And to make it worse, they don't behave - all wiry and sticking up and such. Good news though there are only 4 of them so I can frantically pull them out at this point... and don't give me the crap that they "multiply" when I do that. Hair does not have that sort of intelligence. That being said... I. DID. NOT. SIGN. UP. FOR. THIS.
***
Anybody feel me on any of this? You hit 25 and all of a sudden your body is a different monster. A monster that seems to be closer to receiving Social Security than to sleeping in until noon on Saturdays. But also way closer to self-confidence, self-love, and self-acceptance of the women I am meant to be.
Here is to the next 25 years, and the next 25 lessons I plan to learn along the way - the good ones, the bad ones, and yes, even the ugly ones |just minus the gray hair, if possible|.
Labels: Inspiration, Real Life, Reflections
