Okay, not really. While I did turn 30 on December 22, I’m not really sure I have any deep thoughts regarding that milestone. I didn’t have any crisis moments as I approached it, nor did I wake up in a panic about the wrinkles on my face (I prefer to think of them as smile lines).
For the big day, my parents were gracious and agreed to watch the kids for a few hours so Will and I could go to lunch and just enjoy doing some shopping together sans children, which was one of their gifts to me. And a wonderful gift it was! So after taking Eila to the library story-time Christmas party that morning, we dropped her and Asher off and enjoyed being alone together. After lunch and looking around at antique/consignment stores, we headed back to my parents for a small family birthday celebration. It was low key and other than a minor meltdown regarding my cake, it was a great day.
Oh, a meltdown about cake. How mature of me. You see, I occasionally have a tendency to put expectations on special days. For more on this, see this post. But anyway, aside from the mini-meltdown, it was a good birthday.
The number 30 doesn’t strike fear in my heart, but what does get me is how I KNOW it was just yesterday that I was starting college, or just yesterday that I had met Will, or just yesterday that I found out I was pregnant with Eila, and then 22 months later, Asher. How is it possible that I am now just a decade from 40, that I am heading towards “middle-age”!?! Now that is a phrase that stops me in my tracks for a minute. Middle-age. Wow. It’s not so much the age as the speed in which I have gotten here. Time, as many say, does seem to speed up, and I think the biggest thing for me about turning 30 is that the years seem to be flying by at warp speed.
I don’t feel 30. In fact, a couple months ago I met our new neighbor across the street. As we talked, she told me she was 22. I thought, “oh good, so we are about the same age”. Um, reality check Olivia. You are not about the same age. And I was surprised as I realized that I was no longer in my early 20s. When did that happen? Does anyone else feel like this, or is it just me? At the same time, however, I feel excitement about what lies ahead. There are so many years to experience after 30– more so than before 30!
I just hope it slows down a little. Either way, each year is a gift from God. I am going to make sure to enjoy each one.
Dancing in the Mundane 