The Big 3-0

So what does one say about starting a new decade?
I don't know.
Everyone always makes such a big deal out of it...I guess I figured maybe I should feel different, or older or something.
Nah. Not really. What's the big fuss about?

Maybe it's because people start acting old and no one else welcomes in the official start of their birthday by doing the limbo with a Nun and being sung to by a group of good friends. While dressed like Martha Washington. More people should. It's really quite fun.

But I have been reflecting on the past decade.
What is it that I've done for the past 10 years? I guess more accurately the question would be what haven't I done?
It's amazing how much of life I have lived in the past 10yrs. I would venture a guess that it will be the most life altering 10yr period of my life. So many major life changes packed into a short period of time. 10 years ago it was Aaron and me, and a little two week old Malia living in our little 2 bedroom condo. That year he bought me Grease for my birthday, we watched it, took Malia to her 2wk doctor appointment, and had a visit from the lactation consultant before he headed off to work. I had just embarked on my journey to becoming a stay at home mom (although technically I was still employed, working for The Ritz-Carlton, just on leave). Aaron was selling cars-yah, yah, we know. It was great money really, just too bad that the environment and hours sucked so royally.
Just a few things I've done.....
I've given birth to seven children (ok, technically Malia was born 2wks before I hit 20).
We've lived in 4 different homes.
I've spent some of those years homeschooling-something I really never thought I'd do.
I've spent nearly all of that time serving in Primary! Apparently I fit in better with children than adults. ;) Shocker, huh?
I've taught myself how to sew, learned how to frame (the basement), drywall, done plenty of painting, and even dabbled with some electric work in a house where it probably should have killed me to play with the wires. No, I don't do plumbing.
I've learned more than I thought possible, changed some of my opinions on things, made choices that I never thought I'd make, and decided that a piece of paper doesn't make you educated; your desire to learn, and efforts to do so, whether you are in a pompous university or a humble home is what provides education.
I've fallen more madly in love that I thought possible. I knew I loved Aaron long before we married, but never imagined that it was only the tip of the iceberg.
I've learned a lot about what is important to me and what I want from life. I've learned that although this life that I live today is very much not what I had planned, it is very much the one I really did want, and I wouldn't change it for anything.

Oh, and my personal favorite highlight of my 20's......(drumroll please).......in the past 10 years I have gained 217 pounds. Yes, you read that right! Thankfully I have lost 209lbs (still working on the last 8 from Charlotte-they'll stick around until she weans).

As of 11:36am yesterday morning, I am now officially 30 years old. How did I welcome in today, my first day officially waking up as a 30 year old? With German Chocolate Pie of course! What? You don't eat dessert for breakfast? I've been told that metabolism tanks when you hit 30. We'll just say I'm just conducting a little experiment or something.

Any big plans for the next ten years? Not so much. Just more of the same. I'm not a huge fan of change most of the time. Hopefully at least one more baby, but it will be odd to finish that stage of my life. By the time I hit another decade mark, I'll have a child that is out of her teens (ACK!!!), and 4 more in their teens with the next one not far behind that. Wow-Charli will be Malia's age..... Strange. Considering how fast the past 10 years have gone, and the fact that each day seems to go by faster than the one before, unfortunately I'm sure it will be here before I know it.

So to celebrate being old now, I'm embarking on a new little endeavor. After being told "you should sell that!" enough times to get me thinking, I'm finally doing something about it. I was hoping to have everything up and running for my big b-day gift to myself, but between finishing up Halloween costumes and a couple of custom orders, I just haven't gotten around to finishing it yet. Hopefully by the end of the week! I'll of course link that here once I get it ready, so keep an eye out for that. : )

Another year older, hopefully a little bit wiser, and looking forward to the next ten. Hopefully with a killer tan. (Thanks Babe!!)