The Last Day of 39

I've been so focused on Disney World that our anniversary on the 17th and my birthday tomorrow caught me totally by surprise!

I've always been one to cherish and mourn the passage of time.  I remember many New Year's Eves in my teens and twenties where I went to bed in tears at the prospect of saying goodbye to the year gone by.

And now it's time to say goodbye not just to a year, but to an entire DECADE! 
Look out 40, ready or not, here I come!

My 30's were pretty great, but pretty exhausting too. 

 

Some highlights...

 

1. I left my job in marketing to become a stay at home mom to our new baby, Jack.
2. We bought and painstakingly renovated our house in Pembroke over the course of 8 years.
3. Made many new friends in Pembroke, who have now become old friends we cherish.
4. Sold Marc's company and have navigated a few job changes since then.
5. Hosted our 10 year college reunion at our house.
6. Molly was born!
7. I quit smoking!
8. Gained 50 pounds.
9. Jack started kindergarten!
10. Ben was born!
11. I came thisclose to starting a professional photography business (phew! What a mess that would have been!  Saving that dream for the future is a much smarter choice.)
12. Welcomed a new Sister-In-Law and Brother-In-Law to the family.
13. Said goodbye to Pembroke and moved to Illinois
14. Started this blog.
15. Made many new friends in Naperville, who will hopefully become old friends we cherish.
16. Welcomed my first nephew to the world!
17. Survived our first road trip to Cape Cod.
18. Lost 50 pounds
19. Jack turned TEN!
20. Molly turned SEVEN!
21. Survived our second road trip to Cape Cod.
22. And we snuck one last pregnancy in before the decade changeover.

I can't even fathom how many diapers I changed, how many hours I spent rocking and bouncing babies, how many times I sat down to nurse, how many hours of sleep I lost, how many children's books I read (over and over and over again), and how many cups of coffee I've enjoyed.

 

(and clearly I enjoyed it because we're about to go down that road again!)

 

My 20s

were all about ME, growing, learning, and having fun.

 

My 30s

were all about learning to let go of ME,

learning to give selflessly to the family we'd created,

and sneaking in as much fun as possible alongside

all the hard work of being a real grownup.

(I'm not saying I'm any good at it, just that that's what it was about, ha ha!)

 

My 40s?

I can only imagine what lessons and joys my 40s will hold.
But I'm ready!