Next month I turn 29 and will officially be "pushing 30." And to be honest, I am extremely excited!!!! Why? Because if 29 is anything like 28, then it's going to be an a-MA-zing year! Recently, I've started to reflect on the past 12 months and how much my life has drastically changed. I believe everyone has a handful of truly insightful times in their lives. You know the kind? When your perspective is unclouded and you have a feeling of calmness, acceptance, clarity. When you realize there is a Master Plan, and life is just as it was meant to be. Below are my Top Ten Memories, Lessons, and Experiences of life as a 28 year old :o)
1. Making our marriage the priority. To me, my marriage is harder than parenting. It takes MORE love, MORE effort, and demands MORE time than anything else in my life. Having 3 children in 3 years, 1 month, I went through a phase where I was in pure survival mode. Making it through the day was the priority. And in hindsight, I honestly feel that at the time, that's what needed to be done. However, this year I suddenly realized I was kissing the children more than I was kissing my husband. {Clarity check} Something needed to change, and it needed to change fast! We BOTH have been working very hard to communicate better, have more one on one time, support each other's individual goals, not nit pick or criticize, remember that it's the little things that count, and accept each other truly and completely...flaws and all. We just celebrated our fifth Wedding Anniversary on April 20th, and I am more in love with my husband than I was the day I married him. Marriage is work, HARD work. But fruits of that labor are endless. Love is intentional and I strive every day to show my husband just how much I love him, and support him, and am so thankful that he is mine. This is a wonderful Season for us :)
2. Legalizing and establishing custody of my oldest. This is a personal topic. But for any blended family reading this...you know just what an emotional roller coaster this experience is. Out of all the Lessons I learned this year...patience and determination prevailed.
3. Nam, my fourth child, was born on May 5th! Well, he was born 4 weeks before I turned 28 (wow...I had 4 kids at 27!? zoiks!) but I am going to roll that little butterball baby into my experience of a 28 year old. I didn't know what we were having, so when "it's a BOY!!!" was excitedly announced, the great name debate began. I changed his name from Nolyn, to Austyn, to Camdyn, to Rylan...and in the last hour of my hospital stay (and multiple requests from social security), I changed it yet again...to Nam! He is our little Nam and is such an easy, laid back little boy.
4. Relationship with my mother. Something about this year changed the relationship I have with my mom. Maybe it was maturity? Life experience? Or desperately NEEDING help on days that I was sick over extended with the kids. Probably a little of all three. I feel like we are now more than a mother and daughter... we are friends. I am so blessed to have her in my life, in my children's lives, and only a few miles away. I hope someday I am to my children what she is to me.
5. Grateful for both of our Grandma's health. The past few years have been challenging for both my grandmother and my husbands grandmother. Illness, both emotional and physical, has taken its toll. Yet these amazing women are still spreading joy and laughter and continue to imprint their wisdom on our children. What a gift it is our kids will be able to recall the scent of grandma's house, the optimism in both of their voices, their sweet quirks and funny cards. Knowing someone a 100 years old and 92 years old is so rare and so special. Witnessing generations merge through laughter, books, stories, and toys warms my heart.
6. Debt Free Living. And yes, that includes the vehicles and mortgage...which are completely paid off. We are now living a life of financial freedom and what a blessing it is!!! But it takes just as much work to maintain a debt free lifestyle as it did to obtain it. Financial curveballs never cease to be thrown our way, including Ortho work for our 7 year old. Yikes! Not to mention college for the kids. I started couponing last year and am now able to keep our monthly grocery bill at $400. Such a rewarding adventure it has been to stretch my husbands paycheck even further and although I may not be able to increase the amount of income coming in, I can certainly decrease money going out!
7. Integrating faith into our lives...and it's not easy for two people of different faiths. We have both worked very hard to be open, interested, and respectful of each others views. We attend Church together and with our children and I am proud to say it continues to be an empowering and insightful journey. It has only made us stronger as a married couple. Believing in something bigger than yourself is humbling...and very, very powerful.
8. Serving others. Every mother needs an outlet and mine {which sometimes feels like a positive addiction} is volunteering! It fills my heart and gives me that extra "umph!" to make it through the day. This past year, ironically starting right at my 28th birthday, I was elected the President of The MOMS Club of our local Chapter and I have thoroughly enjoyed being involved!!! As a stay-at-home mom, it is very challenging to find the time for your passions and to not feel guilty spending time for yourself. This organization and the personal time I have put into it has been food for my soul. I have an army of friends and a support system that a few years ago I only dreamed of. My involvement in the local MOPS Group and Church is the cherry on top!
9. We have stepped into the light with Minh. I feel as though this past year we have reached the next level with Minh and his behavior. He is positive, joyful, full of energy and his good days far outweigh the challenging. He just had his first birthday party and loved every single minute of it!!! We are so proud of him and of his ability to verbalize his feelings and work through frustrations like never before. He is such an inspiration to me :o)
10. Pushing myself, setting goals, and expecting nothing less than the best. This is true mentally, emotionally, and physically. I have now competed in THREE 5K races since March and although I was slow as a turtle, I ran! What an adventure!!! I also set a personal goal to breastfeed Nam for a full year...and I {actually Nam and I} did it! So rewarding! This truly has been a year of personal growth, refocusing my energy on what matters most in life, and realizing that there is enough time in the day for my passions. 1 child or 4 children, it's all about prioritizing.
Here is to 29!!!
