Thirty!

I am 30 years old today! Wow! That sounds so much more grown up than I feel :) Here's a picture of me from way back when.

To celebrate my 30 years, I'm giving an inside look at 30 things about me. Riveting, I know, but it is my birthday! :)

Here you go - in no certain order:

1. I'm not a big music person - it usually just serves as background noise for me. Case in point - I was recently listening to my MP3 player while I was working out. It took me 45 min. to realize that it had been repeating the same song the whole time!

2. In a previous life, I was a high school English teacher.

3. I love being a mommy way better than being an English teacher!

4. I have a love/hate relationship with my cat. I frequently end up yelling at him and/or throwing things across the room at him and then snuggling up with him later at some point during the same day.

5. I love to drink from a straw.

6. My favorite place to go is the beach.

7. Two things I want to do before I die: go on a cruise, tour around Europe.

8. I'm making the previous one count for two. I think coming up with 30 things is harder than it sounds :)

9. Growing up, I always wanted twin girls that I could dress alike. I got my twins - just a year apart. I might cry the day they don't want to dress alike anymore.

10. Biggest lesson I'm learning right now: Part 1 - I can't allow what I think other people will think to control my decisions. I have to do what I think is right - regardless of whether it meets the "approval" of others. Part 2 - I'm realizing that I should never say "I'll never do _____" because chances are God has an opposite plan for me.

11. I'm a slightly picky eater. Most of it is either a texture thing (I don't like things too mushy or too gritty) or a mental thing (any kind of seafood really creeps me out!)

12. Every day I'm amazed at how wonderful my husband is!

13. I'm also absolutely sure that I somehow got the two sweetest, most precious girls in the entire world!

14. I'm pretty obsessed with decorating cakes.

15. I can't see anything further than a few inches in front of my face. I got my first pair of glasses when I was about 10 years old. They were very big and very round and very pink - not attractive!

16. I've never had a broken bone or a cavity, but I did chip off half of one of my front teeth by playing hide and go seek in the dark when I was younger. 

17. I'm the oldest of 7 kids and the only brown-eyed, dark-haired one in the bunch.

18. My favorite desserts include anything rich and chocolaty or cheesecake. 

19. I love to ride roller coasters and "scary rides" and don't understand why some people don't like them (right, Rachel?!) 

20. I've lived in 4 different states (Texas,  Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina).

21. My favorite possession: my Nikon D5000!!

22. What I want for this birthday: a zoom lens! :)

23. What I hope happens before my next birthday: our adoption to be complete!

24. I get scared at night when Andy is away on a trip. 

25. I'm learning to trust in God's plan and provision on a daily basis.

26. I think that saving money is my hobby. :) (Saving money meaning paying less for things - I'm not very good at the not spending part of saving money!)

27. I love being around people, but I also need some quiet and space just for myself every day. I'll admit, there have been many times in my life where I've grabbed a book and headed to a bathroom simply because I need a few moments of peace and quiet.

28. All my life, I've loved the idea of keeping a diary/journal, but I've never been able to stick with it for very long. I love that my blog fulfills that and that I've been able to keep up with it.

29. I'm definitely not a morning person.  

30. I love creating family memories. If Andy has a free day, you better believe I'm planning something for us all to do! :)

Well, there you have it! Here's another picture since you made it through the whole list! :)

I'll be spending my birthday with a ton of kids at summer camp, so say a little prayer for me. I am getting up there, you know! ;)