The Big 3-0!!!!

For some reason this birthday is one that I have been dreading for quite some time now. The thought of being in my thirties is not too exciting for me. I know that the next ten years will be a wonderful time of raising my kiddos into their jr. high years and hopefully being an important/essential part of who they will become as they are introduced to their Savior. I am totally okay and looking forward to the many sweet memories that will be created in my thirties. I think the part that I am sad about is saying good bye to my 20s. As silly as it sounds, I LOVED my twenties. It is hard not to think about the incredible man the Lord gave me 10 years ago as well and how much our marriage has grown. (We will be celebrating 10 years of marriage in 2 months! Crazy!) So, because I was married as a 20 year old it is natural to also look that that aspect of the past 10 years. :) Here are some of my favorite memories of my 20s:

• Marrying the man of my dreams and my best friend and going on a wonderful honeymoon to Cancun
• Becoming a "ministers wife" and having to navigate those new waters
• Graduating from college and following through with a lifetime dream of being a teacher
• Teaching 6th -8th grade for 6 years and loving every minute of it as the Lord allowed me to have a special impact on students that I still talk to today. (My first group of kiddos are completing their 1st year of college! WOW!)
• Buying our first home in Katy, TX
• Going on a cruise and many other wonderful trips for anniversaries and times we were able to get away
• Our struggle with infertility for 3 years
• Making so many wonderful new friends and keeping a lot along the way
• Having our 3 amazing kiddos that the Lord has blessed us with over and over again
• Having the opportunity to share many special days with my best friends from weddings to births
• My precious grandmother Mauritzen passing away and being able to celebrate her life and legacy
• Becoming a pastor's wife and watching my hubby thrive doing what he was made to do - shepherd and love a flock of great people

To "celebrate" our 30s me and a couple of good friends from high school took a trip to Austin to pamper ourselves with a day at a spa, eat at some great restaurants, shop, sleep in a really great hotel and spend some much needed quality time with each other and away from our families. Thanks to our 3 wonderful husbands for "carrying the load" of the kids while we were gone! There are 5 children (and 2 on the way for Meg!) between the three of us and we had a blast having girl time together! It was a quick trip that I wish could have lasted longer, but hopefully we will make this an annual thing! ;)

Kylie, Meg (and her twin baby boys that are due to arrive in July!) and me on our girl's weekend.

I had a wonderful and relaxing birthday! Andrew actually took off and we spent the morning hanging out in the beautiful weather outside as a family most of the morning. Then I went and did a little bit of shopping for myself and also went and had a spa manicure and pedicure. WONDERFUL!! Our sweet Nana came in the afternoon to watch the kiddos while Andrew and I went on a date to the Cheesecake Factory. (I love that place!) We sat by the water and had a great time reflecting and looking forward to our future as a family, in ministry and as a couple. It was perfect and i am thankful that it was just the two of us. (Just what I wanted! It is a rare thing to "go out" these days and we loved every minute of it! Thanks Nana!)

Dinner and dessert were awesome!

Then, on Wednesday two of my best friends from college took me out to dinner and we had a great time. I love these two girlies and I also love that we live close enough to each other to spend more time together! (Let's keep this tradition going, girls!)
Me, Blake and Cathy

Okay, 30s! Here I come! I am looking forward to the many awesome things that are to come in the next 10 years!