Thirty, Fun & Fabulous!

Yesterday I turned 30. I actually had been dreading it since last year at this time. One of the main reasons was because Eliza would then be 1 and time just goes by too fast! I also feel old and tired, but that could be the fact that I have 2 small children! Everyone says that your 30's can be the best years of your life. Well, I have come to realize and learn, that any age can be the best year of your life! It all just depends how you choose to spend it! Our family has had MANY up's and down's over the last year so it was hard to anticipate turning 30 with anything positive. The Lord has been amazingly good to us this past year. I have seen His hand in everything that has come our way and I am resting in His goodness right now! My family and friends have truly made this the best birthday I have ever had! I told them that my expecatations were for it not to be a normal day and that I wanted to spend time with everyone. WOW! They certainly went above and beyond anything I could have imagined! I didn't have any thoughts as to what I wanted to do, just something special.
It all started a month ago when my sweetest friend Amber gave me a photo book that had a verse, an activity, a picture, and encouragement every day leading up to my 30th birthday. It has been so fun to open every day and see what activity I was supposed to do! It was very creative and thoughtful!
The celebration continued when our dear friend's Brad & Amber, and my darling husband Shawn gave me a card with a very creative poem written in it saying that they were sending me to Chicago for the day with Amber!! We were going to go see Wicked again and do some shopping. I was totally surprised and blown away! Shawn took the day off that day so he could be with the girls. I'll write more about Chicago a little bit later.

On October 6th, we had Eliza's 1st birthday party. Then on Oct. 7th most of the family went to eat at the DoubleTree Hotel in Holland where my sister works. We had a fabulous brunch and then we celebrated my birthday. My family surprised me with a night away with Shawn at the the hotel on the 13th! Wow, quiet time with my hubby, swimming, hot tub, and relaxing! What more could a mother want! My grandparents who could not be there, (sad because this is the first time they have missed a party in my whole life!), gave me 30 gold coins! I also received some really nice gifts from my in-laws, and my aunt and uncle.
So Tues. Oct. 9th Amber and I left for Chicago and stayed with a friend of hers who lives near downtown. We got up and rode the CTA downtown so we could walk the Michigan Mile, get Starbucks, and do some shopping. We ended up in Old Navy! Isn't it funny how when you go away you sometimes end up at the familiar places and stores! Anyway, we then enjoyed a fabulous lunch at the Rainforest Cafe and then we were off to see Wicked. If you have never seen it, YOU NEED TO GO! It is one of the most amazing, and incredible shows I have ever seen! Every song is very emotional and powerful, and it has an amazing story line. We had great seats and it was definitely candy for the soul!
Afterwards we went to IKEA and spent a while there and made it home by 12:30am! What an amazing getaway!
Yesterday was my actual birthday and it was a great day! I was a little depressed on Thursday night because I knew I would not see Shawn all day. He of course had to work and then had a football game all night. But I knew that my family would not let me sit home by myself! I went to breakfast with my mom and nephew and then we went to the mall. My darling 3 year old thought it would be great to throw a screaming fit right outside payless and then proceed to throw her new shoes across the aisle! A little does of reality....:)
Around 5:30 my sister-in-law & brother-in-law came by. They said they were just stopping by to drop off a gift but then Jeff handed me a card. I opened it and it said My Wife on the front and I thought he had given me the wrong card! I quickly opened the inside and saw Shawn's signature so I knew it was for me. There was a poem that said:

Just when you thought
Your birthday was through,
There's one more special surprise
just for you.
Birthday's and Marching Band
Sometimes don't mix,
So that's why I'm coming
to pick you up at six!
We're going out for dinner
and then some time alone,
and You're, my dear, the winner
and the girl's will stay at home.

Honestly, the one thing I was really hoping for on my actual birthday was for Shawn to be home!
He has been planning this for a month! He is usually not a planner and this was so honoring to me that he would plan that far ahead and then give up marching band for a night. We went to Carrabba's(our favorite restaurant)and enjoyed a really nice meal together. It was a perfect ending to an amazing celebration.
So tonight, we are off to enjoy a night away and it will be great to make this our marriage maintenance weekend!

So, turning 30 was not as horrible as I thought it would be. I do feel a 'little' older but I can count my blessings in my family, friends, my hubby, my girls, and the fact that I am 30 and NOT pregnant! We are blessed to have so many family member's willing to babysit and take care of our girls! God is good and I haven't felt this special in a long time! I hope to be Thirty, flirty, and thriving in this next year! (okay, you have to watch 13 going on 30 if you haven't seen it!)