In The First 30 Years.

With my 30th Birthday rapidly approaching (a month from today, exactly!!), i've been taking a lot of time to reflect on what all i've accomplished since i've been on this beautiful earth. While I haven't done everything I want to do in this lifetime, i've actually accomplished a lot and have a lot to be proud of. Here's a few...

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• I'm still alive. With so much violence, accident, and disease in this world, I'm very lucky to just exist after 30 years. 
• Graduated Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle, Junior High, High School and College! With honors, without honors.. does it even matter anymore? hah.
• Visited 23 out of 50 States.. That includes Hawaii but doesn't include Puerto Rico. So almost half! 
• Started a family. Including getting engaged, married and having a baby!
• Trained and ran a 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon! Half #2 in September!
• Kept a dog alive since she was a puppy! Can you believe Molly is 6 already?!
• Traveled to Europe. I actually flew to Madrid alone, so hey, that's a bonus! 
• Volunteered hundreds of hours to helping those in my community less fortunate than I. There is nothing better than being able to help someone in your own backyard that is in need.
• Been published on-line and in print! (In print over 10x including articles for a magazine and our wedding being featured!)
• Never broken a bone! (currently knocking on wood!) I tore some ligaments in my ankle once, but that's been the worst injury to date! Unless you count those stitches when I was 4...
• Taught myself basic HTML. I know, sounds cool, but when you don't want to pay someone to develop things on your blog, you gotta do it yourself! And this day in age, its actually pretty useful!

So I know that doesn't seem like a lot, nor is it a '30 before 30' list, but hey, is 'Taking a just because trip' or 'Pay off all debt' or 'Learn to use my camera properly' something I need to make a list for?  Didn't think so. I know I gotta do that stuff!

I'm actually looking forward to my 30s. My 20s were full of a lot  (I mean A LOT)of learning, mistake making, adventures, defeat, success, confusion, and clarity. I feel like in your 30s you get to take all the shit you learned in your 20s and build on that. This is the time to make the most of it- to be (older &) wiser. To start really enjoying the small things and not sweat the small stuff.  And to stop caring what other people think or expect. You are in the driver seat!

So, here I go into my 30s! One month to go! (And no, Uncle Garry, this isn't me celebrating my 'birthday month'! ;) haha!!)