Entering a New Decade

As much as I tried to just skip over my birthday or pretend that I wasn't reaching a major milestone, everyone around me just wouldn't let that happen.  So, on November 4, 2012 I turned 30!  Yes, that's right, I entered a new decade and can now kiss my 20s good bye. 

Before I reflect on turning 30, I feel I should take a minute to look back on my 20s....

When I turned 20 I was in Lubbock, partying like a college kid.  I was dating Tayt and celebrating at my Raiders Pass apartment with my sorority sisters and several other friends.  There was alcohol that I was not "legally" allowed to drink, I wore a crown thanks to my Zeta sisters, Texas country music played in the background and there were boys drinking syrup from the bottle in my kitchen which eventually turned into one of our guy friends running head first into our laundry room doors and breaking them in two.  Yes, that pretty much summed up my 20th birthday and much of my early 20s in college.  Are you impressed I actually remember that night?  It is a little foggy but you get the point!  It was the time of my life!

By my 24th birthday I was a brand new teacher in my very own classroom teaching 3rd grade.  I was making amazing new friends and starting the career I had always wanted.  Tayt was finishing his last semester at Tech and that winter we moved in together in McKinney, TX. 

The year I turned 25 I got engaged, planned a wedding, got married, moved to Allen, TX, continued to teach and floated on cloud 9 as a newly wed married to my very best friend.  My last name changed from Bohne to Todd and I took on a new role as a wife.  We lived in a little apartment and both worked full time.  We will always remember this time in our lives as we were just starting out in the "grown up world".

At 27 we bought our first house in Frisco, TX!  We spent many weekends at Lowes and doing little projects around the house.  Luckily I have a handy husband and a dad with a lot of "buddies" that could help us fix things up just way we wanted....well, within our budget at least!

Six months after my 28th birthday we traveled to the Bahamas to celebrate our dear friends' wedding.  We also conceived our first child that week!  We came home and made the decision that Tayt would quit his job and go back to school full time to begin nursing school.

At 29 I became a mother.  My life changed forever and I will never be the person I was before that day.  I am a new woman now...I am Austin's Mommy.

Now I am 30.  I am a daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, cousin, niece, granddaughter, teacher and a Christian.  At times I feel like I am pulled in several different directions at one time and thankfully I have a husband and a family that will bring me back to reality and remind me of the important things in life.  (Yes, I admit that at times I can be a little over dramtic/emotional/sensative/stressed.)  Life can get hectic with a husband that begins nursing school in two short months, a baby that will be 10 months old next week, 22 second graders that make me want to pull my hair out some days and burst with pride and love other days, a family that loves me unconditionally and friends that will be there by my side no matter what.  So tonight I take a minute to breath and remember that my life is great!  I am beyond thankful for the blessings God has given me and that is all that matters.

So as I enter this next stage of my life I plan to work on my relationship with God, be a better wife and mother to my husband and son, call my friends more just to talk, tell my parents how much they mean to me, hang out with my brothers, give to those in need, be the best teacher I can be, cook more, read more, pray more, see more, travel more, drink more red wine, love more, laugh more and just be.  Because life is short and life is beautiful and I love my life. 

So, cheers to ME and cheers to turning 30!