My Birthday Bash

This Wednesday was my 25th birthday.  It's pretty crazy that I am a quarter of a century old.  Happy birthday to me!

When I was in high school, I would have told you that when I was 25 I would live somewhere glamourous and work in marketing.  I wanted to be married to someone with green eyes who played baseball and travel all the time to exotic locations.  I wanted to drive a Land Rover or a Jeep Grand Cherokee and live in a two-story house.  I thought that I would cook an elaborate dinner every night and buy my clothes from the Limited and Ann Taylor.  I figured that I would be close to finishing grad school (either my MBA or possibly considering law school) and beginning to think about having babies.

My reality is closer to this:  I live in my hometown and work in education/ childcare/ social work.  I love my hazel eyed, God-fearing EMT husband.  We've been to Ethiopia, Mexcio twice, and taken many trip across the US.  I drive a black Xterra named Jean.  I live in the house that Lee's grandparents built in 1953.  I cook rarely (once a week) and buy my clothes mostly from Target, Marshalls, and the consignment stores in town.  I am 27 credit hours from my psychology degree.  And I want to have a baby.

My life doesn't exactly look like what I thought I wanted.  And that's okay.  I am content and satisfied with the life that God has given me.  When I look at the people in my life I realize that I am incredibly blessed.  Life is what you make it.  And I hope to make mine even better in this next year.

My actual birthday day:
I had to work.  Do you like how I said "had to" as if people should automatically be excused from work on their birthday?  My boss and some other co-workers called me at 6:45 from Washington D.C. and sang me "Happy Birthday".  When I got to work for staff meeting, other co-workers had brought a cookie cake and my favorite pizza dip.  My co-teacher gave me a ton of yummy candy and a cute Halloween t-shirt.  I really work with some of the best people.  And then my dad brought me flowers at work!!!  Pink is my favorite.

After work, I had to go to class.  Again with the "had to".  I also had a presentation with my friend Bethany over gender roles.

She's amazing.

After class, I met up with my sweet man and went to dinner at Osaka.  I had only been there once (years ago, for prom when I was a sophomore with a cool senior boyfriend).  There is a new location not too far from our house.  Osaka is a Japanese steakhouse and sushi restaurant that has a section of hibachi grilling.  We chose to sit on that side and were very entertained by the experience. 

Then Lee and I went home and tried to watch a "Bones" on Netflix.  We usually watch it in bed on the laptop, and today the allure of sleep a stronger pull than the storyline.

All in all, not a bad day.  I had many calls and texts throughout the day from family and friends.  What a lovely thing.  That's why I love birthdays- everyone gets to be part of the special day.  I heard from people that I don't get to talk to as much as I would like (stupid busy lives.)

Happy birthday to me!