WTF? I am 30! When did this happen? — Caffeine until Cocktails

Ok when did I turn 30? Literally I was not prepared for this day to come. But then again nothing feels different. But then again my whole life has changed this past decade. As I turn 30 today and we begin to look forward to the next decade I begin to think back to how much I have accomplished and how much life has changed. I am proud of myself. I want to “toot my own horn'“ for everything that I have done. I am proud of myself. I am proud of the woman I have become. I am proud of the family I am a part of. I am proud of the person my mother raised me to be. There were some rough days over this past decade as I went through my “quarter life crisis” but I also was able to make some of the best memories. I graduated from SLU, moved to Dallas, moved to Nashville, married the love of my life, had a baby, graduated with my masters and now I am working as an NP. Thirty is not so shabby when I really think about it.

Most of my friends have said this next decade will be the best decade of my life and I might start agreeing. I am in the best shape of my life literally suck on that 16 year old body. I own home, have a job, the best hubby, the sweetest baby boy and my family. Heck I kept a baby alive for one whole year. No major illnesses or injuries. That is an accomplishment. We have so many fun things planned for this next year. It is easy for me to brag about how great my life is but life is not always instagram perfect.

This last year has not come without some hardships. Postpartum was hard. Graduate school was hard. I lost my cousin Stacey and that was one of the hardest things that has ever happened. She was a ray of sunshine that should still be here with us today. It is not fair. Life is not fair. I miss her everyday. I know her family misses her everyday. When you think about loss you don’t realize how deeply it will affect you and how much your life has changed because of that loss. You don’t realize your daily decisions will change because that person is gone. I hug my family tighter everyday because I never know when something bad could happen.

But as I think back about the dark days behind me I look forward to the rest of my life and making memories with my family. I thank god daily for our blessings. I have been blessed with 30 years on this planet and I can’t wait to see what the next 30 years holds for us. I hope as you read this you reflect on your last thirty years and celebrate your accomplishments because no matter how small or how big they are they are worthy. YOU ARE WORTHY. Do not compare yourself to others and their accomplishments. Everyone has their own journey and their own paths that they travel. Celebrate your victories. Celebrate changing your sheets on your bed (fresh sheets are seriously my favorite thing EVER). Celebrate finishing the laundry. Because those are victories within themselves. Celebrate that new job. Celebrate getting to stay home with your babies (I am not cut out to that)! Celebrate YOU! Happy Birthday to me! Happy birthday to you! I hope you your 30th birthday is magical! Cheers to YOU! AND CHEERS TO ME!

PS I NEED BOTOX (CELEBRATE THE BOTOX)

xoxo Jessica