20 years old:
Backpacked throughout Western Europe with just a handful of strangers/friends I'd met along my journey. France, Italy, Switzerland, England. I was mugged in the UK, slept on the pebble beaches of Nice, sampled wines all over the Italian coast, and came home with a new perspective on life having lived 6 weeks with just the belongings on my back.
21:
My third year in college at UC Santa Cruz and my parents (along with Justin's) introduced us at church. I thought he was an old creepy guy that was scamming on younger girls. HA! Boy was I wrong. That year I dropped out of college and married my best friend. I can't imagine doing life without him and can't wait to experience my 30's, 40's and beyond with this man of God.
22:
Enjoyed our first year of marriage. Though I didn't finish my accounting degree, God continually provided for us and I was blessed to be hired at CityTeam Ministries as their Marketing Specialist. Talk about a life-changer. I thought I had life nailed, God opened my eyes to so many truths and revealed his majesty to me in ways I have never experienced before.
23:
Took a few trips and a cruise with Justin, enjoyed our jobs and ministry work, got involved with our Young Married's group at church and made some of the most fulfilling relationships with people I'm blessed to call friends. Talk about a support group, I don't think I could have survived the next 4 years without them!
24:
-Bought our first home and started feathering our "nest". Justin being gone a lot on the weekends with the military made me super lonely at home. So Justin got me Ginger to keep me company and provide me companionship when he was gone. She is my super pup and the best dog a girl could ask for. I'm so blessed my in-laws have adopted her and take just as good of care, if not better, than what we were providing Ginger.
-Started talking about having a baby, but because of an injury I had when I was a kid, were told we may not get pregnant so easily. God has a funny sense of humor when we doubt his plans and let our fears take over. Surprisingly we became pregnant our first try with a little girl that would rock our world and turn it upside down.
25:
-Still working full-time, I went on leave and March 21st gave birth to my greatest accomplishment yet. Emma Anne has taught me more about myself then any other experience in my whole life combined. I love that girl to the moon and back.
-Justin lost his job due to the bad economy and was laid of temporarily. That was a bummer, but it looked to be a short-term situation.
-5 weeks post-partum, my doctors discovered that I had given birth to two gifts, one good, one bad. I had grown a 3cm tumor on the right lobe of my thyroid. It was large enough to be biopsied on the spot. Turns out to be 3/4 mass and 1/4 fluid, so the fluid was drained but I was warned until it was removed I'd need twice a year biopsies.
-Justin's job picks up and he's working here and there while friends and family help watch Emma for us while we are working during the day (Thanks Mom, Alice, Cindy, Matt and Katie Peters and Melissa Altknecht-you guys saved us!)
26:
-Life seems to be back to normal until Justin gets laid off again. He gets deployed to Moron, Spain with the Airforce. It's such a weird feeling when you get only one phone call from your husband and and he misses your first Mother's Day and Birthday out of a short 6 weeks. So thankful for my highschool friend Nichole Wright to help me sift through those emotions. She is a strong woman and has survived much longer, and more dangerous deployments with her hubby than this and is such an inspiration to me.
-A couple weeks after Justin returns home and we're pregnant again. Absence makes the heart grow fonder :)
27:
-I go on leave again from work (Thank you Carol Patterson and Marie Hunsucker for dealing with my pregnant moodiness at work) and give birth to the little man that stole my heart. 3 days before Justin's birthday I give birth to Anders Phillip at a whopping 9lbs 3oz and 22 inches long. I know, I know. Many of my friends have had bigger babies, but c'mon, how many of you are 5 feet tall? I can't even say 5'1" on a good day, it'd be a lie :). I was unsure about having a boy, coming from an all girl family for 7 generations. But this handsome boy is the sweetest, most tender-hearted little guy I know.
-5 weeks post-partum I have emergerncy gallbladder surgery with major damage done to my liver and jaundiced to kingdom come. One of the scariest times of my life. MRI's, MRCP's, bloodwork daily for 2 weeks, IV's, surgeons. I COULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED WITHOUT MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. True story. Thank you Lord for providing amazing medical staff and loved ones to lift me up out of dark place I was at.
-1 day after surgery, Justin gets activated with the Airforce for 4 months. I'm a new mom to two kids, just had surgery and my husband has to leave me for 4 months. I was numb. How would I do everything without him and take care of myself? Thank you Alice, Cindy and Mom for living with me and the kids, taking turns helping me with housework and my kids, or keeping me comfortable on the couch those first two weeks after surgery.
28:
-Justin and I get an answer to prayer for my hubby's 3 years of joblessness through his buddy Scott that he worked with in the Marine Corps. January 14th Justin hugged us goodbye and moved to Eastern Utah. While the kids and I were left behind in CA, God blessed us with amazing tenants, had garage sales to sell our stuff, moved what was left of our "home" into every inch of my parents house, and I put in my notice at work. After 5 years of the best ministry work a girl could ask for I left a job that I loved and packed up my little family to join Justin in Utah. It was the second scariest time in my life but one that we gave wholly to God and trusted his plan.
-Justin came home from a short Airforce trip to Japan and we became pregnant with little Leah. To say I had bad morning sickness is an understatement. I'm hoping this normal pregnancy symptom means I shouldn't lose any organs come my 5 week post partum check up in June this year, but I'm not holding my breath.
29:
-Been a pretty low-key year after a couple years of craziness. I've finally caught my breath in time for us to take another big leap and build a new house here and create our new "home" and life in Utah.
-The biggest blessing of this year was meeting my older brother for the first time since I was 5 years old and giving birth to our third beautiful little one Leah Josephine.
With all that said, I'll be embracing my 30's with open arms because I know the Lord has some big things planned, however he chooses to use me :)
Love,
This 30 year old
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