Thirty-One? Thirty-Fun!

Dear Readers,

In a few short days, another one of my birthdays will roll around. I was telling my friend Jenny this the other day. She asked how old I would be, and I begrudgingly replied "31", which she immediately followed with, "Thirty Fun!".

Jenny's stellar rhyming abilities helped spark some happiness in my mind about getting older. I mean, why should I have to feel bad about something that I can do absolutely nothing about? And let's face it, I don't look a day over 24 (after a lot of time in front of the mirror strategically dressing myself and doing my hair and makeup). So in tribute to turning thirty-fun and to continue to feel good about where I am in life, I thought I would list 31 things that I am happy, thankful, or just generally amused with in my little life. By the way, it won't hurt my feelings if you don't want to read this. I know it seems like a journal entry my shrink would recommend.

Here it goes:

31. Having two KitchenAid mixers.
30. Knowing and understanding more about everything than anyone else.
29. Making it this far without getting a tattoo.
28. Facebook.
27. Being old enough to understand that when it comes to extended family, there's going to be some that you just don't like and that you can avoid for years at a time if you want.
26. Finding some new music interesting, but knowing in my heart of hearts that it will probably never get better than what we've had for years.
25. I can still drop it like it's hot on the dance floor.
24. That I haven't learned to play my guitar yet, but I'm going to if it's the last thing I do.
23. I still worry that no one will show up to my birthday parties, but they always do,
22. The next big thing in life I'm really looking forward to is retirement.
21. No matter how old I become, one of my favorite things to do is drink coffee and have intellectual conversations with a friend. However, the older I get, the less intellectual I become.
20. Had it not been for Aunt Ruth (not to mention Jorge, Anthony, Mike and Ana) I may not have survived my youth. She continues to be one of my very favorite people on the face of the planet, and the world is a better place for having her in it.
19. I don't need to do any sort of extreme sport anymore. Keep your mountain biking, rock climbing, and week long backpacking trips! I'd rather take a hot bath and read a book!
18. Being nice matters.
17. Knowing that you can't help someone who is not willing to help themselves.
16. I love to travel, but I hate being a tourist, and automatically hate all other tourists when traveling.
15. Understanding that even after years of them being gone, you'll still occasionally feel the sting loss when remembering the people you've loved so much but are no longer with you.
14. I've learned that feeling sorry for yourself for more than 15 minutes in a day is a waste of time and energy. There's always someone out there who has a sadder story than you, and wallowing in self-pity isn't going to make things better.
13. Integrity is a rare and valuable commodity in a person, and I admire and try to model myself after people who are willing to take responsibility for themselves and their action.
12. When I can't count on anything else in the world, I know the cheddar vegetable soup at the Brick Oven Bistro in Boise will be just as awesome as always.
11. In retrospect, growing up in a small town taught me more about life than I previously would admit.
10. High school was horrible, but I think I'm finally over it.
9. My teacher's used to say that I had tremendous potential, if I would just apply myself. I now think that they may have been mistaken, and I've always been meeting my potential and fooling people into believing that I'm capable of doing more. Maybe that's why I wanted to be a politician so bad...
8. I'm a book snob, a coffee snob, and a baked goods snob, and none of these things will ever change.
7. I have wonderful parents, and am thrilled that as of this year I'm able to talk to them as if I'm an adult and feel like we're closer than we've ever been.
6. I have wonderful sisters who have not only provided me with a gaggle of amazing nieces and nephews, but who have always been honest and forthright with me (whether I've wanted them to be or not).
5. I have incredible in-laws who handed their son over to me without thinking twice, and have welcomed me into their lives with open arms.
4. Over the years I've had friends come and go. But I have an incredible first string line-up that I know without a doubt will be in my life until I'm dead and gone. I'd list you all, but I don't think you need me to.
3. My mom was right when she said that we were rich in the important things.
2. When I found out I was pregnant with Lucas, I was mortified. I thought I was too young. Now I know, that had I not had him then, I probably never would have been able to. He is everything that is good in Shay and I, and he amazes me with his compassion and sincerity. I'm so grateful for my son, and for being a mom!
1. I'm not an easy person to live with. I'm extremely independent and opinionated. I need my space and time. And I was lucky enough to find a person that doesn't mind any of these things at all, but finds them to be endearing. Shay changed my life, and gave me a reason to want to be a better person. I've never known unconditional love like he gives me. And I know that whatever my age, he'll always be 6 months older than me.

So there you go. I didn't make it through the list without crying, even though you probably did. Here's to me and my 31 years of mistakes and good decisions, awkward moments and bits of inspiration, of love with family friends, and may the next 31 be similar but with more baked goods.

Sincerely,
h.