Happy Birthday to me. This is the first birthday in a looooong time where I wasn't working, being pregnant, nursing or generally dealing with little babies (not that I don't love them, cause I do - they are just a LOT of work.) So, I have to say that I was generally excited for this birthday.
Birthdays also make me look back at what I've done - usually in the last year. But with the big 3-0, I was looking back at the last 10ish, trying to figure out what I've done with myself.
So, join me on a little bit of indulgence as I look back....
I took my first plane ride at 19 from Salt Lake to Oakland, California. I graduated from nursing school at 20 from Ricks College (the last group to graduate from Ricks College before it became BYU-Idaho). A long, hard process, but I was glad to have survived.
I got married at 21 (a whole 2 weeks later, but it makes the countdown look more impressive, don't you think?) I also started working at the hospital the week of the 9/11 attacks. I was in orientation when the two towers were struck.
I had my first baby at 23.
I went back to work for a little bit at 24. Our second came a couple of months before I turned 25.
On my 25th birthday, we found out that Clark wasn't getting re-hired with the firm he was working with. We moved from Edmonton to Calgary that summer and bought our first house and eventually our first van.
At 25 (almost 26) and for our 5th year anniversary, Clark and I went to Las Vegas for our first kid-free vacation. We were able to hit Hoover Dam, the Strip and just enjoy the lights and wonders of a Vegas vacation - without our little ones. We even spent a couple of nights in one of the hotels on the Strip.
At 26 baby #3 came along.
At 27 I was able to go to New York City with just the ladies. My first girls only trip. I saw 4 Broadway shows, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Freedom Tower site, and tried out some Frozen hot chocolate. I learned to Jay-Walk "properly" and between my sister-in-law and I, to navigate the Subways.
At 28, baby #4 and we were able to fly with the kids (their first airplane ride) to Florida for a visit to Walt Disney World and Sea World.
At 29 I went to England - twice. The first time, I flew all by myself: First to Amsterdam and then over to London where I wandered around the #1 place I've wanted to go to, by myself for a week with a nervous husband working at his London office. The second time, I was able to bring my parents along for the ride. We even got out of the city!
Our family recently drove (2 1/2 days down, 2 days back) to Anaheim California to go on a family vacation with my extended family: 21 bodies in total. We were able to see Disneyland, Legoland, and the San Diego Zoo. We visited the Mormon Battalion Center and felt some after shocks from an earthquake in Mexico.
On our return, Clark started a new job after working 5 years at the Law Firm that brought us back to Calgary.
I look forward to the next 10 years and looking back on them. I have a bucket list started of things I want to do, places I'd love to go or go back to, and things I want to learn.
Happy Birthday to Me!
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