Year 29

Well this past weekend I celebrated my 30th birthday, so I thought I would share my birthday list.  No, it's not a wish list, it's a reflection-of-the-previous-year list.  My friends Stacey & Kim do this every year, they write down a list of special moments, events, things they are proud of & inspiration from  the year before.  Your list gets longer each year, to mark what age you are leaving behind, you think of that many highlights.  So in celebrating my 30th birthday, I will have 29 items.  It's a neat way to keep track of what I was up to when I was 29.  Lastly, I write down 1 goal for the next year.  So here is my list, in no particular order :)

Year 29

1) Family trip to Chicago (We had many great moments Navy Pier, Ferris Wheel, Fathers Day Fest, Boys met Paul Jr., Willow Creek & The City Church, Intelligentsia Coffee, Chicago beach, American girl it was a blast!)
2) Found out we are expecting our 3rd child (Due May 8)
3) Saw Hillsong Live (Favorite band) twice!! Both times for free!
4) My oldest child, Drew started Kindergarden
5) My daughter Emma got potty trained & isn't having any more accidents! Big deal over here!
6) Got to drive my dream car for the first time in my life, White Jeep Wrangler (It was the entire family's favorite car ever & we loved taking it off road, we've since said good bye, but the fun memories live on! Lol)
7) My husband & I visited New York City for a weekend. (What an amazing experience, from the free stay thanks to our good friends, to Hillsong NYC church, to seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time & all the places I've grown up watching on TV & movies....surreal & fun!)
8) Watching Drew be a wiseman in his Christmas play, said his lines so sweet & sang loud & proud.
9) Visiting Elevation Church in NC (Always love Furtick's teaching, great to hear in person & experience their church.)
10)  Meeting my mentor, Linda, what a blessing she is to me!
11) Taking Emma to her first mani & pedicure, oh was she in heaven!!
12) The Lord getting me through some discouraging circumstances, so thankful for His Love.  He used these 2 passages to see me through:
 Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.  Even youths will become weak and tired,  and young men will fall in exhaustion.  But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:29-31 
13) Seeing 2 of my dear friend coming to Jesus as savior & watching God become more real than ever,  Sarah & Melanie. I cried tears of Joy !!
14) Watching my kids plow through their Summer Challenge lists. It encouraged them to try new things & kept us having fun all summer!
15) Successfully sewed my first outfit for Emma & my nieces.
16) Read 9 books, inspired by my reading list (which is definitely a record for me in one year. I typically read around 2 or 3!)
17) Was inspired & given hope through these songs: Come to me, Cornerstone, Give me Faith, Whom shall I fear?, Hold On, Oh you Bring
18) Speaking on God's Love at a women's event.
19) Restful family retreats up north.
20) Some pretty special babies were born, my adorable nieces Lydia & Sophia, and 3 of my dearest friends (Casey, Holly & Maria) welcomed 3 precious boys: Zane, Bruno & Isaac.  So fun being preggo with them!
21) Going deeper with new & re-kindled friendships, over coffee, laughs & a whole lot of Jesus.  I can not imagine doing life without my girls.
22) Watching Drew & Emma make HUGE progress in the pool, Emma swimming solo in her life jacket across the pool & Drew learning to swim in the deep end, length of the pool & jumping in all in the same day.  They were both so proud!
23) Watching my kids interests begin to flourish: Drew is a bicycle & motor boy ALL the way, he loves knowing how things work & only gets science & nonfiction books from the library.  Emma is a girly girl, loving to dress up in princess clothes & do her hair, make up & nails.  She enjoys taking care of her "babies", making food, having picnics, singing, talking & arts & crafts.  They love playing doggies together & LOVE their stuffed animals. It's a fabulous stage!
24) Winning tickets & going as a family to Unity Christian Music Fest (I loved having the kids sing along at the concert to all the songs we always here at church & the radio.)
25) Holiday tables & Christmas brunch, one of my favorite Holiday traditions.
26) Singing karaoke & spending time with my family back home.
27) Watching & laughing at Duck Dynasty with our whole family & enjoying seeing all the little cousins play sports, color, have fun & be super heroes together.
28) Fun family day trips to: Mackinac City, Frankenmuth, Detroit, Grand Haven, Holland
29) And 2 bible verses God gave me for year 30: Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19
The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Goal for year 30: To make an effort to really listen to my children & be into what interests them.