I'm "In my thirties"

Thanks to my lovely sister for the flowers.

Monday was my birthday.  I turned 31.  I remember last year when I had a small amount of angst about turning 30.  30 seemed old and mature.  30 said, "I know who I am and I have accomplished. . .things."--and have papers to validate that claim!  30 said, "I'm too old to care what other people think of me."

Except the only thing I had at 30 was less muscle tone, more wrinkles, and the ability to gain weight just by looking at food--and no papers of validation.  I also had no party.  I took it hard.

This year I realized turning 31 is harder, and easier.  I am no longer on the cusp of thirty--bridging the gap between twenties and thirties.  I am just "in my thirties." This point has been driven home by my return to college.  While I don't look like anyone's mother--and I have gotten more attention than I guessed I would (though I must admit, much of that "college girl" attention has come from my husband!)--I am nearly the oldest in the class. I am hanging on to that nearly.

The first few months of thirty were spent stressing over the fact that I had no solid plans for my future--beyond wife and mother (and a detailed idea of how I wanted to remodel my house!).  This stressed me out less when I remember that my husband had the same "What am going to do with my life?" crisis when he was thirty.  He clearly figured it all out. I figured I could too.

So I made a plan.

And here I am today. 

1. In school, on my way to finishing my degree--with career goals in mind.  

2. Living with a gutted kitchen--the new an improved kitchen will be installed starting this Friday.

3. Not published, (though I have to admit I have done little on that front for several months, I did have a publisher reading one of my manuscripts within the last year) but I am writing regularly--if only for school and on this blog, which I started a month after I turned 30.  That may not be paper validation, but people are reading things I have written and I love it when you all comment.

4. In the worse shape ever!  (With all that sitting for reading and writing, what did you expect?)

Three out of four is not bad! Well, two and a half really.  But my birthday went by very quietly.  I had dinner and cake with my parents the Saturday before since I share my birthday with my dad.  On my actual birthday I did homework and planked my kitchen ceiling.

The day after my birthday my five year old looked at me and said, "Mom, your birthday wasn't very birthday-ish.  I thought you were supposed to have cake and lots of presents. You didn't get any presents."

"The kitchen is my birthday present." I told her.

"Oh."  She looked confused. "Are we going to wrap it and stand in front of it and make you open it?" She asked, hopefully.

"That would be nice, except I have to help build it."  

She scrunched up her face. "Well that's not a very good present if you have to build it yourself!"  she exclaimed.

I just laughed.  Even if I have to help build it I am going to love my kitchen.

So here is to accomplishing something while "in my thirties".  I am feeling less stressed and more motivated this year.  I will accomplish things. . . just try and stop me!  And I will have fun doing it.