"25"

Today is August 25th, 2014 and today I turned 25... Wow. My whole life I have in some way always looked forward to/dreaded this day. It's my golden birthday, it's also the day I turn a quarter of a century. I thought for sure the days before this day I would be an emotional wreck, I mean what have I accomplished in life?! I'm a nanny with a college degree, I have a husband and a cat that I think is my baby. Those are great things, accomplishments, millstones but many times I see only the things I have yet to do and thought I would have by this age.

I tend to look at my life this way ALOT, a bit negative. But what I began to see in the days leading up to this day were not all the things I haven't done but rather all the things I have experiences and accomplished. I began to appreciate the life I have so much more than ever before. This is not a bragging moment but rather a moment to say to myself and to anyone reading "even if you haven't done all you want to do, there is still time and don't forget everything you HAVE DONE!".

I was positive I would have like three babies by now but I haven't one (besides Vivienne, I'm pretty sure no one counts her though). But seriously having no babies yet is the best ever! I want kids more than anything else in life but I know now it IS NOT the time. God has opened up so many opportunities for my husband and I that we could not have taken advantage of if we had kids. I don't even live in a full sized apartment, I live in a studio, never thought that would happen... But it is amazing! We save so much money and it honestly is perfect for us. I have a husband who is not what I ever would have expected... He is more amazing than I could have ever dreamed (even though we drive each other nuts). I have a steady job for three kids whom I absoluty love and a cat who literally is the light of my life.

I am not a mother, I do not own a home, I still have school debt, I haven't lost any weight I wanted to loose before the big 2 5 and sometimes I wish I had a job with people who could have a real GROWNUP conversation with me. Sometimes my life seems to be very little of what I thought it would be. But today I can honestly say I am not only content with it, I happy with it. I know there is time, I don't need to rush but rather keep on the steady pace I have been on. THERE IS TIME. I want to enter my 25th year celebrating the years I have lived and able to look forward to what has yet to come.

So instead of being depressed and dwelling on what I haven't accomplished I am excited for what will be one day and proud of all I have done so far. God has done so much in my life and led it in directions I never would have expected. I am overwhelmed looking back and thinking of all the people I have met, the relationships we have and all the times we have spent together. I realize now more than ever how so many of these people changed my life and I am so unbelievably thankful for them. Even if I had accomplished nothing in these 25 years, the friendships and family relationships I have alone would amount to a rich and beautiful quarter of a century.

So heres to 25 years of an incredible, difficult, beautiful, joyful, miserable, exciting, perfect with all its imperfections life! I am thankful for every moment, disappointment, accomplishment, mistake and choice I have ever had to make because they made me who I am today. I am excited and nervous for the next 25 years and cannot wait to see what they have in store! 

*Photos were taken by the amazing Heather Peters!