Warning: This post contains LOTS of pictures, but I’m not sad about it! I continue to be what one might call “bad” at blogging in this season of life. The good news? I’m currently feeling the writing itch. I’ve already written a couple of posts for the TWU blog (one was posted last week), and the Holy Spirit continues to make me keenly aware via promptings, messages, etc. that writing is something I’m called to do and I only get one little life on this earth to do it! So I’m gonna try harder okay? The bad news? I’m a forgetful, easily distracted human and will probably disappoint you/myself. Life happens and distracts us from things we really want to do, but let’s keep going okay?!

32

First up on the list of things I want to talk to you about (which I conveniently and non-creatively listed as my blog post title), I’m 32 now! I’m not one of those people who takes their birth year off Facebook so people don’t know how old I am (yet). I’m proud of my 32 years of life! I’m sure there will be days, or a stage of life coming soon, where I might not be so proud of my age and can no longer boast about being asked if I’m a college student, but for now, no shame. Does my life look like what I thought it would at 32 when I was 22 or 18 or 28 or even 30? Not at all. I think it looks better. Don’t get me wrong, I still would like to trade my last name in for a new one, BUT my life is way more beautiful and full than I ever imagined it could be, single or married. I genuinely LOVE my life. Even in the seasons where I haven’t loved love quite as much, I still loved birthdays. Combine life love + birthday love and you get some pretty magical birthday celebrating!

Sometimes I wonder/worry that my love for celebrating my birthday (and all the other days I like to celebrate/remember: October 14th, first day of fall, my dad’s heaven anniversary, my dad’s birthday) might seem selfish. To clarify, this is why I celebrate: I LOVE THE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE! I love the people I live life with daily now (roommate, besties, gospel family, college girls, etc) and I love the people still in my life that I’m not currently getting to do daily life with (besties, family, former gospel familes, etc). In the dream world I’d like to live in called Cardiganland where fairies are real and it’s never too hot or too cold (and therefore we can wear cardigans year round) and it looks like fall 8 months of the year, all of my people live close by and we have weekly/daily dinner parties and sit at a huge farm table together and magically have endless pantries and fridges so dinner parties aren’t expensive and never gain weight from the yummy food we consume. Since Cardiganland isn’t real, I use special days as an excuse to gather my people together! And I photo document it like crazy so I can always remember it and so the people who live too far away to gather can feel like they were there. So now that you know why I celebrate, pictures! I’ll let the captions share how I brought 32 in with a bang. (And then if you don’t really want that much detail, you can skip over, but if you do click on the pics and scroll through.)

My roommate stayed up way passed her bedtime to decorate the house so it was a birthday explosion when I woke up!

4 year strong tradition of a solo breakfast over Jesus time at Starbucks! They buy my coffee, I buy myself a pastry or sandwich.

My coworkers took me out at our local Mexican restaurant! I never say no to Mexican food.

We couldn’t say no to free dessert!

And of course, they made me wear the hat.

I made a lemon Texas sheet cake (with sparkles) to bring to share with my coworkers.

Our local restaurant Froghead lets you eat free(ish) on your birthday! Obvious choice. (Also, handsy frog!)

My two favorite kiddos (and their parents) came by the restaurant to bring a balloon, flowers, and hugs!

My DNA besties all gave me gifts in cupcake bags! Life of a baker.

So many perfect gifts! I definitely have the best people.

I strategically plan my outfits for extra fun days like birthdays. I debuted my new tulle skirts for the occasion! Black one + sparkly graphic tee, a gold headband (grownup equivalent of a tiara), and gold glitter flats. Birthday DAY ended with a late night premiere showing of PITCH PERFECT 2!

For party day the cake was pink (strawberry, my fav). And so was the water.

Party day outfit debuted the white tulle skirt, a cropped powder blue top, a flower headband, and gold glitter flats (not pictured).

We had dinner at my fav restaurant then came back to my house for cake, a fairy movie (Maleficent), and a photo shoot. (sadly not all dinner goers and cake eaters are pictured! they left before the photo shoot.)

 GOALS

Next up, a 2015 goals check in. Why? Because what’s the point in making goals if you don’t allow them to motivate you more than just in January when everyone is motivated? Also, vulnerability! You see me post all my big fancy goals, and I want to be honest with my self and you on where I still need work! The BIG goals for the year, fighting and loving are going pretty well. Fighting is going REALLY well, and loving is going decently well.

For basic year goals:

1. Forgive others and myself quickly. {Happening.}

2. React less, think more. {Getting better for sure.) 

3. Read more. {NOT happening. Still half a year to attempt though!}

4. Resist, fight, flee from temptation like never before by being dedicated to cardio as a healthy outlet. {Happening!}

5. Be more loving and kind (to my roommates, my friends, my family, and my neighbors). {Work in progress, but I think it’s happening, definitely lacking with neighbors.}

6. Write more and learn to write at home and not need to be somewhere else. {Never ending work in progress.} 

7. Make wise choices with money. Tithe consistently. Save monthly. Buy less. {Definite progress overall, but as of late need to get back at it.) 

8. Give away time, resources, and talents more liberally. Feed people, share with people, bake for people, and more. {Some yes, others no, work in progress.) 

Monthly goals so far:

FAIRIES 

I FINALLY CREATED THE FAIRY GARDEN! It’s been a year long process, and will continue to be added to, but it’s finished enough for me to be proud enough of it to share the progress.

32 THINGS FOR BIRTHDAY “MONTH”: 1. “Finish” fairy garden. 2. Write an encouraging letter to someone. {this week} 3. Finally acquire tulle skirts. 4. Eat a snowball. {hopefully happening this weekend} 5. Wear flowers in hair on birthday. 6. Visit a family member. {planned for May 22 and one other time asap} 7. Eat at Froghead for free. 8. Load a Starbucks card to Instagram to spread joy to a few others. {early June, need a new paycheck} 9. Bring cake for coworkers. 10. Finish a book, any book. 11. Write for TWU. 12. Finish gallery walls. {prints acquired, need frames} 13. Blog.  14. Print some new pics of friends.  15. Actually use the photo booth “banner” made for party last year. 16. Eat from a food truck.  17. Give something away.  18. FINALLY hang hammock. {planned for this Thursday}  19. Deep clean bathroom (hey practical things count as things too!).  20. Go to the Livingston Farmers’ market.  21. See Pitch Perfect 2. 22. Plan/participate in an Indian food/Bollywood movie night. 23. Watch a fairy movie. 24. Get other people excited about and into the Clinton farmers’ market. {15 days y’all!} 25. Bake a new dessert. 26. Acquire an actual fairy figurine for the fairy garden. 27. Put clothes away (hiding them in the closet doesn’t count – this is ALWAYS a struggle, but a clean room makes me happier). 28. Expand fairy garden with a few items from The Olive Branch. {new pay check} 29. Go to a Brilla game to support the Taylors (and play with Hazel and Henry).  30. Work out five days in a row (I work out 3-4 times a week almost every week, which is a victory and hasn’t happened in previous years, but been losing motivation). 31. Make cold brew iced coffee concentrate.  32. FINALLY SEE TAYLOR SWIFT IN CONCERT! {SEE BELOW!!!!} 

Note: Okay since I didn’t actually “pen” the list until today I cheated a LITTLE and included some things I’ve already done or had planned to do. BUT, some of them were already floating around in my head and would have been on the list anyway. And for the others, well, it’s my list and I can make the rules right? 🙂

TAYLOR SWIFT

I’M GOING TO SEE TAYLOR SWIFT IN CONCERT Y’ALL!! I haven’t shared this publicly yet because I wanted to make it an ANNOUNCEMENT! I do prefer Taylor’s new stuff along with most of the world, BUT I’ve been a fan to the core since the beginning Teardrops on my Guitar days ! She’s what made me be able to tolerate other country again. And I do so tolerate, not like, because she was never really THAT country. But because I loved her, I stopped having deep hatred for country music. I’m convinced we’re kindreds. I love her music and ability to tell stories through song. And I love the way she loves her fans. It’s inevitable that I’m going to cry. Therefore, I’m taking my cousin Marissa, who is really more like a sister, for two reasons: 1. she can’t decided she doesn’t want to be friends with me after the inevitable tears I will shed at a Taylor Swift concert because she’s family and 2. we need some quality time together!

Not just a TSwift concert, but a 1989 tour concert!

SEE?! This is really happening!

I’ve never been to Tiger Stadium, but from what I can see our tickets aren’t too bad. (And are much better than the upper sections not pictured!)