Goodbye 25!

I think it's safe to say that my 25th year of life did not go as I had planned.  Leaving the place I had spent the last five years learning to love and all the people who had grown so dear to my heart, losing a child, financial struggles, fighting to rebuild a marriage, and picking up the pieces of my shattered faith...just to name a few.  Yes, I am glad that today is my birthday.  Because today I am 26.  No longer 25.  No longer the same age I was when my life threatened to fall apart.  Today is a day of new beginnings.  Today is a day to be positive...not just when thinking about the future, but when thinking about the past as well.  So, in an effort to give year 25 the credit it's due, I want to take a moment to share with you...25 things that I loved about being 25!

* Being a wife and mother.

* Being pregnant.

* Being able to celebrate my 25th birthday with some of the most wonderful people I've known.

* Living in an affordable and roomy house (that I just happened to grow up in) with a big yard for C to play in.

* Attending Grace Community Church of the Nazarene.

* Finding out that our baby was a boy.

* Witnessing C learn to really talk.

* Becoming an aunt for the 2nd time with the arrival of my niece

* Participating in the March for Babies and raising over $2,000 for the March of Dimes Foundation.

* Camping out for the first time.

* Visiting my grandmother in NM and finally being able to introduce her to my hubby and C.

* Working at Camp Center Stage where I met two of my newest, dearest friends.

* Being able to celebrate my 5th wedding anniversary.

* Celebrating C's 3rd birthday.

* Becoming an aunt for the 3rd time with the arrival of my first nephew.

* Living near family (not just because of the free babysitting, although I do love that).

* Discovering and falling in love with the phenomenon that is the AMC Cinema Suites.

* Reconnecting with old friends.

* Teaching for Christian Youth Theatre

* Going to Sea World.

* Finding lots of new playmates for C. 

* Finally getting to see Wicked.

* Embarking on our adoption journey.

* Continuing to be fortunate enough to be able to stay home with C.

* Getting my 3rd tattoo.