Alicia’s 30th Birthday

I don’t plan to belabor the point but I have to at least acknowledge it: I turned 30.  I never expected to be a person that cared about aging.  And it’s not that I’m disturbed by it – I’m just shocked by it.  I’m 30?  I’m 30.  I have to keep reminding myself.  Really?  I’m 30?  Yes, Alicia, you’re 30!  How did this happen?  I feel no older than 26 and no wiser than I was at 23.  Just the same, though, I’m 30.

I guess I belabored the point.

The 20’s were great to me!  Here’s a brief recap of major events:

20 – Finished up school at BYU (right before turning 21)

21 – Married Ben in Orlando Temple (right after turning 21)

22 – Graduated from University of Tampa with Master’s degree in teaching & bought our first home

23 – Sadie was born & ‘retired’ from teaching

24 – Started doing photography with Sarah

25 – Jax was born

26 – A good but busy year, became pregnant with Mo when Jax was 4 months old

27 – McKay was born

28 – I miraculously survived a year with three very small, cute children.  Most tiring year of my life.

29 – Loved every minute of it!  Probably the best year of my life! The kids were so fun and small, yet fairly manageable.  We were blessed to go on fun trips.  We moved out of our home in New Port Richey into a home we like much more in Tampa.

Lots of happy memories and major events for one decade!!  I have some regrets in those years but I’ve tried to learn from mistakes and experiences.  I guess my 30’s will be called Take 2: Trying to Become the Me I Want to Be – a more patient, relaxed, go-with-the flow, and love and help everyone around you type of person.

Incidentally, most of the family was traveling internationally on my birthday so we decided to do a little beach getaway.  We found a hotel on the beach in Daytona (Perry’s Oceanfront Hotel) which looked wonderfully relaxing.  The last few months have been so busy and chaotic.  The slow pace and rays of sunshine were the perfect reprieve!