The big 3-0

I am 30 today and I am proud of it. I never want to be ashamed of my age. I hope that I will always embrace it and that I will gain wisdom as I get older.

My husband has me in reflective mode so here are the 30 highlights and best times of my life so far. (I tried to put them in some sort of order but it is a flexible order that would change if I rewrote this list tomorrow.)

1. Marrying Bryan (best thing I have ever done!)
2. Bringing my 2 boys into this world (Jaden and Clay are well worth all of the effort)
3. My parents raising me to know Jesus and figuring out my faith (God has been with me in all of my experiences)
4. Living in the Washington DC area for 7 years (and moving out of ND)
5. Being a part of National Community Church (Washington DC)
6. Working at Kennedy Space Center
7. Flying on the NASA KC-135 (Vomit Comet) in zero gravity
8. Earning my BS and MS in Aerospace Engineering
9. Helping Bryan earn his MD and PhD
10. Medical mission trip for a month in Honduras
11. Medical mission trip to Mexico City
12. Vacation in Italy (I love vacations. They are some of my favorite memories.)
13. Vacation in Paris and surrounding areas of France
14. Vacation in Norway
15. Vacation in Germany (to visit my sister and her husband)
16. Vacation in Glacier Park, MT with my family
17. Vacation in the Black Hills of SD
18. Vacation in Phoenix, AZ
19. Driving vacation around the northeast (PA, NJ, NY, VT, NH, ME, MA, RI, CT)
20. Road trip with Raquel's family (DC to ND to CA to WA and back to DC; 150 hours in a vehicle and lots of beautiful scenery)
21. Driving vacation in AZ and UT (beautiful national parks)
22. Bryan finishing internal medicine residency at the Mayo Clinic and its hospitals
23. My dad's compassionate reaction to me after totaling my parents new car by driving it into a building corner (high school)
24. My mom staying at home with me and my siblings instead of working (until I was 11)
25. Going to ND Governor's School of Science and Math (where I met Bryan)
26. Working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for my masters research and first job
27. Leading couples small groups (with Bryan) to help people work on their marriages
28. Attending Family Life Marriage Conferences (Weekend to Remember)
29. Going to Space Academy (Camp) in 8th grade in Huntsville, AL
30. My sister writing me an apology letter (representing all of the times we fought and forgave)

I look forward to adding more highlights and memories to my life. I feel like I could add a few more but time will need to pass to find out how monumental they will become. I didn't realize that my life would be in such a state of change at the age of 30 but I love change. I hope that life is never boring but that I live a life full of passion.

Right now these are the big things in my life: moving to the Minneapolis area (we've always wanted to live here someday), going back to work after a 4 year motherhood sabbatical, doing life together with my brother (Kirk) and his family, and being a part of the Upper Room Community (our church).

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes! You helped make this day more special.