Another trip around the sun

The 16th is my birthday and I’m writing this as I barrel down the road on the 18 express bus heading south into downtown Seattle on a sunny Monday morning. It’s my last day as a 30 year old and I’m acutely aware of how fast time can start going. It’s a funny thing how you can keep growing as an adult. The last 365 days have been so life changing for me.

Becoming a newlywed, moving my parents, and doing some major soul searching on how I can be more intentional and grateful with my time are the high points. Getting married in Hawaii to my love surrounded by so many people we love and adore with the lush beauty that is Hawaii was a highlight of my life, not to mention year 30. Honeymooning in New Zealand was a close second.

I met some great people this year that have started to feel more like a PNW family than friends, took some trips to spend time with old friends in Memphis and San Diego, and had a wild Dolly Parton themed bachelorette party in Las Vegas that was so fun it hurt. Literally. Got a little injured doing some dance moves in heels that were not my friend, then learned how to slow down and go through a healing process, which was a cathartic experience in itself. It came as a shock to me how bad I am at being still and had to take stock of how to take care of me. We moved out of our first Seattle apartment to make new memories in the coziest small house five blocks from the ocean with a yard and tiny garden. Watching the dogs become buddies playing in the yard has brought us so much joy. I got better acquainted with myself and what I want out of life and committed to attracting it through gratitude. Not everyday was easy, work tested my patience more than once and physically exhausted me at other times, but the memories and how much I’ve learned from year thirty in my career are immeasurable.

I feel so happy that we are finally starting to feel like we’ve grown some real roots in Seattle, in our marriage, and in the direction of our lives. I do have one big regret from this year – I’d made a goal to myself that I’d do thirty hikes in year thirty. But tearing three tendons and fracturing my pelvis one month into thirty derailed that goal. I detest not meeting goals. But I’ve had to let that one go. Also something I’ve never really done before. Thanks, year thirty, for teaching me one more thing. So instead of listing out my thirty epic hikes like I’d planned (I only made it to 12!), here’s a list of thirty things I’m grateful for this past year and thirty one things I’m excited about or want to try in year thirty one.

Thirty things I’m grateful for:

Jake
Our family
Safety
Our doggies, Paisley Mae Mae and Porter
Good friends old and new
Our health and the ability to choose what’s best for us
The Universe
Our house
The ability to travel
Music
Fall Seattle sunshine
That my career allows for my creative outlet, pushes me to learn about unfamiliar topics, and is filled with kind humans.
Seattle breweries
Growing up in a small town
Books
An adventurous spirit
Our yard and my garden
Campfires
Morning walks on the beach
Amazon Alexa (I’m codependent at this point)
Yoga
Running
Sunsets/Sunrises
Those mountains over the water
Playing with recipes
Snail mail
Overalls of all kinds
Salt
Laughing
My neighborhood reiki and massage studio, Ritual

Thirty one things I’m excited about for this next year:

More time with my hubby
Seeing Fleetwood Mac in concert with my family this weekend in StL for the umpeenth time.
Passing out candy to trick or treaters on Halloween in our new neighborhood
Hosting our friend-family at our house for Thanksgiving
Watching my garlic and tulip bulbs come up this coming May
All the friend weddings we have coming up this year and the fun travel that goes along

7. Pushing myself to grow

8. Getting back to my normal workouts

9. Skiing!

10. I want to go on my first winter backpacking trip

11. I want to learn a few chords on the ukulele

12. Planning and taking an epic trip to Southeast Asia

13. Running another race. Any good ideas?

14. Old friends moving to Seattle

15. Spending more time with female mentors

16. Joining a women’s leadership group

17. Learning more about health and wellness

18. Holidays in my parents new house