30 Years In The Making

So here's me. Here's what 30 years has wrought. The good, the bad and all the stuff in between. These are the highlights if you will. Some of it has shaped me, some of it has tested me, some of it has taught me, but all have been life experience that have been stirred in the mix that make me, well, me.

30 life experiences that have helped define who I am now-

1. I was born. This is sorta the catalyst for the rest of these events so I thought I should start with that.  (interesting fact- My daughter was the exact same height and length as I was at birth.)
2. I was given a loving family.
3. My mom and dad divorced.
4. I was brought up in church.
5. My mom and I moved to Phoenix.
6. My mom married again.
7. I got saved at the age of 12.
8. I decided I didn't need God and wanted to live my own life.
9. We moved back to the midwest, Kansas this time.
10. Started homeschool.
11. Met the girl who would become my very best friend all through my teen years. (Does she ever have the blackmail on me!!!!)
12. Senior year went to Indep. Bible School, graduated in 1998 (a year early) with my class of 11.
13. Took a year off school and worked at a daycare. That job would become my reason for what I chose to major in throughout college. It is still the best job I ever had. (well until the SAHM gig that is)
14. Started college. Independence Community College.
15. Had my first boyfriend. He broke my heart. I add this because it was the first time I really got that God knows best and what I thought would break me only served as God's wise protection and to make way for bigger and better things.
16. Moved out on my own. Back to the town I was born in.
17. Worked two jobs and went to school. On weekends I was almost always at a coffee shop (King's Coffee Co.)  with my best friend Angie. We played Scrabble a lot.
18. Started dating a lot and went further still from God. After two bad relationships decided living life my way wasn't cutting it.
19. Ran back to God and He welcomed me home.
20. Went on a dream vacation to NYC with my mom and best friend (who didn't think it was so dreamy). While on our way, 30,000 ft. in the air, God and I talked about my life and for the first time, I handed everything over to Him, no strings attached - including my future spouse. I told him, while looking out over the clouds, that I would follow His leading in it. Two months later I met this handsome pilot dude. (Angie reminded me that it was on that same trip I stated, due to lots of plane delays, that I would never marry a pilot. Ops.) But I do think it's crazy that I was in a plane when the "spouse talk with God" happened and I ended up marrying into the aviation life.
21. Spent the next year working, taking classes and getting to know the man who would become my husband.
22. Fell head over heels in love with the most amazing man I know.
23. Got engaged March of 2005, got married in June of that year.
24. Moved to Memphis and started learning how to be a wife.
25. Year 2 of marriage I got sick and stayed that way for 11 months. Don't know what it was but it shaped my relationship with God and with my husband. Looking back, I'm not sure God sent it, but I know He used it.
26. Found out we were moving to Michigan and started packing. We got here and found a sense of peace that we were where God wanted us. (Much to my dismay!) We found a good church and settled in to both a new state and new friends.
27. While on a trip back to Oklahoma, we found out we were going to have a baby! My life was forever changed for the better.
28. Came back from that trip and promptly bought our first home.
29. December of 2009 I became Mommy to the most amazing baby girl. She rocked my world.
30. Turned 30. Realizing I am well settled into my life. Blessed beyond measure that I am living out the life I always dreamed.

And in between all of that, I've done a lot of living and learning, laughing and crying, growing and changing. I've made memories, I've dreamed dreams, I've become..me. Through every page God has stamped His imprint on my life and experiences. I look back, smile and say, "God has been so good to me!"