30 things

In honor of turning the big 3-0 last week, I decided to list 30 things that I've learned in the last 30 years.     Here it goes (in no particular order)...

1.  Marrying your first and only boyfriend is a gift and a blessing.

2.  It's actually fun to like football.  It only took Chris about 12 years, but I can actually say I enjoy watching it now.
3.  Stop putting so much pressure on yourself and let go of trying to achieve perfection.  It's never going to happen.

4.  All food tastes better with Diet Coke.
5.  Read for fun.
6.  Don't be a picky eater. I am still relatively picky, but I've come a long way with this one.
7.  Being a people pleaser is exhausting.  Apologizing for no reason and when you don't really mean it and over-explaining yourself is silly.
8.  Don't obsess about what others think of you.  They think about you a lot less than you realize.
9.  Don't let your weight determine how happy you are.
10.  Don't rush to decorate a home just because you want to fill it up.  Take your time and wait until you can find and get what you really want.
11.  Be kind.  You never know what someone is going through.
12.  You might miss out on knowing some great people if you are too busy judging them just because they are different than you.
13.  Be thankful for everything you have and don't take anything for granted.
14.  Find a job that you love and fulfills you.  I am so proud of my 6 years as a teacher and now my job as a stay-at-home mom.
15.  Not all trends are a good idea.  I owned way too many pairs of Doc Martins.  Ew.
16.  Always send a thank you note.
17.  Learn to say NO.
18.  I'm much more of an introvert than I thought.
19.  There is no place in the world like Texas A&M.
20.  Compliment someone whenever you can.  You never know the difference it might make to them.
21.  Be in pictures with your children, even if you don't like the way you look at that time.
22.  Don't blink.  Times flies.
23.  Accept help.  If someone offers to help you it's because they want to.
24.  Make new friends, but keep the old.  You will have friends from different phases of life, but there's nothing like old friends that share a history with you.
25.  Comparison is the thief of joy.  Don't compare your behind the scenes to someone else's highlight reel.
26.  The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.
27.  The to-do list will never be done.
28.  Give more than you receive.
29.  You will never regret spending time with your kids.
30.  Never underestimate the power of a good pedicure and an eyebrow wax.

We celebrated my birthday with my family on Friday at my parents' house.  It was easier than trying to bring both kids to a restaurant and having to rush.  We had a great night!  

At 30, my life is sweeter than I could have ever imagined!