18

May 23, 2010, marked 36 years of life. That makes 18 years since I graduated from high school, left home, and started my life as an adult. It has been interesting for me to compare the first 18 years of my life with the second 18 years of my life.

It is amazing to think about all that was accomplished in the those first 18 years. I learned to sit, crawl, walk, talk, childhood explorations, elementary studies, followed by Jr. High School (it wasn't called "middle school" back in my day) and High School. Thrown along in there was forming lifelong friendships, first time crushes, learning to drive, character development, heartbreaks and disappointments interspersed with success and elation, boundary checks and searching for gospel truths.

The last 18 years include learning to live on my own, a mission to a foreign land, marriage to a wonderful man, graduation from a university, start of a career in teaching, the birth of my first child and my second and my third and my fourth and my fifth and my sixth. Along with all of that I learned to live with many different roommates, escape bad relationships, severe unhealthy friendships, become a wife and mother, put other people before myself, find value in all people--even those who I will never understand and more searching for gospel truths.


Not an exhaustive list; only scratches the surface of each 18 year time period, but it is enough for me to see how life builds upon itself. Each experience prepares for the next. I am learning that more important than each accomplishment that can be checked off my list are the lessons learned in the process. I continue to remind myself that life might by counted in days and years but living is done in the moment. This habitual "list checker" needs that as a frequent reminder.


Makes me curious about the next 18 years.......


My birthday fell on a Sunday which, unlike how I felt as a child, is the best day to have a birthday as an adult. I actually had my husband with me all day, and he and my children were so nice and considerate of making my day special. It was also fun to go to church and have my friends wish me a Happy Birthday. Funny how a simple rememberance that it is your birthday means so much as an adult--far from the child who is just counting presents:)

That evening, my wonderful father-in-law made me one of my absolute favorite dinners, Philly cheese steak sandwiches. I would say that everyone needs to try them except that it ruins other cheese steak sandwiches forever. So you might want to pass if you intend on enjoying other "inferior" versions.

Most impressive of all was that my husband made me my absolute favorite cake in the world, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Not just any old carrot cake, but he actually called my mom and got the "family recipe" . To top it all off he had Bryers Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, my absolute favorite ice cream of all time. (A sacrifice for him who always wants chocolate. It is the never ending debate in our house.)

I am so loved!!!