A Hail and Farewell

I woke up this morning with my mind all a-twitter. Is a-twitter a word? Here's one thing I really enjoy about God: There's nothing super-special going on right now. We're hanging out in Nashville. Headed to Searcy tomorrow. Shopping today. Just usual stuff. Yet, I woke up this morning with my mind excited and my heart full. I think sometimes God just gives me the "happy factor" for no particular reason...just a little gift. (Early birthday gift?) Thanks, Lord!

*Warning: The use of the world "tumult" in the following does not imply negative feelings. Quite the contrary! It simply refers, for my purposes, which should not be looked up in Webster's, as indicative of major change.*

So, I'm turning 30 on Tuesday. 30. Really. This idea is very strange to me. I think I've been sort of processing it over the past week or two. I thought for a long time that when I turned 30, I would be grieving the loss of my 20's. I thought I would feel old. I thought it would be a difficult transition. What I'm finding, however, is the opposite.

I'm sure all of you had perfectly lovely calm, mature, normal 20's. I'll just say I didn't. I think I came into my 20's in a bad place. I had just broken up with Jerk (see 'The Great Rembleski'). I was hurting inside in a huge way. And not finding much help outwardly because everyone knew Jerk was a jerk, so no one had any sympathy! (Except Brandon and Stephen. Thanks, guys!) Tumult. Then, I met Kenny. Tumult. Happy tumult, but tumult nonetheless. Then, we got married. More happy tumult. Then, we moved to Florida. Tumult. Then we moved to California. Tumult. Then we moved to Japan. Gulp! Then we had a baby. Gasp! Then we had another baby. Tumult. (I'm running out of cool words, so I'll revert to tumult henceforth.) Then Kenny deployed to Kuwait, and the YOUNG kids and I moved back to Searcy for that 7 months. Major tumult. Then, we moved to North Carolina. Tumult, but not big tumult. Seeing the light at the end of the 20's tunnel. Then we had another baby. If you know Archie, then you KNOW my next word is: tumult! I graduated (finally) from the University of Maryland online. Tumult. Kenny got out of the Marines. Tumult. We moved to Searcy. End tumult. For now.

So, my point is this: My 20's were a whole decade fraught with MAJOR change. There was no year in my 20's when one of the above events did not occur. That's a lot of life change in 10 years. Maybe more than most people go through. Maybe not. At any rate, we've not been very grounded, to say the least. And that is EXACTLY how we wanted it!! We have lived and loved every minute! (Except, perhaps for Kenny's deployment. That was legitimately hard. However, it did afford us great empathy for others in similar situations, which is/will be coming into great use.)

So, in a way, I'm glad to be putting my 20's behind me. We're in Searcy now. Our kids are in school. Actually, I'm going to be in school too! Kenny's done with the military. We're planning to be where we are for a long, long time. I think a nice, long decade of stability will be a welcome change. Of course, God will still keep my heart all a-twitter, and we're excited to see what the 30's hold...they could hold as much change as the 20's! But that would be a tall challenge, to be sure! I'm learning, slowly, to keep some white space in my life. Empty the calendar a bit. Breathe a little. This is an art my 20's did not afford me to master. This white space is allowing me to focus on my God, my family, and my friends. I'm looking forward to more knowledge. I'm looking forward to learning to like me better. I'm looking forward to seeing my children go from tykes to teens. These things will happen in my 30's.

So, thanks, everyone, for all the birthday wishes (and gifts...I know you'll send them!!), and thank you, God, for carrying me through my 20's when I thought I couldn't walk anymore. And for all the special moments...there were many. And for all the amazing thick water friendships you sent me/us. And for all the forgiveness and love. I love you too.