"I still remember when 30 was old..."

Two points if you know the song that lyric is from...



(I want to clarify to any interested parties that this song is in no way autobiographical for me.)

(However, that song played pretty much on a constant loop during my mid-20s because HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE IT???)

Anyway. The point of this post...

Today is my last day I can say I'm "in my thirties."

Yes, my friends, tomorrow is the big 4-0. And if I can "remember when 30 was old," I can also remember when 40 was ancient. And I'm almost there.

This week has been busy, but I have also had a little "introspection time" here and there. While we have had some challenges of late (that's another post for another time), I have to say the 30s were maybe my favorite. Here are a few reasons why:

• When I turned 30, I was working my only job outside of academia -- I was a paralegal for a little over a year. I kind of hated the work (and missed teaching desperately), but I made a couple of friends that I remain friends with, and I'm thankful for that.
• I began and ended (although perhaps only temporarily) a job as a high school teacher. Now, to appreciate this fact, you must know that there was a time I said, "I will NEVER teach high school." I think God likes it when we say things like that because He must be thinking, "The joke's on you, girlfriend." HOWEVER, for seven years I had that job, and it gave me the opportunity to work with some amazing people and teach some great students. Most rewarding job, for sure.
• I've made some awesome friends who, I think, are friends now for life -- friends in Georgia, new friends and old friends here in Baton Rouge. As frustrated as I get with social media sometimes (yes, people, we know your health insurance costs just skyrocketed!), I am grateful for it simply because I still feel very much in touch with everyone.
• I think I gained some perspective on things. While I'm still very much a people pleaser, I also have accepted that not everyone is going to like me, and that's okay. And a bad hair day doesn't put me in the bad mood it used to pre-30s. (Confession: In the early days, I was known to throw a hair brush. I'm not proud, but I've come a long way!)
• Most importantly, I became a mom, something I have wanted to be my whole life, and it has been even better than I ever imagined. If things had gone "our" way, we would have had a kid much earlier in life, but I'm glad things worked out the way they did. Again, that whole perspective thing I just mentioned has been, I think, very important in how we have approached parenthood.

Overall, I've got to say the 30s were very good to me, and for that, I'm very grateful.

Bring it, 40!!