30

This post is now several weeks late, but turning 30 was kind of a big deal to me, so I thought I should still write about it!  The best part of this birthday was definitely the presents... Tim got me a dual shower head for our bathroom, which I have been asking for for about a year now, and it was such a nice surprise to wake up and find it already installed on my birthday morning!  My parents and Joe spoiled me with a new point-and-shoot camera and gigantic memory stick.  I have been mostly using my SLR these days, especially around the house and for big family events, but back on Timmy's birthday, I pulled my point-and-shoot out of my purse at the aquarium, only to discover that it would not turn on.  (Hence the grainy cell phone pictures in that post!) I thought I could live without one, until all the weddings we attended this summer.  I kept borrowing my mom's camera, but then I would forget to give it back to her and she missed out on pictures of a couple things she took the boys to, so I finally realized I needed a new one.  Tim bought himself a new toy, that I will be posting about soon, and when he ordered it I asked him to start researching a camera so I could have a new toy too.  I then spent that day, which happened to be my birthday, researching them myself and was then shocked to open one from my parents that evening, it was such a great surprise!  I ended up getting this one and have only just started learning how to use it, but the best two features are that it is waterproof and it takes panoramic pictures!  I am sure that I will have LOTS of examples of both next week when we get back from the beach!

After opening presents on my birthday, my parents, Joe, Uncle Bobby, Tim, the boys and I went out to eat at the Cheesecake Factory for a yummy dinner.  That weekend Tim and I met up with our friends at Clyde's at Reston Town Center for a rare night out at a bar!  It was really nice to see everyone, and I especially enjoyed spending some time with my birthday twin, Sami, who is about to get married and has been busier then usual lately!

That evening someone asked me how I felt about turning thirty, I really was fine with it, but I did have to admit to having a little panic attack in the morning when I first signed into facebook and saw my brand new profile picture:

The rushed thoughts, "Ohmigosh, I'm 30, I'm a family of 4, my life is 1/3 over!" briefly ran through my mind, but then I was okay with it, because I am very happy with where I am in my life!  Joe very nicely responded, "Panicked? You're winning at being 30, you are married with great kids and a job you love!"  Which made me feel very good, and I know to be very true!  I am so blessed!