Reflections on Turning 30 (Tomorrow)

I found this quote from Lord Byron about turning 30. I think I’m going to ignore it.

I always looked to about thirty as the barrier of any real or fierce delight in the passions, and determined to work them out in the younger ore and better veins of the mine --and I flatter myself (perhaps) that I have pretty well done so --and now the dross is coming.

I turn 30 tomorrow, yikes! Have been dreading this one though. An age marker hasn’t bugged me so much since 27, so I guess that is only 3 years . . . hmmm. Well, never mind . . . I love birthdays, I mean I LOVE them. I think everyone should always have just absolutely fabulous birthdays. I just love having one day that you can revel in yourself. Especially since as a mom that opportunity seems to be getting fewer and far between. And I know that one you should revel with caution, you don't want to revel in your awesomeness all the time; you wouldn't have many friends probably nor would you have time to be one.

What are your favorite birthday memories and/or birthday traditions? 

One of my favorite birthday memories is turning 16. When I turned 16 my mom sent me flowers to school on my birthday and my dad traded appraisals to get me a car. I love that birthday. My parents went crazy out of their way to make me feel loved and special and it is just now as a mom that I get it. Don't you wish you could go back in time and just shake yourself!    

I had no idea then what life had in store for me. I thought I would be a world-famous doctor-astronaut-traveler and be rich and famous. I did not see myself turning 30 in Nebraska with 3 babies and a hubby nor would I have ever thought that it would take me 8 years to get my Bachelor's degree, or that my kids would come so fast (though I'm pretty sure God had a hand in that, he knows me so much better than I do myself) but here is one thing I know as I turn the big 3-0; I am truly content with my life. I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything. I love my husband, my kids, my family, friends and my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I know that I have been looked after and guided and protected much more than I could ever hope to know or appreciate. 

I have had many great and fantastic birthdays in my life but I’m hoping that I can make 30 the best yet. It’s already been pretty fantastic. My mom laughs at me that I’m making every weekend of November a party. She took me to Kansas City last weekend for Time Out for Women (which was incredible in so many ways) and this weekend Sean and I will get to go on a date (and I know what he got me but I’m not supposed to and it’s pretty great). I get to see my brother and his family whom I haven’t seen in a long time on Monday and then next weekend I get some pretty important visitors from Vegas and we are going to Twi-Hard J. It’s pretty fantastic. I’m so blessed.

I love this quote from T.S. Eliot, “We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started... and know the place for the first time.”

I hope that in my next decade and hopefully forever I don’t ever stop exploring.

I'm going to go enjoy the last day of my 20's.

Love,

Apes 

October in Nebraska

October 2011

October was busy for us. It was a really fun month. My parents took us to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch which we have decided is an autumn Disneyland in Gretna (almost as expensive!) It was really fun! We watched pig races and went in the corn maze, launched water bottles out of cannons and went down a super fast slide. The food was great and it was really incredible.

Vaughn finished soccer, sad! Can’t wait for it to start back up again. We made some really good friends (even me J) and Sean had a lot of fun coaching. 

Nic & Angie came to visit us. It was so fun to show them around. We took them to Winter Quarters to the Visitors Centre and Temple grounds. It really is a beautiful place and has such a special atmosphere. The kids always like getting to see the cabin, wagon, handcart and ship replicas there. We went downtown and walked across the pedestrian bridge into Iowa. I couldn’t figure out where everyone was until we saw the Nebraska game on a big screen downtown! We took them to Po’Boys which is my favorite BBQ place in Gretna. It seriously wafts through my window as I drive by it which is usually at least once a day. It is so delicious.

My mom made us lots of good food (thanks mom!) and then she was gracious enough to babysit so we could have a double-date (thanks mom!). It was so good to be with family, Larkin style.

We went to a play at The Rose Theater which is a children’s theatre in downtown Omaha called “How I Became A Pirate.” It was super cute and a really fun thing to do with the kids.  

For Halloween we went to the trunk-or-treat at the Clarke’s farm with our branch and then we trick-or-treated on Monday night with our neighbor-friends Anne & Ty and their girls Mya and Adalyn. It was really a fun night since our neighborhood is great and everyone was out. Steve and his family, cul-de-sac neighbors, hosted a get together for the neighborhood with hot chocolate and s’mores.

We just had a really great month. It’s gorgeous here in the fall. We feel so blessed to be doing well. Our thoughts and prayers are with all our friends and family. We love you guys

Apes