Well, my twenty-third birthday came and went, and it all seems a tad bittersweet. I spent the first seventeen years of my life feeling kind of sad every time I hit another year... and the chances of Peter Pan coming to my window steadily decreased. But then eighteen came and things got kind of exciting. I'd just gotten my license and then I started up a job teaching sewing at Jo-Ann fabrics. Both experiences gave me confidence and a sense of independence that I'd never had before (in a good way, not a rebellious one - it was a big step for shy little me to have to solve problems for myself). Anyway, ever since then, each birthday has presented itself as an exciting adventure, bringing new opportunities (and responsibilities) and hopefully moving me closer towards my life goals and the things that I have set out to accomplish.
And then came this birthday. I am as excited as ever, but now I also feel just a tiny bit unnerved, finding myself at the age by which I once assumed I'd have accomplished all my goals... and be married and settled down. And I'm not.
It's been a bit strange to think about, now that I am that age I've always looked up to. But I couldn't be more grateful to be exactly where I am.
I'm so glad all my life goals are not yet accomplished. (That would be incredibly boring. ;) I'm looking forward to a life full of continuing adventures and explorations... and remaining ambitious, full of purpose and ideas, until I die.
And I'm so glad I'm not married and settled down. My brain at thirteen couldn't wrap itself around all the things I would still have to learn when I was twenty-three, and how thankful I'd be that I still have time to learn, to grow, and to become (hopefully) a much nicer person than I am now. There's a whole lot of selfish to get out of my system. I know it's never really going to be gone completely, but am thankful for the time I've been given to keep working at it.
God is so good, and so much bigger than I can imagine. (Even with an imagination as big and sometimes frightening as the one He's given me. ;) And each birthday is a sweet reminder of how He's always got me moving forward, towards the goal, and that He is able to keep my feet from slipping. That's awfully comforting when you're thinking about college at a time when everyone else your age is finishing it, still hacking away at part-time jobs and freelance work, and wondering if that lifelong-dream career will ever materialize. I'm excited for the adventure, but thankful that He can see the road map. ;)
My birthday was relaxing and lovely (it was last Thursday, the 29th, in case you wanted to know ;). The weather was supposed to be miserable and rain all day long, but it held back so that I could snap some quick photos in the woods. And later the sun showed me its face, albeit briefly.
I super-nanny-ied for a couple of hours, came home and made myself an Angel Food Cake with blueberries inside and cream cheese frosting. Mum whipped up Chicken Parmesan and Gnocchi for supper. I was in Italian food heaven, and the dessert was just perfect. Photos and some recipes will be forthcoming. :)
I spend the evening with my immediate family, my grandmother and some cousins who are currently in town. It was low-key, cozy, and just about perfect.
The woodsy photo shoot was inspired by this hand-me-down plaid shirt (you know who you are! ;), which usually wouldn't be my thing at all, but I paired it up with a favorite white tank, some $3.50 thrift-store jeans and the awesome black boots I got at the end of last winter... and I ended up getting some nice complements on the plaid. I really think I like it. :) Over the years I've moved further away from the "eyelet-lace and pearls" look that used to be my style (although I still love ladylike ensembles!) and it's times like this when I am pleasantly surprised to find something I never would have thought would be "me," suddenly seem so right.
What I'm Wearing:
- Plaid Shirt by (I'll post the brand info as soon as I can get my hands on it ;)
- White Tank by willi smith - from T.J.Maxx
- Jeans by Mossimo Premium Denim - thrifted
- Boots by (see above) - from Target
- Earrings - from Greenwich Market, England
- Bracelet - hand-me-down
I hope you all have a blessed and relaxing rest of the week. I'm chilling with my family and just taking things slow for a little bit. It's perfect...
Life is beautiful. God is good. :)
-Amanda
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