Goodbye 20s, Hello 30s

     When I was in Elementary School, my parents' friend Cody McFarland turned 30.  They made a sign for his truck that read "Nerdy Nerdy Cody's 30".  I remember thinking, "He is SOOOOOooooooo old!"  I couldn't imagine being THAT old and was SO sure that he really didn't have much time left and his days were numbered.  Seriously.

     So, here I am on my 30th birthday....

I am happily surprised to find out that 30 is NOT old after all!

During my 20s, I...got my first digital camera, lived in a dorm, worked in the Magic Kingdom and MGM Studios, dated, got engaged to and married Nick Stewart, became a daughter-in-law and sister-in-law, went to a bunch of baseball games, chopped my long hair off, grew it back out again, let my sister piece my ears at home, lived in three apartments, 6 houses, moved 15 times (that I can remember), went to Columbia International University, transferred to Francis Marion University, honeymooned on a cruise ship to the Cayman Islands, Cozumel and Key West, had two dogs named Abbey, one named Rosie and a cat named Lilly, saw the Biltmore Estate, hiked Chimney Rock, volunteered on a ship (the Logos Hope) in Denmark, was a bridesmaid in Jamie's, Bethany's, Lindsay's, Jennifer's, Michaela's and Mary Ashley's weddings, graduated from Francis Marion University in Elementary Education and a Concentration in Spanish (Nick took me to Chuck-E-Cheese to celebrate), started a blog and accidentally deleted it so I started another (this one), visited Bolivia once with my mom, once with my dad and then once with Nick, taught kindergarten, 2nd grade and computer lab, spent two weeks in the Netherlands, got a tattoo, served as a volunteer with OM Ships and lived in a tiny cabin onboard the Logos Hope for 6 months in the Caribbean, sailed to Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Curacao, Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica and Guyana, drove to Texas with Jennifer once, then again with Jennifer and Lindsay to surprise the Jeff and Holly, then again with Nick on our big road trip, got my first iPhone, visited Josef in the Faroe Islands and then spent the night in Denmark, went to New York City, was a nanny, worked in the OM Ships Florence Warehouse and Office, visited Jonny and Michaela in Northern Ireland and Ireland, worked in my dad's office, visited Malcolm and Liz in Scotland, did a one month road trip to California and back visiting a total of 21 states, visited Ben in Colorado and our cousins in California, went camping too many times to count, including the Grand Canyon and the Redwoods, saw Yellowstone, but was too afraid of bears to camp there, tried to become a "runner" too many times to count (my best running partner was Rachel), ran the Color Vibe and the Color Run, saw the Atlanta Braves play, climbed Table Rock, drove an explorer, a honda called George, another honda, an impala and now DaBolbo (thanks Clyde), went to Shoot the Hooch in Atlanta, cut a house in two pieces and moved it to a new piece of land to renovate and live in it, became a Lemon Dropper and an essential oils freak, moved to Greenville for 4 months, then Bolivia for 3 months, then came back to Florence, visited Chicago, saw Utah 4 times, went to Young Living's International Convention 2 times, camped at the Lavender Farm, earned the Silver Retreat, enjoyed my 10 year high school class reunion, became an aunt, bought our first house...and SO MUCH MORE!!!!!!!

     My 20's were GOOD years.  Good, but HARD...I am excited to say Goodbye to that decade and Hello to the next! These past 10 years have been amazing and I have done SOOOO much (the BEST part is I have done it ALL with Nick Stewart)...I can't wait to see what my 30's bring!!!!!!!!!

So, its official as of 2:09pm on August 31st, 2015...

Goodbye 20's...

My 20th Birthday Party...it was a surprise!

Nick and me at my 20th Birthday Party...I already loved him even though we were "just friends"!

Hello 30's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!