Year 29

Well, it’s here: my 29th birthday! For some reason I was really dreading this one as it got closer. Maybe it’s because 29 is such a final year to me; it’s the last year in your 20s. I know it’s not old by any means, but there’s something about getting so close to 30, a number I did think was old when I was a kid. Up until this past year I still felt like I was a young 20-something exploring the world and figuring it out. Now, with the arrival of my 29th birthday, it seems like a lot is going to change, quickly!

And the reality is, a lot will change in this upcoming year. There’s a lot I’m looking forward to, and lot I can be proud of that I accomplished in the last year. So I thought to celebrate this birthday I’d share five things I enjoyed in year 28, and five things I can’t wait for in year 29.

Happy memories in year 28:

1. Getting engaged. If you had asked me at age 19 where I’d be at 28, I’d probably have told you married and with children. Having just got engaged this year, that’s obviously not the trajectory my love life took, but it was all the better. Steve and I really got to know each other and grow into a strong couple over our three years dating. There was no rush to make that timeline my younger self imagined.
2.  Getting a promotion. When I moved to Chicago at 24, I was switching professions and taking an internship. In a way that choice set me back, and I’ve struggled at times feeling behind in my career compared to my friends. It was exciting to get a promotion to prove that my hard work paid off, and I was happy to tackle new responsibilities.
3. Moving in with Steve. Steve and I wanted to wait to move in together until we were engaged, and for us that was perfect. It’s been exciting to build our life in a junior one bedroom apartment and explore a new neighborhood.
4. Watching my friends get married. This past year two of my best friends tied the knot. I was so happy to be there for them. I love celebrating love, especially when it’s a relationship I got to watch grow!
5. Staying close with my college friends. In year 28, one of my best college friends (and former blog partner) moved to Chicago. I have had a blast hanging out and doing all of the things that we bonded over originally! Beyond that, other college friends and I have made more of an effort to get together after work, and I stay in touch with my girlfriends near and far through an ever-entertaining text chain.

What I’m looking forward to after my 29th birthday:

1. Getting married. Steve’s and my wedding is planned for May 2017, and I am very much looking forward to making that commitment together. Right now the wedding planning might have me stressed out, but I keep reminding myself that the party with family and friends and ceremony with Steve will be well worth it!
2. Getting healthier and stronger. I threw my back out in January, which actually might have been a blessing after it was all said and done. I hear so many people my age complain about back issues or other pains and I really encourage them to see a doctor or physical therapist about it. I in no way have dealt with everything I need to, but by reminding myself to do my PT exercises or make time for even just 20 minutes of physical activity, I can get back to the healthy, strong body I used to have.
3. Stretching myself professionally. Recently my professional world and blogging hobby has required me to learn much more about social media, design and photography. I want to continue my professional growth to improve my work and my hobby. I’d love to hear how other people fit this in to their day-to-day routine, because that’s the part I’m still struggling with.
4. Decluttering our apartment. This might seem like a silly, unexciting goal, but when you live in a small apartment you realize what you need and don’t. There are several boxes Steve and I want to store or donate, and I feel like getting rid of them will be a good reminder moving forward that I can be less of a consumer and instead make use of everything I have.
5. Cheering on Steve in a marathon. I am not a runner by any means. When I first met Steve three years ago, neither was he. Yet somehow, during the time we’ve been together, his love of running snuck up on me, and he signed up for the Chicago Marathon. I still can’t comprehend his drive or desire to run 26.2 miles, but I’ll be out there in October cheering him on!

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