GOODBYE TO MY TWENTIES.....

So since tomorrow at 9:36am I will officially have to say goodbye to my 20's, I thought I might reflect on the first 30 years of my life. Sometimes it is hard to believe that tomorrow my glorious 20's will be forever lost....

In all reality I have had a very good first 30 years and really can't complain, but what scares me the most is seeing my friends and cousins who have 9 or 10 years olds. And it really creeped me out when I went to my cousin Julie's and her son had a friend spending the night, I kind of looked at them and then looked at her and said "Julie, wasn't that just us a blink of an eye ago??" Gosh, I can remember the first movie Julie and I went to without parents, I think it was "Field of Dreams"....now that I said that it makes me look REALLY old!!! Now to all of those friends who are older than me, no I don't think you are old but I am sure when you turned 30 you kind of felt like I do......

Than I started thinking about my bestest friend Terri who I have been friends with since we were 13 and sitting in band together....wasn't that just yesterday Ter? Or the Florida trip with the door slam that started our life long friendship of being each other's other half...just ask Dan Chance who thought we were crazy when we said that while working at McDonald's....Wasn't it just yesterday Ter, that we went to Hilton Head and paid what to park or how about the speeding ticket in SC that I got in your car while Barney Fife thought we had something in the back seat??? Or our best friend award that I thought Kathy was gonna get us for winning....or the throwing up on the side of the street cuz James had to pull over or all the other stuff you would hurt me for saying.....Gosh going down memory lane there are so many good memories I might bore everyone but you to continue on......Truly, from the bottom of my heart Ter, thank you for being here every single day and even though we might not always agree, you are the bestest friend a girl could ever have.

To all my old friends and new, each one of you are special to me in some way and I can't imagine spending my 20's with anyone else but you guys. We have had some unforgettable memories that will never be forgotten, such as Kiki do you remember spending the night in the hot tub or at Jennifer and Jason wedding, keep saying it's still daylight and we were toasted?? Or I have to give you credit Jennifer for going to Kiki's bachlorette party and having a blast even though you were pregnant, I don't know if I could of done it!!! Or Chloe all the times we have done so many fun things, but all the great laughs you have given me is priceless. Suz, don't even know where to begin....we can make anything funny and you can always put a smile on my face without you I would of lost my sanity years ago!!! Michele, we have been through it all and yet even though we live thousands of miles away you mean the world to me and through the worst of the worst, we're still here and that we have to be thankful for!!! Kelly, sometimes I look at you and think you are super Mom, and you have showed me that there is good in everyone. You have really been there for us the last year and for that I will never forget it. Jen, gosh we have done it all been great friends, mortal enemies, and then friends again and even though we lost so many years over petty 20's crap it's been fun. Vicky, you are a true inspiration to me and definitely a woman of my heart to instigate others.....OK maybe it's more me than you, but we sure have had some fun times drinking and not.....Eric, what can I say we have been through it all and more, you have been a great best friend to Bryan but you also have always been there for me and mean the world to both of us and I am sure you have drinking stories to tell people too, but we'll skip that for now.....And to all those others who I haven't mentioned because this was getting long, it has been fun and to all of these fun memories I can't wait to continue with lots and lots more!!!

Gosh, rereading this I sound like I drink a lot but honestly I don't think I have had more than a wine cooler since September when Vicky made me drink....LOL!!!

To my family, you mean more to me than I can ever tell you. This has been a rough year for all of us and I know sometimes I don't express my emotions in the right way but God has been good to all of us and not just my family but my friends too. You all are an inspiration to me and have helped me become the person I am today. Especially to all my parents, including my extended parents who adopted me thank you, thank you for guiding me in the right direction and always loving me for me, even my faults. To my sisters, and my extended sister I love all three of you and even though sometimes times have been tough it's been worth every minute to get where we are today. To the rest of my family, cousins, aunts, uncles, Grandma's and Grandpa's, I have to thank all of you too!!!

Last but not least, to my son Nicolas Aaron and my sweet Bryan. I love you both more than life itself. Bryan, we have been through it all and somehow we have made a great lives for ourselves and our son. I thank you for spending my 20's with you and making it through the good and the bad. Who would of thought after dating a month and you leaving for the Marines for 4 years we would be here 12 years later, living the good life?? It's been a wonderful life and I couldn't see ever living even a day with anyone different. This last year has been the hardest of our lives and yet in some ways it's only made us stronger, and made our faith only stronger. I only hope we can live another 60 years in the happiness that the last 12 have been. Nico, Nico, Nico what can I say but you are my angel from Heaven definitely a gift from God. I love you in a way that I never thought I could love another human being. You make our lives complete and I only pray you can be half the man your Dad is and that all those people mentioned above will help us continue to make you the man I know you will become.....some of us are counting on you to take care of us...J/K!!! I love you guys!!!

OK, for those who haven't fallen asleep.....I truly want to thank you for being a part of my 20's and hope that when things settle down we can all celebrate my 30's the proper way and unfortunately Eric, you might have come pick me up off the floor and carry me to the car AGAIN!!!! So I guess this will be my last post as a 20 some year old....but bring the 30's on because we are all going to have a heck of a time beating the last 10 years and before we know it....we'll all be 40 and going to kids graduations and weddings.....AWWWWW!!!

Goodbye 20's, hello 30's.....................