29

Aaaand...now I'm 29. It would be terribly easy for me to get uber depressed about this number, being the last year of my twenties and all. Some of my friends have had their second kid already and I'm still as single as a dollar bill. I'm getting older and have done some fun things, but I can also get overwhelmed at all I HAVEN'T done by now, at this point in my life. However, when I was writing in my journal this morning something hit me. God has given me twenty nine whole years of a good life on this Earth, and here I am whining about what I don't have. I should be grateful to have made it this far. I should be grateful for the position He has put me in where my possibilities are seemingly endless. And, Lord...I am grateful.

So to celebrate the big 29, we actually did it ON December 28th this year. Sometimes, in the past we've celebrated it on other days to accommodate every one's holiday schedule...but my personal opinion is that is kind of dumb. We took the dart rail from the Frankford Station all the way to Deep Ellum and it was awesome. It took like 6 hours to get down there, but i really appreciated not having to drive and find parking in the rain. I will be using our new public transit more often, especially when the Garden Ridge station opens. Dart has stations right in front of Victory Park, and the West End, etc... This is definitely the way to go for Mavs games and such! And, it was only $4. Compare that to gas prices, and $10-20 parking and this is a much better deal.

We took the train down to Deep Ellum and only had to walk about a block to the Anvil Pub. This place just opened but I love it. Its got a dark, wooden, pub kind of atmosphere that I like with a really great soundtrack playing all the time. But the music isn't so loud that you can't hear your conversation. My sweet friends Teal, Michael, and Nikita came out for dinner! :)

 Shast and I had a lot of fun on the train. For some reason, we think its hilarious that the lady that comes over the speaker on the trains takes a long pause when she says, "This is the..........................green line". Like she forgot or something. (yes I know its a recording) But it was fun and reminiscent of all our train rides together in Oz. FYI, My eyes are forever extra squints in pictures now because my camera has 8 billion flashes before it actually takes a picture.

 A little later my brother showed up!!! I love hanging out with him in a different atmosphere than family. It's just kind of fun to realize we're both normal people with friends and outings. And the other guy in this picture is J.D. ...my...cousin? Sort of? I don't know. We're related by Angie.

 Shasta made me a cake! This was so nice. Some years I don't get cakes based on traveling situations or whatever. Since my birthday is at such an awkward time of year, I've just never really felt like birthdays were a big deal. So it's no big deal for me to not have parties or presents and things. But I'll tell ya...on the occasion that I DO get parties and cakes and presents...it feels really great. Even getting postings on my facebook makes me feel loved, isn't that silly?

When we got home Shasta put candles on the cake, and sang me happy birthday. She says, "what are you going to wish for?" as I filled my cheeks with air and closed my eyes, just about to blow out my candles when she says, "...world peace". It was hilarious. I guess you had to be there.

THEN, LAST night, on the 29th, my other roomie got home and Ashley came over for dinner. I love those girls. We had a great time eating together and talking. And she had brought ANOTHER cake and candles...awesome. And I had yet another realization as I was about to go for my second round of candles.

I like to put birthday candle wishes in with the likes of: catching bouquets at weddings, throwing coins in fountains, wishing on falling stars, and wearing the same socks to every softball game. In other words, its a fun thing to do, and in that moment you may even believe it has some sort of superstitious power...but then when the wish doesn't come true...you realize it was nothing more than superstition. Year after year, if I have a cake and candles, I think I usually spend my wish thinking about my dream man. But this year was different. This year I wished for contentment. I wished to soak up and remember every minute of that evening.

At 29 I've decided catching bouquets and wishing for men on birthday candles is a little ridiculous. I kind of feel like the world of men has had 29 years to get to know me, and decide if I'm a suitable helper or not. You either know or you don't at this point. And the couple of guys that were ever close to near the edge of proposal...well I botched those up somehow. So, I've decided 29 is the end of wishing and hoping and living "in waiting". God knows the desires of my heart, and He also knows what's best for me. So now I wish to be content. I wish for God to reveal to me constantly the secret of being content in all things, which is Christ alone. Philippians 4:12, 13

¹²I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and^(S) hunger, abundance and^(T) need. ¹³I can do all things^(U) through Him who strengthens me.

God has not promised me a husband, or health, or wealth, or happiness, or tomorrow, or success, or fame. God has only promised me Himself, that He'll walk with me in this life, living in joy for the next one, the better one.