birth day

i made bryce take a picture of me with emaline after realizing

that other than the hospital, i didn't have one picture of me and her together.

yet another year down, i can't believe i'm closer to thirty than twenty, it really blows my mind. i can still remember a time when i thought that thirty was old. (aren't those song lyrics? they sound familiar.) like i told my sister the other day, thirty's the new twenty... right?

i know this may sound weird, but it's funny to me that i'm considered an adult. i mean, yes i'm a mom and i've matured in many ways, but deep down, i still feel like the same silly little girl that i've always been. i'm goofy, i laugh at my own jokes, and i still like to pull pranks on unsuspecting victims. i have a difficult time holding in my laughter when someone falls down, i like playing games, i'm still able to laugh myself to tears and i love spending time with friends. not that adults can't have fun, but i used to think that they didn't, or at least not nearly as much fun as i'm having.

on the other hand, the past few years, have certainly been some real growing years for me. i've faced challenges and situations that have truly tested me. times that take away the lighthearted innocence of childhood and reveal the harsh realization of adulthood. i've spent many quiet nights awake in my bed, with my mind racing, thinking about life and learning more and more about who i am and who i want to be. i know myself better now than i have ever before and i imagine that i will only figure out more and more in the many years to come. and because of that, i can honestly say that i look forward to growing older, for i know i will learn from my mistakes and grow wiser and stronger, learn more about myself and the relationships around me, and begin to really embrace the reason why i have been given these years here on this earth.

my birthday landed on a sunday this year, so we celebrated it all weekend. lucky me! i didn't take a lot, but here are some pics from the weekend. the highlight was probably the birthday cake that my dad baked for me.... yes, my dad. how cute is he? homemade frosting and all, i had to document it! i can't recall a time that he has ever baked a cake before, so it meant a lot to me. thank you to my dear bryce and my family and friends who spent the time to make me feel loved on my special day. happy birthday tooooooooo me!