September 14, 2011
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adios veintitrés.
Goodbye 23.
I kind of figured 23 would start out much like 19 did. Alone in my dorm room without a friend in sight. My birthday is pretty early in the year as far as the school year goes. My freshmen year of college, only a couple of days into starting, no one knew it was my birthday and I’m not one to shout it off rooftops. I spent it watching movies, alone in my room. Depressing. I mean a real downer and junky way to start a new year and the college experience. I figured the same would happen or at least close to the same in L.A, the furthest I’ve been away from home, ever on my birthday. I’m more than used to not being home on my birthday – I haven’t been the last 5 years (this one included). I did have one friend from SAU who was out there with me and we planned to go out to dinner. We tried to get others to go with us but no one wanted to go, not even my roommates. Again, what a downer. At the end of the night after different things Charlie and I did per Lisa’s request and just because Charlie is a kindhearted kind of guy. I was feeling loved by true friends. We then planned to go back to my apartment, watch a movie and hopefully skype Lisa.
Instead, I came home to a surprise party put on by one of my roommates. It was incredibly kind and definitely a surprise. I won’t recap it all but I posted about it Wednesday, September 15, 2010. It was definitely a birthday to remember especially after re-reading what I wrote on Sept 10. (If you so desire to go back and read them…on the left hand side you can put in the date and it will bring you to those posts.)
23 was a jam packed year – new experiences, new faces and ended by settling back home. A great year.
In L.A. I was able to cliff jump, go to many shows (Lets Make a Deal, Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno, The Price is Right, George Lopez to name a few), watch movies at The El Capitan (Disney theatre), see John Williams conduct, go to Beverly Hills on 9.02.10 (how awesome is that?), walk on Hollywood Blvd and the “walk of fame” weekly, meeting stars or bumping into them on the streets, was a PA on a music video, edited to my hearts content, Black Friday stake out from 8pm to 4 am with Emily, Griffith Observatory, In-N-Out, Yogurtland, Teresa visited a couple times, went to San Fran and saw Redwoods for the first time, Alcatraz, The Golden Gate Bridge, road a trolly, drove the most beautiful highway in the world (THE Pacific Coast Highway).
I took one weekend trip home to meet my newest nephew, Joey. It was a weekend that turned into Beka going to the hospital and being severely sick. All the family but her and I were out of town for Ben’s wedding (still not sure why dad picked that weekend for me to come home…but revel in the way God planned it perfectly)- thankfully her side of the family was around. I was on Gabey, Nathan, and Joey duty day and night. I was incredibly sleep deprived from not sleeping on the red eye home, 3 hour time zone, and being up and down with Joey every night but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
At the end of being in LA, Lisa flew in from Mexico and we had the most amazing road trip home to end our collegiate career. That was the longest her and I had been “apart” since meeting in college, which was challenging but helped us grow in different ways. On the roadtrip we hit Los Angeles (California), Las Vegas (Nevada), Hoover Dam (Nevada/Arizona), Grand Canyon (Arizona), Albuquerque (New Mexico), Amarillo (Texas), Tulas (Oklahoma), Wichita (Kansas), Kansas City (Missouri), Indianapolis (Indiana) and of course MICHIGAN. We visited Vegas (no we didn’t gamble), Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, a zoo (which I rather dislike but planned as a surprise because Lisa likes them), St. Louis Arch, went SKYDIVING, visited Shandra, Kendyl, and Matt. We got to Lisa’s house where her parents took us out to dinner and then through Fifth Third Light Show. Even in that week, we didn’t go without a pretty big fight (thinking back, I can’t pinpoint why we were fighting but remember it was big…) — haha, just part of us being us. It was the perfect way to end college – on an amazing road trip with my sister at the end of a challenging and great semester for both of us. Just perfect!
I “graduated” from college. I got a machete for Christmas that Gabey hand picked out himself and spent his life savings on.I started working at Wynalda Packaging in January.
I met Anna Strayhorn. A person upon meeting you just know a good friendship will surface. One did and pretty quickly. She is an encouragement and example simply by the way she conducts her life. It’s an honor to know her and to be loved by her. She’s more than a friend – she’s a sister through and through. Year 23 was that much more of a blessing with her in it, knowing that each year from here on out, she’ll be in my life. Quality people like her don’t come around everyday but I’ve learned when they do to treasure them. This was a friendship perfectly orchestrated by the All-knowing and I couldn’t be more thankful he chose me. I’m undeserving and humbled to say the least.
Took a trip to Cedar Point, became a member at WCBC on June 12, had our 5 year HS reunion, visited Victoria on her arrival home from Taiwan and did some wedding things as well.
I attended 8 weddings (worked 2 of them), 2 Bachelorette Parties, 7 Showers and was a maid of honor for the first time. Cha-ching. I went to Target at the beginning of summer and bought all the presents I would need for showers, bachelorette parties and weddings for the summer…it was the way to go.This weekend I’m in Victoria’s wedding but that’ll count in year 24, seeing how she gets married on the 17th for wedding round 2. Anna and I took a couple days off work to see Lisa off to Mexico. Another couple great days, orchestrated with such perfect timing by the All-Knowing. Seriously. I bought MY first bed. Sleep number baby! It had it’s hardships as well – working with particular people in California, my arrival home and my mom’s announcement of me (hands down the hardest part), breaking up a friendship, things with Michael…nothing I would take back, despite the unfairness of some of them. Each circumstance continues to strengthen and mold me into the person I am becoming. They also strengthen other relationships around me, ones that I want to invest myself in. I realize wholeheartedly it’s through those in which God reveals Himself in different ways, surrounding me with people who love and support me. If He is getting glory through struggles and hardships it makes them not only bearable but opportunities to find joy and peace in Him despite circumstances, good or bad. I’d say that’s a good lesson to walk away with in year 23.
For the first time in 20 years, I am not starting up a new school year which usually combined with a new age has always been the time that I reflect on the past year and the next to come. It’s a bit strange not going back to school but not one ounce of me wishes I was, not that I didn’t enjoy college. I did but I’m glad to be done. So here I am left with only aging.
I’ve never been one to get excited about birthdays and yet, I still get that semi-excited feeling that September 14 rolled around again. Each year, I contemplate taking my birthday off Facebook but for some reason, I quite enjoy the “Happy Birthday” notes (sometimes from the most random people) even though probably 95% or more would never know it’s my birthday without Facebook. And honestly, as I post this I kind of feel like my birthday has already been over. Celebrated with family a couple weeks ago, with friends this past weekend…Beka was talking to Gabey yesterday and saying it was my birthday. I honestly had forgotten. haha, cool. It comes and goes like any other day every single year, it’s like I have some expectation that is never filled but even I don’t know what that could be because I’m not into birthdays. Furthermore, September 14 will always be a day that I remember the anniversary of Gabe and Beka’s engagement (on my 18th) and the death of Ashley’s mom (last year). It’s interesting how 1 day can mean different things to different people.
Anyway, I digress, year 24 started out with a bed affair. My first night away from my sleep number. From 40 to 130 is just not good for the body. Yes, I’m officially a bed snob. Judge away. I stayed in a rather ghetto hotel in Chicago by myself and am ending the day in Iowa starting the celebration of Victoria’s wedding weekend.
20…21…22…23…ready or not, 24 here I am.
Times come where 24 seems SO old and then times when my mere 23 years of life are put into perspective. 24. I can honestly say I don’t know what this next year holds. A year of uncertainty that’s for sure…just means learning to trust God all the more, in everything. Count me in. I choose to align my plan with His and whatever it is, I pray through it all, I am a testimony of His abounding love and overwhelming grace towards me. That is my prayer for year 24.
