Happy Birthday to me! (ok a lil late)

I wrote the below blog the day before my birthday...but emailed it to myself to edit instead of just doing it all then and there...which means I wound up forgetting about it... Anyway...it's all good cuz I had to add in a lil story about what my rad Aussie family did for my birthday. We got all dressed up and went over to Dan's parents' house...we thought we were walking into their backyard but as we walked through their gate, followed by a red curtain, we found ourselves on a red carpet with a big film camera pinata pointed at us! They threw me a Hollywood themed bday party! We had SO much fun. Anyway, below are some pics if you wanna see...and here's my "turning 30" dribble if you feel like reading that. Silly bean.

So today I count down the final minutes of my 20s. I thought I'd be freaked out. I was more freaked out about turning 25 than I am about turning 30...though when my dad pointed out that I was just 5 times the 5 year old I was 20 years ago...that made me happy. I can't help but look back on my life, my 20s in particular, on my last day of those 20s. They were pretty damn good to me. Granted I went through some of the worst crap of my life...the point is I got through it, right? And I had some of the best things happen as well. Watching some people I love dearly become moms and dads, moving to a couple cities that taught me so much and changed my life more than I think I even realize right now, growing to understand how damn lucky I am with the family I got, throwing out everything I'd planned for 15 years for a brand new adventure, and having that actually succeed. My 20s were so full. I find it hard to believe it only started 10 years ago. It feels like it's been my whole life. Am I just getting that old that being a kid and a teenager have become such distant memories!??

I think my 30s are going to be really wonderful. I can understand now why everyone says it's such a great decade. I've learned SO much in 30 years, I feel like I can actually understand the world enough to find my place in it now. And I understand myself enough to know how I can effect the world and how I need it to effect me. I get to stand up in front of my friends and family and marry a man who I can hold hands with while we fight...who makes me laugh so deeply, I can let it all go...who tries to learn to play on guitar every new song I mention that I like...who kisses and hugs me everyday before he goes to work because he knows I'm always afraid something might happen. I'm also hoping to find a job where I can really blossom. I've had so many different experiences over the past 10 years...I think it's time to really apply it and find something I really love and where they love me. I had a great conversation with my brother yesterday about how the workplace is shifting...all those years of people telling me I wasn't professional enough b/c I still maintained a human side to me (IE if a "work friend" asked me how I felt and I felt like crap...I'd say I felt like crap...how could I do such a thing??) I don't want to work somewhere that they expect me to be a robot. Don't get me wrong...I know there's a time and a place...but a co-worker who you think is a friend...you can't say "I feel like crap" to??? Come on! Ugh. Don't get me started on the pitiful workplaces I've been in over the last decade! Thank God I was my own boss for half of it. Never a better experience than that one!!! We'll see what happens this decade...I still don't even know what I'm going to do for work...will probably end up back in school...but at least now I know what I need out of it and I know better what I can give. I've still got so much to learn...so much work to do to better balance things, etc...but...well...30 is good.

I'M COMING HOME!!!

We just booked our flights...well to LAX anyway...working on the rest of it right now...but we're coming home January 23!!!!!

Thank you. That is all.

It's been a while

I had more or less forgotten about my blog until someone wrote me a comment today on my last one about Tokyo. I don't know who wrote it and you don't have to tell me but I just wanted to say thank you to whoever wrote it. I needed that this morning.

It's 7:38am. I really shouldn't be bothering with this right now b/c in about 15 minutes we need to leave to take Roxy (remember her?) to the vet for xrays and probably surgery. When we were in the states visiting in April, Roxy tore the cruciate ligament in her right hind knee. Last Friday she probably tore the cruciate ligament in her left hind knee. We're about to find out for sure. Poor pupsqueak. So I'm a little blue. And those kind few words meant a lot to me so thank you.

Phew ok so I wrote that stuff last week. So Roxy had the surgery. She not only tore her cruciate ligament (completely) but she apparently obliterated her meniscus as well. I wouldn't know what any of that crap was had something similar not happened to a girl I played soccer with in college...but basically it's just a really bad thing to happen to your knee. And Roxy basically had to have her knee reconstructed. She's Robodog now. Times 2. Oy vey.

So other than babysitting Robodog, I've been babysitting this little cutie, Aria. She's got the greatest laugh, the soppiest little pout and a set of lungs that sometimes make me want to hide under a giant pile of pillows. But at least most of her crying actually means something (along the lines of FEED ME!) So we're copacetic. I did some family photos for them. This was my favorite. It was a fun time. After that the mom said two of her friends want me to do pics of their families. So now I've gotta get a little of my gear from the US and get a little confidence from....wait...where do I find that stuff?? And I'm gonna take some more family pics...so fingers crossed!

Umm. I don't have much to say really. Just knew I was due for a blog. I'm so eager to get back to the states. It's driving me a lil crazy so if you feel like writing me, I really do miss you and I'm sorry I don't initiate contact better. My mom is the only person back there I talk to regularly and that's only b/c the woman is so organized she put my ass on a schedule as soon as my plane touched down over here! And I'm grateful for that.

Oh yeah one last thing...I am REALLY proud of Samantha and Dylan (and everyone else who gave them support) for sticking it out. I know it feels like this will truly never end but you have made it past the hard part and now it really is about the rest of your life. Just remember kids are incredibly resilient. It might take some time...and it might resurface years down the road...but all in all he is OK and will be OK because he's got an incredible mother who gives him an abundance of what people truly need most...LOVE. Just keep giving him that and it'll get him through everything. You're amazing and I'm SO proud of you.