30 to 30

....the final countdown...

my third decade: 2003-2013

20 - After a year at Salt Lake Community College, I transferred to Weber for one semester, before transferring again to Utah State.  I also transferred to another branch of the credit union in Clearfield, and then another in Hyrum.  I moved in with strangers in Logan when fall semester started.  I really like those strangers.  Jeremy's friend got me a Matrix at the auction and I loved it.
21 - My first visit to Chicago was for New Year's 2005 with my sisters and Jeremy.  I didn't even get ID'd at the Jazz Bar we went to.  The Count Basie Orchestra put on a great performance.  I'll never forget the piece of Oreo Cheesecake I had in Chicago.  Mmmm!
22 - During my last semester, I had two internships, a job, and 15 credit hours.  My favorite internship was at the Cache County Jail teaching finance.  I graduated from Utah State University and left Cache Valley.  I miss that beautiful place and love to visit there.  I traded my Matrix for a Prius after Jeremy hauled an entire roasted pig to a wedding.  The pig juices dripped through the seats and onto the frame of the car.  There was no way I could get every bit of pig smell out.
23 - I bought my first house in Layton.  My dad says I picked it because of the cat I saw while house shopping.  Kayli lived there with me for over a year before getting married.  I also started working for the Church at Deseret Industries as a job coach.  I sold my Prius to get a Rav4, which was a champ in the snow.  So was the Prius, I was just worried about the battery.  I served in the Relief Society Presidency with some really great girls.
24 - This year, I asked Bishop Valletta if I could go to the temple to receive my endowments.  After a hiccup here or there, with the new age requirements, I got a green light from the stake president.  I spent a lot of time in the Ogden Temple.
25 - My sisters and I went to San Diego.  It was my favorite of the sister trips.  I was still living in Layton, driving the RAV, working in Centerville, and serving in the Relief Society.  I bought a new townhouse in Roy just before my 26th birthday.
26 - I set up and deleted two on-line dating accounts.  After talking to one person for a few months, I decided that I would go to Arizona to meet him.  I had disposable income, time off, love of travel, and no desire to try this out in my own town.  Mesa is beautiful in the spring.  The guy was fine but there was no connection.  I came home early under not so happy circumstances.  This is the trip, I discovered that if I wanted to eat two dinners I could and I would.  I had to sit in that airport a long time, I was mad, and I didn't want to choose between pizza and Chinese food.  Later that year, I tried the online thing again and met Jake.  Huh.  You know, the Jake I dated, later dumped, and lived to regret it.  Lots of junky stuff happened at work that still tempts me to make angry phone calls.
27 - Jake answered my random New Year's text and we got back together.  On our second-first date, we both admitted to not being ready for marriage.  Two weeks later, we were engaged.  Fast forward three very bumpy months, we got married.  I became a wife and a mom.  I transferred to the Harrisville D.I. and loved it there.  I also started taking an anti-anxiety/anti-depressant because apparently, living the dream doesn't always feel like a dream.  And, that's okay.
28 - We chugged along, getting into our new roles and life together.  Jake finished the basement of the townhouse which was a blessing in a million ways.  Toby and Daisy entered my life, never to leave.  I guess 28 was a turning point for me....becoming a crazy cat lady.  I also quit my job to stay at home full-time with the kids.  Again, living the dream doesn't always feel like a dream.  And, that's okay.  I have loved being home, taking Abbi to/from school, teaching Noah's first preschool class, helping with homework, and having random holiday dinners with them, like Ground Hog's Day.  Also, I started driving a mini-van.  I didn't hate it but I reminded people I was 28.
29 - We sold the Roy house and moved into a small duplex behind Abbi's school.  It's very smushy and cabin fever hits us at unexpected times, but it has been a surprise blessing for us to be here.  In my attempt to ignore that we don't have a baby yet, I traded the van for a Highlander.  Jake says it will be useful with a hitch for the camping we "love" to do.  I wish I would have kept the Sienna but I was kind of at a low point where I tried to use distractions from my real feelings.  Oh, well.  Twenty-nine is almost over.