28.

Today is my 28th birthday, and I guess I don't really have many thoughts on the matter, but I what I do have, I will share them in this space.

I have to think twice about my age these days-- like, asking 4 year old how old they are and they hold up 2 or 3 fingers? -- yea, like that.

One thing I have noticed a change in is my physical appearance, mainly in my face. In comparison to old selfies (can't believe I just said that), I've noticed that my face has a mature look to it, though my eyes haven't changed much. 

I have noticed that I am a little more slow to anger, and much less likely to hold a grudge... neither of which were good for my well-being anyway. 

I have gained a bit of weight over the past year (much to my displeasure). I am in a weight bracket that I have never been in my life, but plan on not keeping it this way.

Sometimes, I look at pictures of other women on social media. They look all glammed-up and gorgeous and I end up feeling like a plain Jane. So, I have been on a matte-lipstick buying spree, and sometimes I throw on a bit of medium-coverage foundation. But I am still just a 2-coat mascara girl most days, and I guess I am okay with that. 

I think about motherhood a lot more lately, but not in the "broodish", "baby-feverish" way I did in the past. I think long and hard about how life would change, what kind of mother I would want to be, and how sometimes this whole parenting thing scares the crap out of me. However, I am glad that we are able to think through these thoughts before making that big leap. 

All in all, this has just been a year of self-observation and self-learning for me. I finally feel a little more grown-up. A little more in tune with who I am as a person. 

lately... in photos

// Beau leading the teen class at Vacation Bible School 


// Family breakfast

 
//  My brother-in-love's wedding reception - very small, very intimate. Loved it! 


// Beau's birthday dinner

  
//   Classic Car Fridays in Havertown. Every other Friday during the summer months, a group of classic car enthusiasts gather in the parking lot of a shopping plaza to chat.

 
//   Banquets and disgruntled waiters.


// Franklin Fountain... old fashioned ice cream spot in Old City Philadelphia. SO good!

 
// hanging out with my younger self reincarnate. Rekindled my childhood love of roller skating. 

27

Today, I celebrate 27 years of life. I am grateful to have the privilege of seeing another year. Grateful for this journey called life. Looking back, I think '...Man! I've come a long way from that 22 year old who started this blog". So much insight, so much knowledge and wisdom and strength is packed into this 27 year old life. So much. I am grateful.   

Today, I'm 26

This post is a whole lot of everything. So, here goes:

Today, I am 26 years old and I've got to admit-- it's a strange feeling.

To me, twenty-six feels like a random age. One of little significance. So much so, that it doesn't even have a special birthday greeting card in the Hallmark store -- Kind of like, 14, 17 and 22. It's just one of those ages that I feel could be easily forgotten about years from now when I look back on life.

To be honest, I don't know how I feel about this birthday. I am a complete mixed bag of emotions. Don't let the smile in that photo fool you.  There are so many things I would have liked to have accomplished... Many goals I thought I would have achieved by now. Yet, they are still wavering, lingering hopes and dreams that seem so far away, but I know are still attainable. Nevertheless, I am truly grateful for making it through another year of life in good health by the mercies and favor of God.

When I look back on year 26 of my life, what will I remember?  I hope it's something monumental, meaningful, and unforgettable. I hope to remember love, laughter and growth because, that's what life is mostly about, you know? However, right now, all I think about in regards to being 26 yrs old, is how I met my sweet Beau in the year that he turned that age-- just 5 lovely years ago. That is actually a really sweet memory. I secretly hope he will carry a sweet memory of me during my 26th year of life too. kinda crazy.

Here's to a year of personal growth and making beautiful, unforgettable memories.

 ... Here's to being 26!  

ツ

Birthdays, Burgers and Things

We celebrated my Beau's 30th birthday on the 18th. Everything was kept pretty simple. I blew up 3 dozen balloons, strung them through the dining room and attached notes from 30 of beau's family, friends, and Sunday School students (he teaches the middle school class at our church).

I thought inflating balloons would be easy-peasy, especially with a balloon pump. But it proved to be quite difficult. Nevertheless, I wanted to do everything on my own so that's what I got for not recruiting help in that department.

Beau came home and was thoroughly surprised. It didn't take much time for him to find the notes placed between every other balloon. I saw a bit of tears well up in his eyes after reading some of the posts, and the ones from his closest of friends even brought forth laughter. There was no need to worry, after all. He loved the surprise!

We finished off the night ordering take-out from Bobby's Burger Palace. (I am not a huge burger person, but my plain "classic" burger was really good and very well seasoned... you know, in case you were wondering how it was).

On Saturday, we went had dinner by Penn's Landing with friends and tried our hardest to survive the last day of the heatwave.

 

Good times. 

ツ

Dinner Date

For my birthday, beau took me out for lovely dinner on the Moshulu. The Moshulu is a "floating" restaurant in Philly, located right on the Delaware River with views of Camden, NJ. I have been on the Moshulu before for a friend's birthday party, but not for a sit down meal. We had such a sweet time. This dinner date reminded me of one of our earlier dates on the Spirit of New York-- a birthday gift for beau a few months into our dating relationship. We talked. We laughed. And we enjoyed each others company. 

The food was absolutely amazing as well. Beau had the crab cake (one of his favorite meals) and I had the chicken with truffle gnocchi. The waiter recommended the mac n cheese, so I had to try that as well. And for dessert, our waiter also recommended the s'more which was also delicious. 

All in all, it was a sweet dinner date, and a lovely surprise. 

It's My Birthday!

  

photo via

today is my birthday!

happy birthday to me! 

I have lived a quarter of a century.

unbelievable!

I am grateful to have made it through another year of life. 

24

I am 24 years old today. There is not much to say about my birthday except that I am grateful to have made it through another year of life.

24 seems like such an awkward age. I don't even feel like I'm 24 yrs old. ( Like, am I supposed to feel like a 24 year old?) Well, I don't. The older I get, the more awkward that age feels. I thought 17 was an awkward age; even 22. But 24... it's the strangest age of them all.

Bits & Bobbles of My Birthday

People always manage to spell my name wrong, even it's spelled out for them!

(Throwback birthday pic)