Monday, July 18, 2011

It Ain't Easy Turning 29 Again

It's official, today July 18, 2011 marks the day of my birth 31 years ago.  (Am I doing the math right...maybe it's only been 29 years down...)  My Mother lay up in the hospital in downtown St. George, Utah.  Within minutes, okay maybe a few hours I popped out of her like a jack pops out of a box! Big eyed and bushy tailed I came a screaming into this world, and believe me, I plan on screaming on the way out!

It has been a roller coaster of a life I have lead, 30 years has allowed me to see and do much.  I sure as heck haven't seen and done it all yet, and believe me, I am not ready to go a screaming yet!!!

Tim McGraw sings, 
"I think I'll take a moment, celebrate my age
The ending of an era and the turning of a page
Now it's time to focus in on where I go from here
Lord have mercy on my next thirty years"


My Past 30 Years
1.  Grew up (and still growing) in a wonderful family with a loving Mommy and Daddy - with pretty good siblings too, I have my parents to thank for producing a wild bunch.
2.  Met, have, acquired, and grateful for many, many, many dear sweet friends who SERIOUSLY complete my life!!!
3.  Developed, and STILL developing many talents...like, I have learned how to decorate a cake, play the piano and guitar, cook, sew, crochet, picked up knitting (hate it), public speaking, gardening, blogging, etc.
4.  Traveled a lot, for me, but I still have a lot more traveling to do!
5.  Left the United States a couple of times, and still need to leave it a couple more times.
6.  Seen 27 out of the 50 States, and by golly I hope to see them all!!! (I'm a little more than half way there...)
7.  Worked and lived in Alaska - one of the main goals on my list "to do" in this lifetime.
8.  Served a mission for the LDS Church - loved every hard moment of it!
9.  Read a lot of AWESOME books, and watched a lot of AWESOME movies.  (Yes I still love Netflix, it was bound to happen - we made peace and life can roll on!)
10.  Have had a broken heart a couple of times, I guess, but I'm glad I have!  Only one regret, and he's married now, oh well he wasn't for me!
11.  Worked many, many, many jobs - feel very well rounded.  Tour guiding was my favorite!
12.  Graduated from a junior college with my associates degree.  At the time it was just "Dixie College."
13.  PLANNING ON, AND WILL GRADUATE a University with my bachelors degree in FCS Education in May 2012!!!  Bout FREAKING TIME!!!
14.  Am completely self sufficient (as self sufficient as a college student can be) and learned how to budget.  
15.  I know how to bake brownies from scratch!
16.  Went skinny dipping - see here!
17.  Tried, cooked, and have ate many wonderful and yummy things!
18.  Ran a half marathon - maybe one day I'll do a full marathon.  MAYBE!
19.  Sufficiently been humbled - numerous times, and yet, I still get humbled today! 
20.  Had a "booty call," mormon/christian style...won't go into to detail - email me if you would like the details.  It was clean - don't be thinking things - sheesh!
booty call
noun informal
a *Christian "Make-out" invitation or rendezvous.
   • a person regarded for this to him, I was just a booty call.
    ORIGIN 1990s: from booty (slang for ‘buttocks’ ) and call.

*words have been changed.
21.  Visited almost all the National Parks - still have a few more to go.
22.  Made a fool out of myself more times then I can remember.  A couple of examples, see here, and here!
23.  I Have experience many struggles and trials that have only made me stronger.
24.  Developed a "Plan B" - that leads me to where I am now, I guess?
25.  Lived through many funny and disastrous blind dates - you know I'm always up for free meals!  (I actually don't say that anymore...I'm trying to mature - comes with age I suppose!)
26.  Cultivated my own personal style - comfortable, casual, and kind of classy - I own lot's of argyle.
27.  Had my fortune told at age 18 in Balboa Park (San Diego).  She said I would marry later in life and have three kids.  She just might be right, except I want more than three kiddos?
28.  Grew a garden from scratch - it has taught me a lot.
29.  Dyed my hair an outrageous color - well it was outrageous for me - dark reddish brown.  I am definitely a blond, and should always be.
That's me in the middle...it was a late night with roomies?
You have no words right?
(This is my real hair - not a wig!)
 AND...............Lastly, but not leastly...
30.  I officially drink soy milk.  Vanilla is quite tasty!

"Hey my next thirty years I'm gonna have some fun
Try to forget about all the crazy things I've done
Maybe now I've conquered all my adolescent fears
And I'll do it better in my next thirty years."

Here's to some great years ahead.  I'm going to shoot for that thing where you find a man and make them your husband.  We'll probably be eloping...so stay tuned!  

HaPpY BiRtHdAy LiB-dAwG!!!

6 comments:

Mrs Buchanan said...

As long as the next time it's a real guy instead of some guy you made up as a joke ;)
Never ever dye your hair brown again. If you want to try something try red, we could use another red-headed spit-fire in the family ;)
Our next trip should be to New England since neither of us have ever been to that area. Or since we'll both be graduating in May we should do a graduation trip to Europe...I bet we could get Ethan and Libby Sr to go with us...
And when are we going to go to Great Basin NP? I hear that it has the best sky for stargazing.
Why you put soy milk as your last one is beyond me. You should have saved something much more exciting like skinny dipping for the final one.
As for the booty call I think that needs to be a blog all its own because I think a lot of people would love to hear about.
Love the picture and...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!!
Love you tons and I hope it's an awesome day!

Larcie Bird said...

3 kids is plenty....

Happy Birthday!!!

The Life of Michael said...

Libby,
You have more talents than I have. I cannot think of a single talent that I have. Reading your blog is always fun!

Anonymous said...

Wow, you are one accomplished lady! I was I had the guts and go-get-'em attitude that you do! Funny enough, I (and I hope Ethan) will probably be in Europe next summer because I need to spend a couple months doing research in the Netherlands. We probably should really talk about doing a trip together. Then I can help you really see Europe rather doing the stupid American tourist thing! Plus, you'd already have a place to stay with me in Amsterdam! And I have friends in Germany and England, so we're set! Seriously a great idea.

Yes, I want to hear about the booty call. Was it a NCMO? I am glad that such a thing is NOT on my list of accomplishments, but maybe it would be if I were still single! Definitely better than what most single 31-year-olds are doing...

Oh, yeah. And Happy Birthday! I'll even say it in Indonesian for you: Selamat Ulang Tahun!

Erin said...

I'm glad you had a good one! I kind of wish I had made a list like this for myself to remind myself of the things I DO have and HAVE done to make it easier to get over myself on the days when I wallow in what I don't have and haven't done. I think all of us in our little group are pretty amazing, have accomplished much, seen many of the neatest things this planet has to offer, and we still have 2/3 of our lives left...What do the next 30 years have in store? The next 60? :)

MinDee said...

Happy Birthday Libdawg! Nate would be proud of you knowing you quoted Tim McGraw. I'm very curious about this booty call. Do blog about it. And don't elope, I want to be there. I'd say you're a very accomplished lady. And I'm jealous about your Europe possibilities. Especially having your own tour guide of the REAL Europe. I live through your travels. You've got to do this one. I wish I could!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love ya Lib, you're one of my besties & always will be :)