three days left.

image via google

I am turning 29 in three days. It terrifies me. 

You guys, I really don't want to leave my twenties. They have been the best. And now that I will only have one year left of them, it makes me feel old. I know all the over-30's out there are laughing maniacally at the screen right now. But it's weird to move into a stage of life that you don't feel like you fit into. I feel like I will be a 26-28 year old at heart for a very long time. 

My life doesn't look the same as most 29 year olds that I know. A lot of them are married by now. Some of them have two+ kids already, or have spent their twenties cultivating successful careers. But I am happy with where I am. I have an awesome roommate (and cheap rent, I might add!), so many friends that my birthday invite list was 35 people without even trying, and I keep living my life the way I want. It sounds really selfish, doesn't it? But I really enjoy not having to worry about making someone else happy. 

I've been reflecting on this past year and I wanted to make a list of 28 things I did or accomplished this year. And hopefully this will inspire me to do even more when I'm 29.

1. Experienced a dead-end job, got out of said job, became employed at a great job with great people.

2. One of my best friends had a baby. I witnessed one of my best friends get engaged. Two of my best girls got married.

3. Started getting monthly massages and it has proved to be worth it.

4. Stopped caring about working out and focused on eating better. But I will never stop eating Chick-fil-A. 

5. Went to Hawaii. (Still so amazed by that.)

6. Made it through the roughest Christmas of my life and came out the other side with a better understanding of my mother and how depression/anxiety relates to my family.

7.  Let a friend go for the right reasons with no regrets.

8. Spent some memorable, quality times with my best girlfriends.

9. Went camping for the first time.

10. Held a chinchilla.

11. Played some open mics and got a really encouraging response.

12. Discovered the joy that is Shark Tank.

13. Went to brunch a lot.

14. Worked through some hard times with my church.

15. Got really excited over my friend Emily's "long time coming" engagement.

16. Read more books.

17. Embraced Nutella/Hazelnut liqueur milkshakes.

18. Saw all these shows: Ben Folds with the BSO, Grace Potter, Ed Sheeran, Audrey Assad, Needtobreathe, Dave Barnes, Chadwick Stokes, Mae, Milo Greene, Good Old War, Matt Wertz/Dave Barnes/Jon McLaughlin, Denison Witmer/William Fitzsimmons, The Weepies.

19. Got a new tattoo.

20. Finally saw Wicked.

21.Celebrated my high school band director's retirement for an entire weekend and got to thank my elementary and middle school band directors for instilling music in me.

22. Went to my 10 year high school reunion.

23. Spent a full day resting and watching Netflix. (Literally, all day.)

24. Bought a ukulele.

25. Buffalo Wild Wings Sundays became a thing with my roommate.

26. $6.50 movies on Tuesdays.

27. Had important conversations with friends about everything from anxiety to babies to relationships to heartbreak.

28. Learned (and am still learning) how to forgive myself for things and let God take control.