Reflections on Turning 30

So until a few minutes ago I have to say I had no concerns about turning 30, it seems fairly normal and I have never before had any sort of birthday anxiety so I didn't expect to have any now. But then this afternoon I did have a twinge of impending doom. My 20 something friends here were all running around town carefree and fun-loving. And I was vaccuming, reading Clifford, and cleaning up chicken nuggets&ketsup. I confess to feeling lame and completely boring. Then I had this nagging thought: Am I really this old? I wonder if this is the end of having fun? What if I just get older and more boring from here? I mean I already spend most of my days working on the A,B,C's and potty training. It might not get any more exciting from here.
But as I am writing this my children are stumbling out from their naps all groggy and climbing up to snuggle with me. And I have to laugh at myself. I can't imagine anything I would rather have done with my 30 years than this life I have had. Of course there are always a few regrets, but my list of regrets is really very short. If I had it to do over again, this is exactly how I would spend these 30 years. I grew up with a wonderful family, in a wonderful home, and with a wonderful church family. I met the love of my life in high-school and I have never for a moment regretted that. There is no one with whom I would rather spend my life. 6 years of dating and 7 years of marriage later and I would still make the same choice. No one understands me or makes me laugh like he does. And I could not have married a wiser or more loving man. It is a joy to walk with him through life. Somewhere in there I got a nursing degree which at the moment is of no use to me as a career in this funny spot of the world, but I loved and still love being a nurse. My ER days were so much fun for me. And all that I learned continues to be of practical value in this healthcare deprived place. Along the way I was blessed with 2 little ones, one of each as they say. They bring light and laughter to my world every day. Watching their different personalities, quirks, and talents develop is like unlocking a treasure. My days are full of mundane tasks, but never boring. I can't tell you the last time I had nothing to do. Boring might be nice actually.
And speaking of boring, I can't believe that thought actually crossed my mind. Who am I kidding? I live in Asia. My life is far from boring. Each day brings a new challenge of language, culture, or comedy. Looking back my life is strewn with snapshots of people and places I love. Parents I adore, a sister for a best friend, wonderful friends from high school, college, and the days after. Moving here was something I never expected but also something I have never regretted. It also brought with it new and wonderful friends and experiences. My 30 years of life so far have been full to the brim with challenges and blessings. Not because I am anybody special. When I really pause to look back and consider, it makes me wonder at my Father God who has so carefully arranged my steps and filled my life with so much love. I'm glad I wasn't navigating because I would never have picked this path. Thankfully the one guiding me is so much wiser than I and knew how to perfectly fill these 30 years the best way possible. Looking back I'm in awe of what He has done. It fills me with confidence that whatever comes next is worth looking forward to. So Happy 30th Birthday to me, I guess there's nothing to be sad about :-)

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