And now.... I'm 27

It was interesting turning 27 while rereading a journal I wrote exactly 10 years ago. Interesting to see what I remembered accurately and what I didn't. I knew I liked boys but was rather stunned by exactly how much of my thinking was about boys... wow.

In the last 10 years family has become immensely more important to me, and my siblings have all grown up. I've gone from being boy crazy to being crazy about one boy, and he's mine, and we do life together. My faith is no longer an effusive flow of emotions but I do feel more grounded in the immensity of God and that the meaning and ultimate hope in life is found in Christ.

Anyways... I felt absolutely spoiled on my birthday. Having all of my family there was enough to make it amazing, but it was so much more than that! That morning us girls piled into a car and had lunch at Panera Bread.

From end of 2009

Then we did something we've never done before - we got manicures and pedicures (one or the other). We are not a very girly-girly group, thanks to my mom being a bit of a tom-boy, but we had fun being pampered for one day.

From end of 2009

And now my toes are pretty red with cute little flowers on the big toes! I love it..

From end of 2009

Three of us are single, boys... anyone want their number? On second thought, never mind, that's a bad idea, they have a reputation for being picky and sometimes heart-breakers.

And then... without me knowing, the family booked us all for the Crown Uptown Theater in downtown Wichita (I know, high class, folks), for a dinner performance of a holiday comedy show. It was a rockin dinner (actually it was better than the hotel Thanksgiving buffet!), with some absolutely amazing chocolate desserts, and the show was pretty funny as well. Except when one girl got in a slinky dress and wandered through the audience cuddling up to men and singing "Santa Baby". That was just flat uncomfortable. :)

From end of 2009

I just am so thankful to have a family like mine - big, crazy, certainly not normal, fun-loving, wise, and really honest about struggles and flaws. I feel safe in my family. Oh, and I love that instead of being insular, people like Anthony join the fray and feel like part of it. I think that's how love should be - it should naturally extend to others rather than being a closed circle.