Thirty Things

I turn the Big 3-0 tomorrow, and I’m feeling all reflective and nostalgic on the first three decades of my life. Well, maybe most reflective on the last 10 years, given that these have been the most life-changing to date! I am kind of dreading turning this age – I mean who honestly isn’t?! But, instead of dwelling about being #sooooooold now, let’s take a walk down memory lane instead, shall we? Over the last 30 years, there have been more laughs than cries, more smiles than tears, and more unforgettable experiences than I c0uld have ever imagined…and that’s all I can ask for! So here goes – my “30 things”.

Thirty Things (in no particular order)

1. Joining forces with the one-and-only Mrs. Daws to start this little blog and give my life a little creative boost.
2. Being with my best friend for 6 years and married for 3. 
3. Being a dog mom to our pup Louie. #rescuedog 
4. Mourning the losses of Granddaddy, Gram, Poppy and Nana Pauline, and being so thankful to still have Granny and Grandpop in my life.
5. Only having to be a bridesmaid in one wedding in my 20s – thank you sweet friends for not making me broke! (Flynn/Monica – can’t wait to be part of your special days in 2015!)
6. Getting to grow up with a sister so close in age – we have our fair share of wanting-to-pull-out-our-hair moments, but we sure have a lot of fun too!
   
7. Having the opportunity to live in NYC in my 20s – a lifelong dream checked off the list – even in the dead of winter (thank goodness for puffy coats!). 
8. Learning to ski – and not being completely terrible! #pizzaslice #wedge 
9. Wasting way too many tears on friend break-ups throughout my life and FINALLY realizing that girls are just mean sometimes, and the best thing to do is cut ties and don’t look back.
10. Walking the Brooklyn Bridge, spending New Year’s Eve in Times Square, and riding the ferry out to Shelter Island, along with COUNTLESS other NYC-moments. 
11. Buying our first home in Atlanta and all the ups-and-downs along the way – it was an emotional process, but we couldn’t be happier with the outcome. 
12. Crying my eyes out at the last home football game of the season my senior year at Georgia. (I know my friends thought I was crazy at the time, but I just couldn’t stop the tears from flowing, until that Boars Head hamburger that is!)
13. Getting engaged on the white sand beaches of Hawaii and almost leaving my new ring on the car bumper – whoops! 
14. Going on a post-college European adventure with Steph, Andrea and Katie and not ending up like the movie Taken! 
15. Playing Working at Ramsey during college (can we really call what we did work?!). 
16. Partaking in the ridiculousness that is Georgia-Florida weekend on the beaches of St. Simons more than once. #biggestcocktailpartyintheland
17. Enjoying a good cry on my birthday for most years of my life. “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to…”
18. Festing and all the booze, bites, and bands that make up a good fest. 
19. Sharing the tiniest room in the Pi Phi house with Steph and sharing a desk – we got a lot of work done in that room…NOT!
20. Having the BEST time with my freshman year hall mates – Brumbylicious baby – whether it was pre-gaming with cosmos, late-night dance parties or hungover outings to the dining hall!
21. Working at my first real job after college (well interning if we want to be exact) and meeting the PR Girls.
22. Having the best parents who have supported me along the way through all the ups and downs that raising girls entails 🙂 
23. Obtaining true work-life balance at my current job and never wanting to look back.
24. Traveling to Greece (twice), where the sun shines, the people smile (and offer you ouzo), the wine flows and the food is fresh off the boat. 
25. Spending Christmases in New Jersey with our whole family. The long drive from Georgia might be painful, but the company is worth it! 
26. Learning to play tennis at a very young age – thank you parents for introducing us to this truly lifelong sport! 
27. Being co-president of my high school as a senior (which really entailed doing the daily announcements over the loudspeaker). #whereeverybodyknowsyourname
28. Becoming a college football fan (GO DAWGS) and partaking in all the shenanigans that ensue around gameday. 
29. Growing my palate and becoming a major foodie! To think, I used to subsist on pasta with no sauce!
30. Being ready for the next chapter and hopefully growing our little party of two in the next decade!