On 28

Happy Birthday to meee! Here I am, 28 years old. Old AF (kidding).

Typically I plan my birthday around a vacation, (usually my favorite beach in the Outer Banks) but this year is different. I’m a home, which is strange to me, living an ordinary day. Mostly because we’re 18 days away from the wedding and our honeymoon, so I’m not too sad about the belated birthday trip, but I am feeling oddly reflective with all this free time today.

Side note: I have this free time because I’m still a kid at heart and refused to go to work on my birthday 😉

But oh, birthdays. There’s something about birthdays (and New Years Eve) that make us look back on our year and lives and take it all in: the rapid passing of time, the life chapters, and our aging bodies.  Maybe it’s my imminent wedding that’s really the culprit here, but I’m hyperaware of my life up to this point.

28 is a big one for me. It’s the year I’m getting married, and will always be an age to remember. Now that I mention it, every year has been a big one in its own way, from graduating college, to getting a job, to starting grad school, getting engaged, buying a house, and now this. Still, I reflect particularly hard this year because of something that happened now seven years ago.

I was 21 and working at a bar right out of college in Atlanta. There was this old man that came in alone on on a slow, weekday afternoon and sat in a secluded back booth. I took his order, and after an hour or so he spoke up. He could feel my energy jumping off me, he said, and asked if he could read my palm. Apparently, it’s what he did for a living. Skeptical, I said yes, and he proceeded to tell me things about myself he never could have known: I’m a old soul, I’m gifted with music, my grandmother had recently passed, etc. He asked if I had any questions, and I asked when I would have children. At this point, I was so freaked out by the accuracy of everything he was saying, that I took his answer to heart: two boys by 27. I think I had a small panic attack in the back of the restaurant, and that moment has stuck with me ever since.

Now, clearly, I don’t have two sons and I’m officially past 27, (not that I even want them right now, so don’t feel bad for me) but I can’t help but reflect on my past self in that moment and compare it to the person I am now, that I could only imagine then. 28 seemed so far away. Old- almost 30. I moved to Atlanta knowing only my dad and stepmom when I was 21, and moved into my own apartment after landing my first “big girl” job at 22. My life from ages 22-24 was, to quote my idol, “happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time”. Seriously lonely. Like, Saturday nights alone with me and my cat, crying, watching Gilmore Girls reruns lonely. Sure, I dated and went out on the weekends sometimes, but mostly I was alone. Really alone, (but side note: honestly it was good for me and I highly recommend it to all women to just be alone with yourself for a year or so!).

Most of the times, I would be alone and just think to myself: “one day you’ll know your husband, whoever he is, and all of this will be just a fond memory”.

And here I am. I know my husband. God, I love him. We live in the suburbs of Atlanta in a house we own with an adorable doggy named Chewy. I have a great job, I have my master’s degree, and I’m CEO of my own online business. I think 21-year-old me would be proud. And now, I’m feeling the same kind of longing for my future self once more. One day I will know my children and grandchildren. I wonder who I’ll be then.

But for now, I’m excited about 28. I’ve always felt like an old soul, and always acted older than my age. When I started my job at 22, I was the youngest and always felt like my young age was such a hinderance to my career. I’m happy to be older, more experience, and an age I actually feel like. In fact, I’ve been claiming to be 28 for months now. I just feel this age in my bones.

Reflecting on 27

27 was a big one! Starting back in August 2017, one year ago, we were on the beach in the Outer Banks.

In September, we FINALLY finished our MBA degrees and finally got around to having our engagement/ graduation/ house warming party.

I also attended my good friend Ashley’s wedding in Mazama, Washington, and visited Seattle and the Cascades National Park.

In October, Taylor and I attended more weddings and travelled to Napa Valley for our graduation present to ourselves.

I spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas in Columbus, Ohio with my family again this year.

And Taylor and I suffered through an absolutely freezing cold morning of engagement photos with Chew Bug.

We got 8 inches of snow here in Atlanta this winter, and it was way too much fun having a snow day together in the new house.

In January, I travelled to LA to go wedding dress shopping! I also got a new car; a blue Jetta called The Blueberry.

And in February, my best friends from college took our annual girl’s trip to Steamboat Springs, CO.

I spent a lot of cold, dreary days in bed with this guy.

In the spring, Taylor took me on a trip to NYC to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which is potentially the best day of my life so far, even with both of us severely ill with the flu.

In May, I had my bachelorette party in Savannah, GA. What a freakin’ weekend.

This summer, we drove to the beach a few times, and visited San Diego and Columbus, Ohio. My sister and I went to the Taylor Swift concert, which was a blast.

And here we are! August. Days with the dood, and nights cooking with Tay.

Phew! What a year.

I’m so happy and grateful to be where I am in life. Now, it’s time to get married!