Real Life: Turning 30

Yep, last week I left the 20's behind me and I am now 30 years old. I used to think 30 was old, but I say now, "It don't matter the age or number, as long as I feel young!" Looking back at my past 29 years, I have lot's of memories.

1. I was mom's first 'planned' c - section birth. (She was in labor with my sister and then needed surgery.)
2. I am the second born and second daughter.
3. When I turned 3, my little brother was born. (He has no body proof now that he was a preemie!)
4. We lived in an apartment in Hatville. I still love that neighborhood!
5. Started kindergarten at Linville Hill School! Another baby brother was born into our family.
6. Going everyday to school and entering into first grade was fun!
7. Second grade and a man teacher. We had a girls sleep over at school and cooked breakfast outside!
8. We changed churches and dress. We went from Ridgeview Mennonite to Spring Garden. I made new friends quick and met my best friend Rosa!!! We also moved from the apartment to just down two houses into a rancher house.
9. In fourth grade.
10. I remember being so proud of turning 10. I said, "I am now two hands full!"
11. Entered 'middle school'! My youngest brother was born!
12. 7th grade.
13. A teenager!!!  I remember making a public confession to giving my life to Christ!
14. My birthday is in May and I turned 14 just before graduating from 8th grade!!!
15. A freshman in high school at Faith Mennonite High! I was 'baptized' into the family of Christ.
16. SWEET SIXTEEN!!! And yes it was sweet! I could not wait to be sixteen and 'run around'! Mom & Dad gave me my 'ranger' and I was excited! I loved our youth group and loved my school friends! My sophomore year in high school was my hardest year in school. It was my hardest academically and my busiest with trying to balance my 'running around' and school work.
17. Junior in high school. Had my first date!!! Yes, with my husband Mike! I have always prayed that I would have only one boyfriend. I never wanted the regrets of exes. I am blessed to say my prayer was answered!
18. SENIOR YEAR!!! I couldn't wait till I was a senior! My easiest school year and by far the funnest. Our class was more mature and with that came more respect for each other brought great socials, great friendships & tons of laughter! This year was also the first I went on a missions trip out of our country. Our senior trip was to Grenada. We were there for 1 week and taught Bible school to the native children. Graduating from high school gave me an accomplished feeling. I was proud I went through high school. It was a great experience and a huge spiritual boast in my teenage years!!!
19. ENGAGED!!! Mike asked me to marry him in August of 1999.
20. Married my best friend!!!! Mike and I went to Cancun, Mexico for our honeymoon. We moved into a rancher house that we called 'our home'!
21. Gave birth to our first child ... Hadassah Grace!
22. Mike & I were youth leaders for three years. I became a Longaberger Consultant.
23. Grieved the lose of our miscarriage. I was 6 weeks pregnant and excited. We were very sad when my pregnancy ended way too early for babies survival. This was also the year that we got to see George W. Bush go through our home town!!!
24. Very excited to be pregnant with another baby!
25. Celebrated our 5th Marriage Anniversary!!!  Flew to Cincinnati for an anniversary trip! I also gave birth to our second child / first son, Matthew Tyce. We also spent a week in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina went through. We helped with setting up a base for other groups to go down and help with the clean up!
26. Sent our first born off to Kindergarten! I cried. I prayed. "Please, Lord, keep her safe!"
27. Celebrated another anniversary, but this time in San Diego, California!
28. Excited to be pregnant with our third healthy child. Sent our son off to kindergarten. This was hard but I knew his big sister would help him! "Protect our little son, Lord!"
29. Celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary!!! It's a mystery how marriage can better as years go by. I really did truly love Michael on our wedding day, but somehow I think I love him even more now! Also, gave birth to our third child, Ashlyn Marie! She's healthy and beautiful!
30. Only God knows my future. For now, I am a mother to our three dear children and a wife to a great husband!

God has been so good to me! I am so blessed. As I look back at some of these milestones in my life, I smile at God's grace for me. I have taken some pictures of pictures of me when I was 'younger'. The truth is in 'real life', your age does change and you get only older and never younger, but along with getting older comes ... maturity, spiritual growth, changes, and eventually eternally.

Go ahead and smile at these pictures! Oh, the younger days ...

MY BABY PICTURE