Happy New Year--here's to 2006!

In addition to a whole new year and all the reflecting we do on such occasions, I turned 30 today. Wow! I've probably lived out a third of my life. I've lived three decades. And now in most cultures, I'm officially an adult (unless you're a hobbit--I've got three more years in that case). The last one I had taken hard a few times upon introspection until I let go of the fact that I don't have to act any more adult-like than I already do--which some days is far too much and some days probably isn't nearly enough.

Tom and I stayed up til the wee hours of the morning reminiscing about life, the universe, and everything. The most fun was trying to pinpoint the happiest day of every decade. In my 20s, the answer is easy: June 12, 1999--they day Tom and I were married. Of course, it was fabulous to think of all the runner-up days of days spent on traveling adventures or snowed in during a Michigan blizzard. In my 10s, my 16th birthday has always stuck out as a great day, mostly for the fact that at one point during the day I was moved to tears with the recognition of how blessed I was with friends and family--a pretty significant moment for a self-absorbed 16 year old. And before that, the best day is by far the day that is actually probably about 100 days compressed in the mind to one of sunshine and bike riding and haystack climbing and cops and robbers playing and trampoline jumping and popcicle licking and starwishing day of summer fun.

And it's all wrapped into the one great blessing that is life--the gift of our Creator, breathed into us each and every day.

Happy Birthday to us all!