Three Things Thursday- 30 Edition

So yesterday I turned 30.... cue the dramatic music.  On one hand it was neat in the sense that I've accomplished a lot before turning 30 and I'm told I don't look my age (lets hope that continues for awhile. ) On the other hand there is the nagging feeling you can't avoid, thinking you should start that next chapter of settling down, getting married, and start a family. Although I do want those things... its beyond my control so I have to be patient.

Anytime you enter a new decade, there is always time for reflection, but to keep this light, I chose to focus more on what I DO have in my life that I'm thankful for.
My family
Mom sent a care package to my work on Monday and when it didn't arrive she freaked out and thought this was putting a damper on my surprise. Since it was insured, it required a signature thus there was a delay and it arrived on Tuesday (day before my birthday) She is always so thoughtful with her gifts. Obviously you have to have the obligatory 30 knick knacks, but the pandora bracelet (i've been needing a new one) with the 3 charm as well as the book full of great stories are both fabulous.

Close up of the 30

I got my first pandora bracelet for my 25th birthday and its neat to look back on all my charms that mark important events- when I moved to Nashville and left Louisville, my Alaska race, when i hit 50 states etc etc. 

On my actual birthday she kept posting photos of when I was young- surprisingly I hadn't seen either of the below photos. 

One of my brothers called in the morning, the other sent me a series of jib jab cards featuring him dancing along with rest of his family--- love these. 

And of course my dad offered some words of wisdom... although no phone call <cough cough> ;) 

My friends

I came into work yesterday and 2 of my best friends happened to decorate my desk (all before 730am mind you) and it looked like an explosion of glitter and chocolate. I haven't felt this loved in a long time. As a joke, they bought me stripper shoes because they say the 2-3 inch heels I wear aren't "real heels"-- still no idea where I would wear these to, or how I would walk in them. 

They bought me a growler of beer, and my mom had beer shaped cookies delivered to my office.... sensing a pattern here??

After taking a half day off to get some errands done, we rounded out the night with a ladies night at one of the "newish" restaurants in East Nashville called the Tree House... and yes we ate in a tree house :) I haven't had a group of girl friends since I moved to Nashville. Most of my friends were guys, AND I had pockets of friends independent of one another, so to have some of them interact and be friends with one another was something I've been missing for a long time. 

All that I've accomplished

I think too often we focus on what we don't yet have, that we forget where we came from. 5 years ago I was living in Louisville in a 2 bedroom apartment with 9 people. I had NO money to my name, was just getting back into interacting with my family, and had zero direction  on what I was doing with my life. Now I have a great career that enables me to make enough to live comfortably as well as go on some adventures,  a strong support network, completed my goal to run a half in every state, a stable home with only 1 roommate, and most importantly, I like where my life is headed. Obviously there are times when I feel "lonely" or that I measure my success to my peers, but I do snap out of it and remind myself to be grateful for the journey. 

Here's to what I'm sure will be my greatest decade yet!!!

For those that are 30+, did you have fears entering this milestone birthday?

Do you check in with your self to be thankful for all that you have?