30

I've never really made a big deal about my birthday. There is a reason for this. My birthday always falls during the week of Thanksgiving, so more often than not, everyone I know with whom I would like to spend my birthday usually has plans with their own families either in or out of town. People were always busy, so I generally didn't expect all that many people to remember. Additionally, my family has always celebrated my birthday on Thanksgiving Day since the family would be all be there anyway. So, for a very long time, I didn't even know what date my birthday was... I thought my birthday was on Thanksgiving.

This year was different, however. I turned -- dum-dum-DUM!!! -- 30. And it's significant for many reasons. It's the first birthday since I was 4 that I'm not in school. I'm beginning the next stage of my life - started a new job 8 months ago, moved to a new city, feeling like a real adult for the first time in my life. I've also begun to truly appreciate all the friends I have. As we get older, as we live our own lives and are apart, the times we are together are all the more special.

So much has changed in the past year - my dear brother getting married, friends having babies, other friends moving across the country... I've made a few new friends (no easy feat for me) with whom I hope to have long lasting relationships. I've been surprised, I've been disappointed, I've been hurt and uplifted. People I love have become more deeply engrained in my heart.

I feel grateful and truly lucky for the life I've had thus far, for good and for bad, because of all the wonderful people I have been able to share it with.