Dear twenties: so long

What can I say? We’ve known each other for ten years now and we’ve had some great times. It’s been with you that I’ve had my pivotal years of maturity and growth. As much as I’m trying to tout this new chapter in my life called the “dirty thirties” as an exciting new place to be, I can’t pretend that I’m not going to miss you just a little bit. So before I leave you, I thought I’d give a proper goodbye.

When we met, I was an unabashed college student in Indiana with hardly a care in the world. I made some of my best friends to this day in that first year, learned how to live with 100 girls, and realized that the attitude “my way is the right way and your way is the highway” no longer works in this new setting.

With you, I graduated college and embarked on a new chapter into the unknown…the chapter of responsibility. I had my first job and quickly realized it’s not the right job. Then I had a job that was way over my head, struggled with the learning curve, and finally found my way.

A little more than halfway through our time together, I got married to my long time boyfriend, Jeff, and within a year, we shipped off to sunny California. I spent a year and half working in corporate retail where I thought it was going to be all fashion and glamour and realized it’s nothing but stress and overtime. It was here that I grew a set of balls, walked into my boss’ office and told her where this job could go. Ok, I didn’t really say that. But I told her I didn’t love it. And if I’m going to spend half my life at a job, I need to love it. And now, I love my job.

I became a mom to a beautiful red puppy named Indy and he’s been my pride and joy, or what I like to call my “training wheels” for the real mommy job! And in my final year with you, I entered the blogosphere and found that I have an intense passion for writing and creating this little space that is whatever I want it to be.

On my 29^th birthday I got a little freaked out at the prospect of leaving you, because I’ve always seen you as the definition of youth. When I was younger, my mom would apply her makeup in the mirror side by side with me, and she’d look at me and say; “Courtney, I used to have eyes like yours.” I’d of course roll my eyes and complain that she needs to just accept getting older and aging! Ew! What a brat I was! But now I understand. Because now I have laugh lines — and like five gray hairs!

Turning thirty represents a whole new set of unknown chapters which will likely trump any challenge I’ve had to date; such as (God willing) having a baby, raising a solid kid, being a steady and reasonable mom, and balancing a career, family, and home. I’m excited for this next phase of my life and downright jubilant at the possibilities.

I’ve accepted the passing of my twenties now and learned to embrace my thirties with confidence and humor. Some people might say they were ready to kiss their twenties goodbye, like I might say I was ready to kiss high school goodbye. But I’ll always have a soft spot for the carefree, career newbie, bride to be, Midwestern girl gone Cali that was my twenties.

So long twentysomething. Hi thirty, it’s nice to meet you.