one more post before I'm an old maid...literally.

It's Labor Day Weekend and I don't have school tomorrow, so I figured I can justify blogging a little more. On Tuesday I turn 27 years old. How gross is that? I've been freaking out since the day after my birthday last year and now it's finally here. I don't remember many of the birthdays in the last ten years and I'm sure this one will fade just as quickly. For some reason, though, 27 seems awfully old and even older compared to things I have or haven't accomplished. 

This year my favorite memories (yes, this is to help me feel a little better about getting old) are as follows: 

• Last year on my birthday I was lucky enough to be able to go to Texas. I'm not sure how I managed to do that since I had been out of rehab just a little over a month--but I'm so glad that I did. It was fun to see a new place and enjoy it sober--I wish I could travel more. Someday. 
• Community Thanksgiving Dinner. It was so much fun to be able to hang out with tons of amazing people on Thanksgiving...and of course I brought cards and carried on the tradition that my family has. 
• Sub4Santa-- I can't even describe how awesome it was to be a part of this. We intended to help 4 families, but as it turned out, we helped many more. Lots of amazing things happened and it was so cool to be a part of it. 
• Talking to or seeing Joey everyday. I love that kid so much and I'm lucky that he lives so close. One of my favorite things is to call him early every morning and just say hello. 
• Getting my own apartment. When I first moved in it was just me, then I got a roomie, and now it's just me and the cats. I am really lucky to be able to have my own place. 
• Getting Calvin. I'm not sure if the day we got Calv would qualify as a "favorite" memory because I was skeptical and didn't like cats. Turns out, Calv is definitely my favorite thing ever. I really don't know what I would have done over the last year without him!
• I got to go to TONS of basketball games. 
• Went to Lagoon a few times with my best friend. I love spur of the moment road trips.
• I applied to SUU, got re-admitted, was awarded financial aid and am now back in school. I'm not sure why it worked out this year, rather than last, but I am so grateful. I definitely owe a lot of people more than I could ever repay and am so grateful everyday that I get this opportunity. 
• I celebrated one year of sobriety on April 29! I honestly never thought I would see that day and it seems like a dream sometimes. I am so lucky to have been able to go to rehab. 
• I'm dating again. Weird but so much fun. I feel so lucky to have the coolest (and lots of other things that I don't feel the need to blog about on here right now) girlfriend. 
• I can't think of any other "big" things that happened-- but there are so many little things that I'll never forget. I am so grateful to all the wonderful people in my life. I have the best support system in the world and I don't know how I got so lucky. A year ago, fresh out of rehab, I had lots of "dreams" that I never thought would actually come true...turns out, they have and continue to get better! I can't even begin to describe how incredibly happy I am right now. Life is really the best it's ever been and it just keeps getting better. 

So, even though I'm being a baby about turning 27, I am also a tiny bit excited to see what life will bring over the next year. Even if life isn't half as wonderful as it was over the last year, I'll still be sitting pretty good. 

Thanks to all my friends and family for helping to make this last year a great one and here's to another great year ahead. Today, as I was talking to one of the people that I respect the most in the whole world, I remembered that life really is fragile and it's important to do the things we want to do now. Don't wait, just do it.