My 'ode' to turning...gulp....35.

 It's my birthday today. I started this post on Sunday and yesterday I came to the conclusion that I wasn't going to have enough time to get it done.  Then today arrives with a sick Emma which means I now have the time to finish the post.  Funny how things work out sometimes.....

This week is my birthday. I've decided that I would write down 35 of my favorite memories of my life so far to help me remember how blessed I am, how lucky I am and how much life I have left to live and learn.

In no particular order.......

1. Going to college.  Being the last of 4 kids, I was a rather independent child and going to college was something I was more than ready to do.  I still remember being dropped off at BSU and meeting my new volleyball teammates and saying goodbye to my parents (who, in the following day, filed for divorce.)  I was so excited and throughout those 5 years........I become a mother, a college graduate and an adult.

2. Giving birth to Tyler when I was 19.

3. Giving birth to Emma when I was 28.

4. Giving birth to Logan when I was 30.

5. The last 3 points are wonderful memories-each with their own story and awesome ending of bringing a child into the world.  Every year on their birthdays, it's such a treat for me to go back and remember their story on their birthday.

6. Learning the difference between a boyfriend and a future husband.  Oh the  mistakes I made along the way but I remember finally figuring it out and being so happy that Kirby was by my side.

7. Of course, my wedding day. My Dad was so nervous he could barely walk me down the isle, Tyler was a wee 5 year old boy (with a red powerade moustache and his top lip) and then actually saying "I do" to Kirby. What a fun day!

8. Our honeymoon to Cozumel.  The sites, the sounds and traveling with Kirby.

9.  Buying our first house!  Wow-we had no idea what we were doing but it's still our home today and it may not be the biggest, grandest house.......but it's our home and I love it with all it's quirks and needed repairs.

10. The day that Gunner came flying through our door. Literally!  Kirby was on his way home from a fishing weekend and I remember hearing the truck pull in the driveway, the door opened just enough for an orange lab/retriever/new foundland mix to come flying in.  Tyler and I looked at each other and then fell in love with this puppy who is now our guard dog and family member with fur.

11.  The loss of my Grandmother who was 100.  I have tons of memories of her and my Grandpa and the trips and holiday spent with them.  If I live to be 100....I promise to write another blog post.

12.  Our many family trips to Warroad. Sshhh, don't tell Kirby, but I've fallen in the love with that town but ONLY during the summer!  Fishing stories, swimming, walking around town, catching paper plates out of a plane flying over the point, ice cream, fireworks, the wall, jumping off the wall, etc, etc, etc.

13.  Casting for muskies and actually seeing one follow my lure....scared the be-jezus out of me!  That was during one of my dates with Kirby.  I was so flippin' scared and he just laughed.

14. Roller skating with my Dad at the rink on Sunday afternoons.

15. Going to Kmart with my Mom. Being the youngest, I got to a lot of  'ride alongs' with my Mom for errands while my brothers and sister were at school.

16. Friday night wrestling with my brothers and sister while my parents were out for the evening.  My oldest brother Jeff would set up a ring with fake blood and we would wrestle!

17. Getting my drivers license.  Oh the freedom!

18. Driving to Jackson Hole Wyoming with our best friends Brent and Becky with Tyler in our rented mini-van.  It was beautiful.

19. Ice fishing in Warroad right after Kirby asked me to marry him.  I caught a nice size walleye with his Dad at the same time.  The fish came up the hole with two hooks in his mouth, one was mine, the other was Tom's.

20.  Our engagement proposal.  I was sooooo crabby that day. If you want the whole story you'll have to come over for a visit.  Just note that on the day Kirby wanted to ask me to marry him, I was soooooo crabby.

21.  Our family  trips to Valleyfair growing up.

22. Our family trips to North Dakota every summer.  Too many good memories to list them all.

23. My brother Jeff getting married. Wow-thought that was never going to happen.  Never expected to see my brother get married but he did and he married a wonderful gal who we all love and adore.

24. The day that Kirby got offered his first teaching job!  Never thought that 11 years later he would still be there!

25. My freshman year of HS.

26. My freshman year of College.

27. My first year after graduating from College.

28. Sitting at the airport with my Dad watching the planes take off and arrive. It was his favorite thing to do and I, of course. tagged along.

29. Going out to breakfast or dinner with my Dad's parents.  Grandpa Jacob was a tall, grumpy looking man but he loved to flirt with the waitresses.

30.  Going for walk with Grandpa Jacob and him telling us to look for money in the streets.  We were always amazed to come home with a few pennies or nickels in our pockets.  It was many years later that I figured out it was him dropping them for us. Duh!

31. Watching Tyler grow up.

32. Watching Emma grow up.

33. Watching Logan grow up.

34. Continuing to go through each day with Kirby and learning new things, getting used to the old things and working on building a good life. We've made some pretty awesome kids who we are so proud of.

35. And last but not least, finally figuring out that God has an important place in my life.

Happy Birthday to me!