25 Years of Life

On January 5th, i celebrated my 25th birthday. i am a quarter of a century old. how and when did this happen? as i sit and think about memories and happenings of the last 25 years of life, i can't help but think of some things that i've learned along the way. here is a list i came up with of things i've learned in the last 25 years of life:

• fall is my favorite season
• sunsets stir my affection for christ
• love is more than three words
• life is short and death is unpredictable
• smiles can make your day
• you can never eat too many pickles
• life is 100 times better when you can do it with your best friend (so thankful for andrew)
• being a nanny and watching/helping the kids learn and develop is one of the most rewarding things
• god's plans are better than mine
• dating without intentions of marriage is pointless and dangerous for the heart
• when i don't hit snooze and get up right away, i feel more awake and have a better outlook on the day
• i like to drink my water at room temperature
• ice cream makes everything ok in life
• the ocean will always have a special place in my heart (maybe one day i'll live by it)
• forgiving someone is proof of your love
• sewing has become one of my favorite hobbies - i love creating things
• exercising regularly gives me more energy during the day and helps me sleep better at night
• everyone has something that makes their heart glad
• being challenged to grow is a good thing
• when you're little you wish you were a grown up and once you grow up you wish you were little again
• the world can be a cold hard place
• if you're too serious in life, you won't have any room for fun
• little girls need to feel pretty
• my family is precious more so than anything
• beer and red wine taste awful 
• teachers don't get paid enough for all that they do
• change is inevitable
• there's something about taking a vacation that cleanses your soul and helps you appreciate home a little more
• clean eating and exercise are important to your body's health
• there's so much more inside people than we see
• there's something magical about kayaking in the early morning on a still lake
• friends that will laugh with you and do life with you are the best
• no matter how many times i vacuum, it could always be done again
• i wouldn't be where i am today without god's unconditional love and never ending grace
• good teachers make school so much more enjoyable and learning ten times for fun
• wedding hair is a passion of mine and i secretly wish i could do it every day 
• i appreciate a phone call or a hand written note opposed to social media

i can't wait to add to this list as many more birthdays pass. Here are a few photos of how we celebrated my 25th this year:

dinner at Chino Latino's

Kathryn and I

TJ, Karla, me, and Kelsey

 my birthday desert was a deep fried snickers bar with a scoop of ice cream. i love the sparkler they stuck in it.

Karla, me, and Kelsey

Me and Bridget

Andrew and me

My birthday gift from my love

thank you to everyone who came out and helped me celebrate. i am excited to see what this next year of life has to offer. 

Happy Birthday Drew!

Happy 24th birthday to my dear husband Andrew! I feel so blessed to be married to you. I am so thankful I get to spend the rest of my life with you growing old together. May the Lord continue to bless you this next year of life, and may you continue to grow closer to Him each day. I am so proud of you Drew and all that you have accomplished so far in our life together. I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for you in your 24th year of life. I love you to the moon and back!

Andrew as a little tyke 

Twenty-Four

My birthday drink had a sparkler in it!

A little over a week ago now I celebrated my twenty-fourth birthday. I always dreaded the day I would turn twenty-four because that's the age I feel like you become "old". You're no longer college age, you have bills and loan payments, you have a full time job, people are married/engaged, some people have a baby or one on the way, and all around I feel like you just have to act more responsible. I always thought on the morning of my twenty-fourth birthday I would wake up feeling older and more responsible and less like a carefree woman in her early twenty's. Instead when I woke up, I felt like I was swimming under water because I had a head cold so bad. I didn't feel any older or any different.

I was able to start the day off with a lovely waffle breakfast and a quick visit to the chiropractor to help with my cold. From there I ventured out to have lunch and do some minor shopping with my mom. When I got back from that I took a nice birthday nap to help with my cold. I had to be rested for what Andrew had planned for the evening.

Drew and I

One of Andrew's goals for the year was to make my birthday a bigger deal and more special for me since I love birthdays so much. He did that by planning, organizing, and inviting friends to dinner with us, then out for drinks and to watch the Packers VS Vikings play off game. Despite having my head cold, it was a lovely evening to celebrate and hang out with friends that I don't get to see that often. Thanks Drew for making my birthday so special! Being twenty-four isn't as bad as it seemed.

Our menus said, "Happy Birthday Mallory."

Blurry close up of our menus.

Drew and Schuey showing off their drinks.

Sarah and her ginormous spoon they gave her with her meal.

A round of scooby snacks for everyone.

Me and Sarah.

Me and Liesey Poo

All the lovely ladies who helped me celebrate! Love you all!