24th Birthday: Reflecting on the Last Year

On Saturday I turned 24! This was my first birthday away from my family, because even when I was in college, I flew home for my birthday. I missed them a ton, but my boyfriend spoiled me and made me feel really loved :) I went to his house for breakfast in the morning, so he could make me his amazingly delicious scrambled eggs. He got me a gift card to the spa here in town, so a massage is in my future. He knows me so well! In the afternoon, we went to walk around a little down town area and grab lunch. Then at night we met some friends at a wine bar down town for dinner and dessert. It was a really fun, relaxing day. 

A birthday is a good time to reflect on the past year, and since a lot of things have happened and changed in the last year, I thought it would be fun to do that. My Aunt got me a birthday book one year, and it's filled with thoughtful questions to reflect on each year. Here are a few of mine:

1. What are my defining personality traits? Talkative (ha!), passionate (sometimes heads towards strong-willed :), bubbly and outgoing, caring, introverted (which is strange, considering I love to talk and be around people, but I still refuel from being alone.)

2. What would I tell my younger self? I think I would say savor the little moments, because you grow up SO fast. I would also tell myself to forget the drama in high school and even college; the moments you think are going to "ruin your life" will all pass. Cling to your family, read God's word and invest in caring, mature friends who have your best interests in mind. Also, just because you don't have a boyfriend doesn't make you weird or any less of a person. Everything happens in God's timing.

3. What are you discovering? The only thing that matters is Jesus. Loving people, serving people and spreading the gospel are the most important. For so long I knew that, but I wasn't actually living it. I'm also discovering that it's so, so sweet to share life with someone who has the same morals, beliefs, values and goals as you. 

4. What do you want to be better at? Cooking. Definitely! I burnt chicken in the skillet the other day and had a real, live melt down over it. I'm usually pretty good at following a recipe, but want to continue to get better and become more creative in the kitchen!

5. What is worth taking a risk for? Love! Easy answer, but true. I moved from California to Michigan in May for love, and it has been rewarding thus far. It's come with ups, downs, lots of learning and laughs and so many good times.

6. What's been the biggest surprise to you this year? I don't want it to seem like I didn't have confidence in our workshop, but I think I'm surprised by how wonderful the response has been to Bloom and how big of a part it is of our businesses now. I love it so very much!

7. Who makes life fun for you? My boyfriend, mom, dad, brother, my best friend's Ashley and Leta,  my boyfriend's family, the friends we met at church recently, all the creative people I've met and become friends with over the last few years, my cousins and their new babes, and my family's sweet pup, Hope. Couldn't leave that girl out ;)

8. What is your favorite memory over the last year? I have a few: going to Tahoe with my family and McCann over the 4th of July, cutting down McCann's family's Christmas tree last year (I've never done that before-- we just pick them out in California, so this was a treat!) and finally, the moment we sold out of our first Bloom Workshop in only 8 hours. That was so surreal and very exciting!

What about you? Do you have any fun answers to these questions?

Enjoy your Monday!
xoxo

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