It’s my last day of being 25 and I’m doing a lot of thinking. I haven’t blogged since before I returned home from the Race in 2015 and thought it was as good a day to write something as any. So here it goes:
It’s weird when your birthday comes around as an adult. As a kid birthdays meant something so different and all I ever wanted was to be an adult, I looked forward to 16, 18 and then 21 and then all of a sudden you’re in your mid twenties and its different. Now stop your internal “you’re not even old…just wait till you’re…” I’m not old. But I am older. I made the realization that I’m now closer to 30 than I am to 20…and that’s weird. If I sit and think about my 26 years of experiences and things I’ve done, I feel pretty dang accomplished, pretty amazed at everything Jesus has allowed me to see and do, all the amazing places I’ve been, and all the places I’m planning to go. I could sum up my life thus far as one big adventure and I’ve loved it so much.
I feel like birthdays are also different based on your life situation, for example..I might feel differently about aging if I was married and starting a family, in fact I’m sure I would. But, I’m a single woman, fabulous and loved by my family and so many friends that I feel so special and celebrated regardless of my marital status. Yes, REGARDLESS of my marital status. I said that again, for the people in the back. 18 year old Katelyn would never believe that 26 year old Kate wouldn’t be married or living in Colorado or Montana, she wouldn’t believe me even if I had the ability to go back in time and tell her straight to her face. But here we are. That’s a whole other story so I’ll save it for later. But basically I’m just thankful that 18 year old Katelyn was wrong about her assumptions for my future. I’m happy with this life, exactly as it’s turned out.
Don’t get me wrong, everybody has that day, or maybe even that year, where it’s just hard. In fact, this might be that year for me. But I’m still happy. Happy because of how my heart feels when I’m with my family, or how loved and cared for and valued I feel when I spend time with friends. I’m amazed at the people God has given me. I really am. Life would suck without you. And isn’t that the truth of it. Life would just suck without relationships…without humans to do life with and hit your low points with and cry and dance and laugh so hard your cry some more. I could have all the money in the world but without my people it would mean nothing.
This will be my 26th birthday and I’m surprised at how different this one feels, not only because I’m closer to 30 than 20, but because in the last couple years I have drawn closer to the Lord than I’ve ever been. I’ve also hit some incredibly low points in the last couple of years, but I think that’s all apart of the growth process. You have to be stretched thin, dead tired, worked, and then you cry and you cry out to God and He picks you up and helps you get back on your feet and points you in the right direction and tells you He loves you and He cares for you, and you’re enough. And then you can go on, and you’re stronger than before, because you went through the hard things. And that’s what I want for my life, for my friendships, for my relationship with God and my future.
He’s been so, so, so good to me.
I love reflecting on all He has done and giving Him the praise and glory for it all. Thank you Jesus, all to Him I owe.
Thank you friends, and family, my people, for loving me when I get REAL messy, for loving me when I need to vent and complain and for loving me through the good stuff too. This is what life is about and I’m loving it and I’m excited for this next year and to share it with you. <3
