Thirty Things...

Ok - so I turned thirty today. When I was 15, thirty seemed SO FAR AWAY. Well, it's here. It's staring me in the face and I am no longer in my 20's. I wonder if that means that I've changed demographics. LOL! (Always thinking from a marketing standpoint) Seriously, now I have to check a DIFFERENT box on surveys and I have to relate to those women that are "Fabulous in their 30's". I'm still trying to embrace it. By the way - I'm wearing all black. Saying "goodbye" to my 20's. My friend, Karin, asked me today if I was going to a funeral. I laughed and did the Johnny Cash "well...maybe I am".

So, as an ode to the big 3-0, here are thirty things that my thirty-year-old self would tell my twenty-year-old self.

1) That boy that you just met - you'll marry him. You'll have two babies with him and you'll love him even more.
2) You're going to have two girls. So, work on picking out names. Even though all of your brothers had boys, you're going to have girls.
3) Marriages in your family aren't what you think they are. The older you get, the more you will realize that things aren't what they seem. Two of them will end in divorce.
4) The grandkids will grow up and you'll be like their big sister. Except, they won't listen to all of your advice, so don't waste your breath.
5) You'll get the dream job at P&G but it won't be the dream you thought it was. However, it will pay well.
6) Keep your focus with what you want to accomplish in a career. You actually CAN do something artistic.
7) Using Elmer's Glue in your scrapbooks is not a good thing. Put that stuff away and get the good kind.
8) Buy a better camera. Something fancy with lots of buttons and learn how to use it. (Ok - so I STILL need to learn how to use it)
9) Designer clothes aren't necessary. Besides, you'll gain weight and just be glad to find things that fit well in the first place. Who cares what label is on them.
10) Thank God for your mom every day. You will need her more and more the older you get. You also need to listen to her parenting advice.
11) Stand by your man. He'll stand by you.
12) You'll eventually stop thinking MTV is cool and start watching VH-1. No, seriously... you'll relate more to VH-1.
13) Quit buying new cars. They're a waste of money. You just need something to get you from point A to point B.
14) Don't buy that house that you're going to look at when you get married. It's too small and you'll have to put too much into it. Wait it out. The apartment isn't THAT bad.
15) Oh - you won't be in the medical field. You'll change majors again. Probably two more times actually. You'll finally graduate in Law but not do law school because you hate it.
16) The Mount was a good place to go to school.
17) The neighborhood where you grew up will not be the same. It will go downhill fast. But, you can never forget where you came from.
18) You'll still miss your dad. The pain will never go away and you'll have a lot of hard times when you would wish he were there, but just know that he probably thinks of you often.
19) Don't let the infertility get you down. It will end happily.
20) You'll never have enough money for everything you want to do, so just deal with it and be happy with what you have.
21) You'll spend your 30th birthday in a sales meeting. Such is life.
22) Mexican food is pretty tasty. You should try it.
23) Don't spend a lot of money on a wedding. There really is no purpose in doing that. Save it and put a large down payment on a house. All you need is each other and a marriage license. Total = $30. Doesn't that sound better than $15,000?
24) Concerts are SO much better in the first five rows. Even if it is an NSYNC concert and you're the oldest person (at 23) in the front row. Your niece will never forget that you took her.
25) Giving birth isn't that difficult. Don't be afraid of it. It's a wonderful thing.
26) Don't remodel everything you can on the house right away. You've got time. Besides, it just drains you financially and then you're still left unsatisfied.
27) You get more with honey than you do vinegar. Don't always speak your mind. Sometimes you'll get yourself in trouble that way. (Ok - so I STILL do that, too!)
28) You won't have won the lotto by the time you're 30. Face it - you'll have to work.
29) That boy you love so much will want to go to Florida EVERY YEAR to the SAME PLACE. Enjoy it. You'll actually start to look forward to it. So, don't complain too much.
30) You'll actually be a great-aunt by 30. I know they're too young to have kids but you weren't much older when you had your first. Quit thinking like an old lady.

Well...that's it. My 30 random thoughts I'd tell my 20 year old self. Hope it wasn't too boring for you. :)