A Woman in Full

Twenty-five is a nice full number, and it makes me feel like I am truly an adult. Andrea says it's the age in which you really take responsibility for your life. Mom says it's the age when you're supposed to start forgetting how old you are. While thirty is a universally recognized milestone, I think it's high time that twenty-five "got its," or however you say that. This is all to say that I am glad there are still five years until I hit that next milestone, because I have a lot to figure out between now and then.

I usually forget to thank God for another year on my birthday. I do it at New Year's, but I think my birthday is even more significant because God has brought me into another age in my personal history, if you will. Each age feels different from the one before. And while I am still young, God withholds much of the pain of aging despite what I might do to harm my body (i.e. standing up in my boots for so long that my toes become compressed). That is an amazing truth, if you think about it. I realize this will become less and less the case as time goes on. So I take this to heart: "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years approach when you will say, 'I find no pleasure in them.'"

Despite being away from most of my family and friends, I did receive a few gifts from my best friend here.


Also, some special drinks.
And some delicious ribs.











We also celebrated by going to see The Decemberists in concert. They are not one of my favorite bands, but they put on a relatively fun show. They sang lots of songs about love and murder, it seemed. I hadn't heard much of their music except on Josh Daniels' NPR show and perhaps on someone else's iTunes. I hate to say this, but I am starting to feel that bands are a dime a dozen these days. I long for originality and creativity. Instead, these folks need to make money and thus put on a show they know will please a crowd. I can hardly blame them, but in the long run how will they set themselves apart?

All in all, it was a grand birthday. It is the first birthday I've ever spent without at least one family member present, so in that way it was a bit strange. But they were with me in spirit, and I enjoyed getting inundated with e-cards, emails, and facebook greetings, as well as having a chance to call my family which I have not been very good at. I think I'll renew my New Year's resolutions to become my "26th year resolutions," and add "better communication" to the list.