Happy B-day to Moi!

I'm the big 3-1 today!  

I feel like two people.  

One of me is a kid. I love to do art projects, dream, do yoga in the grass on a sunny day, visit the zoo, drink hot chocolate, nap, read, dance like crazy to "Call Me Maybe," and paint my toenails Superman blue (with glitter).    I still think some really immature jokes are funny.   I get bored easily.   If I could, I would eat donuts and cheese fries every single day.   I love stickers and glittery Hallmark cards.    I LOVE the beach.   I like poetry written for kids (none of this stuff we English teachers are supposed to like).    Occasionally, a student will still tell me I look SO much like Mandy Moore or Julia Stiles.  

The other of me is this adult woman .   I don't know when that transition happened.   What, what?    I am a wife, mother, college teacher, writer.  I own a house.   I cook and wash dishes and pay bills and fold laundry.  I stress about illness and finances and balancing being a mom/wife with being an individual.   I facilitate an adoptive mom group (which is made up of real grown-up women).    I like to read about Black history and adoption and nutrition.   I intentionally exercise every day.   I roll my eyes at most of the crap "kids these days" find amusing (meaning 99% of what is on MTV---Teen Mom being the exception because I LOVE that show).    I drink dry, red wine (because it's healthy, not because I love the taste).    I shop in the women's section (so-long Juniors....) of the store because the clothes fit me better.     Some people call me "ma'am" at the store!   (WHAT?!?)   And sometimes I don't get carded when I buy wine (are you kidding me???).    I drive a minivan.  (Did seriously just share that?)   I care about politics and policies.  I research vaccines and schooling methods.    I become more and more like my mom everyday (which isn't a bad thing). 

2013 is full of possibilities for our family.  We are waiting to adopt a third child.  My book is coming out.    We're enjoying our new house and are making gradual and fabulous changes to it.   We're learning more about finances via Dave Ramsey.   We are becoming more active in our church.   My adoptive mom group is growing by the month. 

I'm incredibly, incredibly blessed.      It's overwhelming. 

So today, I'm going to celebrate.   And reflect.  And act like a little bit of both my kid-self and my adult-self.     And I hope to never lose either of those, because both are fabulous, necessary, and oh-so-fun.