Where Has the Time Gone...

I just got off the phone and was just reminded me that tomorrow is... May 1st. Wow. Insane isn't it? I can't believe that it's my birthday month already. I feel like I just got to Nashville yesterday. I still don't feel settled. I still don't feel like this is home. But I think it's because it's just me and the pups. I've been lucky enough to have people come and visit me to keep me occupied and keep me sane.

I've also had a new job for a little over amonth. I couldn't stay at Pucketts. I loved the people I worked with and the people I worked for, but a server I am not. I really hate serving and I hated the hours; one day I was working mornings and the next nights. It was just too hard on my internal clock and on my body. I like bartending. It's definitely my thing. So only a few weeks after starting Pucketts I was called for an interview at the Opryland hotel. Thankfully, I nailed the interview and got a great job bartending at the Old Hickory Steakhouse. It was a rough couple of weeks of trying to survive on training money without tips, but I made it through with our tax refund, and thankfully, I really like this job. Again, I like the people I work with and the people I work for. I definitely feel lucky.

So, as I was nicely reminded, this is the month I turn thirty. Thirty. Thirtyyyyyyy. I tried to whine to my bestie about how I feel like I haven't accomplished enough. But she quickly put me in check. Which is why I love her. I have loving and supportive family and friends, own a car, two houses, a boat, I have two fabulous fur babies, and I'm finally trying to live a dream that i've had for most of my life. So, I guess I shouldn't complain about turning thirty and instead I should embrace it and be thankful that I haven't ruined my life with too many mistakes or too many regrets. Life is good. Well, pretty good.

Oh, Is Today May 23rd...

If it is May 23rd that means that it's my big day. Yup, my birthday. My 26th to be exact. But this time next year don't ask me how old I am because I might just say 26 all over again. I'm not exactly feeling the whole age thing. So my birthday... not impressed? Well, it's also my college graduation day. What is the chance of that happening? Even if the odds are good, I couldn't believe that these days fell onto the same day.

I wasn't prepared to have to wake up at 6:34 a.m. (I have a weird habit of the time I wake up having to end in the number 4... same thing when I put something in the microwave. Weird I know.) in order to wake up for graduation. I worked until 2:30 a.m. all by my lonesome. The girls at work gave me a card and a cake. It was definitely sweet. My hubby stopped by with a little present for me which made me all teary eyed. Then when the phone rang at midnight at my job, I knew it was him. I knew he'd be calling to wish me happy birthday. What I wasn't expecting was for him to sing it to me. Another teary eyed moment. It was the sweetest, cutest thing ever. God, I love this man! Thank you.

It was pretty steady, so I went home pretty tired. Decided to shower when I got home instead of the morning, but couldn't sleep afterwards. It felt like Christmas when you're a kid. I knew something was coming but I didn't know exactly how it was going to go. I think I slept a solid 45 minutes. Woke up pretty refreshed which kind of shocked me. I think it was the adrenaline of the day to come. Tried to get all prettied up in my Calvin Klein shirt dress and head out of the house (I looked pretty hot). The hubby left with my mom and step-dad because he couldn't wake up and move fast enough for my liking. I just wanted to get the day started! Driving up to New Paltz I couldn't help but think that this would be the last time I would be making this drive. It was kind of sad, but then I thought to myself, "when you become a big time author, they'll invite you back for one of those snobby honorary degrees..."- Yup, I've got high hopes for myself.

The nice thing about a graduation/birthday day is that you get double the cards. And double the love. My mom gave me a gorgeous centerpiece for our table and lots of balloons. It has my favorite orange lilies that we had in our wedding flowers. And of course, cards to make me cry. I received cards from my mom, my mother-in-law, my step-dad, and my dad and his fiance. Hubby also got me a jewelry box that plays music. I used to love my mom's little piano music box. When I was a kid I would just sit there and watch it worked. I thought it was the coolest thing, so amazed by how it worked. Now I have my very own. He's too good. And to top it all off, he got me a card. I know it seems like a little thing. But I love cards. I think cards are just perfect for every occasion. Looking back on them make me... teary eyed. Surprise. He's not a big card giver, so I loved it. He tried to find me a graduation one, but as he said, "I was going to get you a graduation card too, but they didn't have any that said "wife""— too cute!

After a very long graduation ceremony, where I talked to a fellow journalism student about our lack of job opportunities, I finally became a graduate. One of our professors showed up. An adjunct who has only been with the school for a year or two. That was disappointing to me. I mean come on, we dedicated years to you and what you taught us, give us some love!... I took off 4 years and I did it my way, but look mom, I graduated from college! With no debt! Not too shabby.

We all had lunch together in our hometown. We tried really hard to go to our favorite place, Nina, but they were closed for a private party. We tried to go to another restaurant that was nearby, they're closed on Sundays... it was not our day for a good meal. But we were so hungry that I think anything would have worked. So we all made small talk about how tired we were and how great I am... haha, just playing... but it was MY birthday, so sometimes that might have come up. It was nice having my mom and dad being cordial to each other. I'm like a little kid, I love having all of my family together. It's such a nice feeling.

It was a great birthday. You know it's your birthday when you get 80 some facebook messages telling you so... you really know it's your birthday when the people you love come together on your special day and get up at 6 a.m. ish on a Sunday morning to celebrate your accomplishments with you. I guess if the 26th year is just as good as the 25th one, these birthday things could be something I look forward to.

Thank you to everyone for making me feel special on my special day.

More than anything my love, you make me feel like a princess, I've never felt more loved than I have since I've been in your arms. You are the best present He ever gave me.