The End of an Era

I am 29 today.


This is the first birthday I've ever had where I was actually a little sad.


I'm not sad about being 29, but I'm sad about the fact that this is my last year in my 20's. Remember my post about "lasts?" That is how I feel about my 29th year of life. It's worse than turning 30, because that is a first--a beginning. But this is the end of an era. I will never ever be able to check that box "24-29 years old" again on a product survey. I will now be grouped with the "30-35" group, and I have to say, I sure feel more like 24 than 35. 35 is so close to 40! Uggh. (Yes, I know, when I'm 50, 40 will seem young. But I remember way too clearly when 30 seemed old.)


But I can't complain too much. Getting old(er) is much better than the alternative. And add to that the fact that I am exactly where I imagined myself to be at 29, I really couldn't ask for more. As my 29th birthday has approached and I thought about how my 20's have played out, I found myself reminiscing about where I was at this time 10 years ago... (Quit reading now if you don't want to relive the last decade with me. This could be boring for some. Don't say I didn't warn you.)

On May 27, 2009 I spent my 19th birthday with my soon-to-be fiance (yes, I was engaged before Mike, and yes, I was 19) and his family at their lake house. I had just finished my freshman year at University of Missouri, and I had convinced myself that it was a good idea to take "A" up on his offer for me to move in with him. He was a banker in southern Missouri at the time, and he looked great on paper. He was good-looking, smart (he had his degree in mechanical engineering and his MBA, but was working for his family's chain of banks), talented (he flew airplanes, he played the piano), and wealthy. At 19, I [foolishly] believed that he met all the criteria for Mr.Right.


Wrong.


I left MU and moved in with him for the summer to "test it out." When the summer of '99 came to a close, so did my window of opportunity for returning to MU. I felt like I couldn't turn back at that point. I was attending college in southern MO, and working as a dental assistant. ("A's" mom actually got me that job--my introduction into the world of dentistry. Some good did come of all this.) This would be the first in a series of immature and naive choices that would change the path of my life.


We continued to "play house," and things seemed to be going well.
Except for the occasional phone call from a random girl, or an unexplained "late night at work/with the guys."
I ignored these things-Poor choice #2.


In January of 2000, "A" got transferred to one of their banks in Oklahoma.
Around the same time, he proposed.
I accepted his marriage proposal, and moved with him to Tulsa-Poor choice #'s 3 and 4. (Although again, good would eventually come of this.)


We [he] built a house and bought a new car for me. He co-signed on my first credit card, his name was on my first cell phone account, and my small paycheck went directly into his account. At the time, I saw these as gestures of "taking care" of me, but he essentially owned me.

You probably won't be surprised to hear how the story went from here. It ended with an acquaintance of mine calling me to let me know that she and "A" had been hooking up, me calling my dad and step-dad and asking for them to help get me out of the mess I had landed myself in, my dad lending me cash to buy my own car and me loading up a U-Haul and driving myself back to MO.


I briefly returned to Missouri Southern State University, where I completed my prerequisite courses for dental hygiene school. I was accepted to their RDH program as well as Tulsa's, and there was no question about whether or not I would return to OK--I loved Oklahoma, despite the bad memories I had of my first stint there. (By then, "A" had been transferred to another bank back in MO, so he was out of my way.)


August 2001-I began the RDH program in Tulsa, and cultivated some of the best friendships I have ever known. God's plan for me was coming to light. I had found a town to call home (by myself this time), a career path I loved, and friends that were like family. But it got even better!


April 2002-I met Mike. From that nite on, I knew the reason I was in Tulsa. Click HERE, HERE, HERE AND HERE for the complete story (if you have like 4 hours to kill--but it is a great story!!!!).


Fast forward---I graduated from college in 2003 and began practicing dental hygiene, Mike and I were married in January 2004, he retired from baseball in April 2005, we moved to KC for his new job in July 2006, and we had Brax in July 2007.

And now here I am, 10 years later. I imagine that the next 10 will go even faster than the last.
I wonder where I'll be at 39........................