20 Whole Years of Experiance

Yea ok, it was my birthday on Sunday (July 27th). It was the big 20 for me! It's weird to think that I am a wife and mother already, I feel like I skipped a decade or something? Well life for me since my last birthday has been on fast forward mode.




This year for my birthday it has been a weekend long event... Friday night Brandon arranged a BBQ with friends. We ate my favorite, hamburgers and bratts, we sat around laughing and talking (my favorite pastime), and we even played my favorite game, catch phrase.


Saturday when I came home from work Brandon had surprised me with a early birthday gift and had my bistro set, set up on my balcony! It's perfect for eating our BBQ on cooler nights, plus it looks so dang cute! Later that night Brandon, Irey, and I went to Cocolitos to have our own little family birthday dinner.

After, we jetted over to Brian and Elyse Halls wedding. Congrats again to the beautiful couple!Once we left the reception Brandon and I wanted to go see batman, again. So we got Irey in her PJs and bunny slippers (she fits into some shoes now), she was well fed and all ready for bed, but instead of sleeping she wanted to watch the movie. Her eyes were glued to the screen for 90% of the time. She just cracks me up.

On Sunday, the actual day, I woke up to my sweetheart making me breakfast and my baby giving me all smiles. Then I opened the presents that Brandon gave to me. Of course he did WAY too much. He knows how to take care of me. Thanks again Brandon for always being so thoughtful.
Later that night we had dinner at the Schroeppel clans and then later my in laws and some more family came over for cake, ice cream, and the opening of the presents. My family has there own "special" way of singing happy birthday; off key, loud, and with as little harmony as possible. On Monday night we went to Cocolitos (yes again, we cant get enough of that place) and had another dinner with my in laws and parents. Where I opened another ridiculous amounts of presents.
Needless to say I got spoiled! It's a good feeling to know that you have family that loves you and wants to celebrate you. Thank you friends and fam for partying all weekend long with me. You guys made it the best.

Every year another birthday passes i think back on the year before and i think about how much i have grown, but from my last birthday to now i have grown more then all the years combined. There have been so many changes in my life that have changed me for the better. I have had to grow up a lot and learn what is really important. I have never had more challenges or faced harder times but in the same turn I have never laughed harder and I know that I have never been happier.

The older I get the more I learn, what I have learned; is that all of life's big adult problems can be solved by the answers you learn in primary. I have learned that it is always darkest before the dawn (my dad always tried to teach me that), no matter how bad things seem there is always a way to overcome. I have learned this past year that I cannot survive with out Brandon. He is the person that carries me through the good bad and ugly and I truly don't know how I got by before with out him but all I know is that I never want a birthday that he is not apart of. I have learned what humility is, when you feel like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulder it can push you right to your knees. And most importantly I have learned that I will never be done learning. The years ahead only have more life lessons to offer.

It's always interesting to think, what will I be thinking back on next birthday?