Thirty-five

Once upon a time, on a hot Tuesday afternoon, in the small town of Greensboro, Alabama, a baby girl with a full head of curly black hair and super chubby cheeks was born to a pastor and his wife.

That chubby cheeked baby grew into a shy little girl who would hide behind her mom anytime she was in a group, scared to death that she'd have to speak to someone.

That shy girl grew into a (still shy) teenager who had sweet friendships and big goals in life - mainly to graduate high school, go to college, become a teacher, and have a husband, a house full of kids, and a house with a white picket fence. 

After high school, that shy teenager went on a couple missions trips, where she realized that God wanted her to do more with her life than just teach in the comfort of her sweet home Alabama. She fully accepted that calling, but, at the time, she couldn't fathom just how far God would truly take her.

Eventually, she graduated from college...

And she started teaching in her sweet home Alabama, falling in love with teaching, in general, but especially with teaching Special Education. She realized her love for advocating for those who needed her, combined with teaching children was her thing. 

A week before her 24th birthday, she moved a few thousand miles and an ocean away, to accept a teaching position at a small K-12, international Christian school in West Africa. 

She came, thinking she'd be there for a year, perhaps two years, max. But God had different plans. So she kept extending her assignment. Again and again...

Fast forward to today.

That formerly shy little girl is now a semi-shy (but only 'til she gets to know you) 35 year old woman, who has spent most of this past week, struggling to believe how it's possible that she's 35 ;)

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And you know...

My life may not have 100% turned out like I planned. But that's okay. 

Some of my dreams and goals have changed over the years. Of course, I've kept those plans/goals fairly hidden, except to a few select individuals. But as I sat down the other day and wrote out my list of future goals/plans/hopes/dreams/whatever you want to call them, I realized something...

My life is good. 

And I'm so excited to see what God has in store for me in this new year of life. 

And honestly... 

I have a feeling, deep in my gut, that this new year of life is going to be a great one. 

So, bring it on 35. 

I’m ready for you.