Goodbye to my 20's!

Well... it's happened. My twenties are now behind me. I always wondered if I'd be nervous or sad about this day. I'm neither. I mean, it is a little strange. Thirty means you're a real grown up. But I'm cool with that. I feel like I did a lot in my 20's, and there's no reason to stop now!

I started my 20's off by moving into my very own apartment in San Antonio. It was 495 square feet and I paid $350 a month. It was the first time I had ever lived on my own. I loved it. At the time, I was still undecided about where I'd go to college and what I'd study. I'd been taking classes at community colleges since high school, just hadn't decided on THE college or THE degree I'd pursue. On the table were Interior Design, Photography, Journalism, Photojournalism, and Visual Arts in Ministry. There were road trips to Chicago, Tennessee, and Abilene. A lot of those almost happened, but for one reason or another (uncertainty, being waitlisted, etc.), none really panned out. I kept going to San Antonio College, working at my first salaried job (R.L. Worth & Associates), and helping out at River City Community Church with the youth. The summer after I turned 20, I met this guy who started coming to our College group at church. Truthfully, even though we didn't know each other very well, I felt like I knew him because I was good friends with his brother and his mom. One night at Starbucks, we got to talking until they had to kick us out. A year later (almost to the day), we got married. A couple months after that, we found out out we'd be becoming a family of three! Even though I was a bit scared, we were super happy when we got to meet Abby. I quit my job at Worth (cutting our income in half), and I decided I'd start my own business doing photography and graphic design. We were pretty broke, but I have fond memories of those days. Laid back mornings in bed with Abby, watching the entire Dawson's Creek series, afternoons trying to get my business off the ground. Not long after that, Aaron came on staff at RCCC as the youth pastor. Officially a pastor's wife. In 2006, Carson joined our family. He was so precious and the perfect fit for our family. Not long after that I started working at RCCC, too, doing graphic design/media. I did that for a couple years, being able to (for the most part) stay home with the kids. There came a point though where it was more than I could do, so I stepped down from my job at River City and went back to being home with the kids and tried to get my business back up and running. Since then I've been really happy with how Powerhouse Studios has grown and the ways it's allowed me to be flexible and have fun! At the end of 2009, Aaron and I both (separately) started feeling that God was getting ready to move us. As we talked and prayed, we felt led to launch a new campus of River City in northwest San Antonio. That's been quite the ride, and I've gotten to wear a lot of different hats. Meanwhile, our kids are getting bigger, smarter, more fun, and are turning into fabulous little people!

Looking back, I am so amazed at all God has done in my life. I remember feeling so lost in my early twenties, like I was floundering. Part of me was really bummed that I never did the college thing. But then I look at it, and realize... I wanted to study photography -- I'm doing it! Creative Ministry and Media -- doing it! Graphic design -- doing it! We were going to wait a while before having kids, but now I can't imagine it any other way. God has orchestrated every thing perfectly. He put every person, every circumstance in my path to lead me right here.

I love being Abby and Carson's mom. I love being Aaron's wife. Even though there are uncertainties at times, I love everything about where I'm at right now, and I wouldn't change a thing about my life.

I think I'm ready for the next decade. There's a lot to look forward to! It'll be an exciting new chapter/decade in my life (that I've just realized will end with Abby graduating high school. *gasp*). There will be no shortage of exciting moments in the next ten years, and I'm excited to see what's in store!