The best laid plans..... ;)

I'm sitting on my couch at 10pm eating this chocolate chip cookie dough that I found through Amanda. Why? Because my mother always let us eat dough in the days before salmonella and I like to live on the edge. Because I made these cookies Friday night for a scrapbook group (which I turned into a knitting group for my purposes ;)) and had dough leftover. Because I stayed at work until 9pm and didn't have dinner.

And, yes, because tomorrow I will be one year older and actually "in my 30s" (how is that possible?). I can eat cookie dough if I want to. I'm not overly depressed about this one. Last year was the big one and my girls gathered 'round; spoiling me at the spa and at an awesome dinner with good friends! This year I'll be traveling to WI at the end of the week for a wedding, so there won't be much celebrating and I'm ok with that.

I'm trying not to feel old. There's a country song - Something's Gotta Give - and....the words....touch me somewhere.....

"Jenny's got a job,
a cat named Jake,
31 candles on her birthday cake
Next year
Thought by now she'd have a man,
Two car seats and a minvan
But it still ain't here (hey!)"

The song goes on....but honestly - those words. I didn't necessarily think I'd have a minivan (ok I never thought I'd have one).....but I did figure on at least a husband and one child on the way. I wasn't the kind of girl who planned out every minute of a wedding, my life, etc. I had way too many other things to think about, but in the back of my mind, 30 was sort of a magic number. I just always figured I'd be a mom by now. Certainly it's still an option.....

So, I'm working on a new vision for the back of my mind. Sometimes, the best things are those we don't plan.

**Pity party ends here**

I didn't plan for my best friend's husband to be in the military (which caused him to be away when their first child was born). By default, I became her labor coach, was there when their child was born by C-section and spent the first 6 months of his life basically serving as his second parent. That beautiful and loving child (my Godson) is now a fresh (but adorable) 2 1/2 year old. Unfortunately, his parents' marriage did not survive, but I treasure those months of parenting and love. They live too far away now for me be as involved, but hearing "I wuve ou Auntie" on the phone is probably the sweetest thing I've ever heard. You never can tell what surprises life holds for you......