Thursday, January 5th, marked my 29^th birthday.  At midnight I awoke to my Peruvian Family and my husband entering my room with balloons and song.  After singing, they took me to the living room where they sang happy birthday again, ate cake, lavished me with gifts and then had a dance party until 2am.  It was an excellent way to start a new year!  Although we didn’t take that many photos, here is a video of our dance party – complete with strobes from Kenzo and my headlamps!

How do I feel about entering the last year in my 20’s?  Honestly – awesome!  I went back and read my post on turning 27, written two years ago – and I realized that I am doing a whole lot better today than I was back then.  I don’t know about you, but for me, while they’ve been great – my 20s have been hard.  I think it is hard to graduate from college and try to figure out “what you want to do with your life.”  And I think that for me, I spent a lot of time in high anxiety trying to answer that question instead of just letting experience and the passage of time answer it for me.

Over two years ago I did a project for my Master’s Program that I would encourage any of you mid-twentiers, post-collegers who are somewhat struggling to read.  It talks about our generation and our entrance into the work world.  It’s helpful!

Anyway, back to turning 29 – I could not be more excited about the year ahead!  I am not dealing with any of this “I am almost 30 sorrow.”  Instead, I am really content being the age I am and the point I am in my life.  Which is a huge change to where I was at age 26.

The year ahead has us living in Peru until early May – with friends visiting starting in early February and staying from one week, to up to a month!  When we head home we both have one more year to complete our graduate studies and then off to Kenzo’s residency – in only God knows what city.  We’re excited to move home and get a puppy and start a family, graduate and start being “professionals” in our chosen areas of study.  I have high hopes for Life Writing Photography too.  I love getting to photograph families and weddings and although I will soon have a Master’s degree in counseling, I still have hopes of a flourishing photography business.

I write this post as a personal reflection but also to encourage you.  I have changed in the past few years.  I am happier, more content and joy-filled.  If you’re not happy where you are, change!  It is in all of our capacity to do so –  but it is expected that you’ll need help, so seek it.  Whether that be through a spiritual group, a counselor or whatever.  God has given us life as a gift to be lived and I hope that in years to come you and I will learn how to live it to the fullest!