29
29 things about me as a 29 year old…
29. 29 feels old to me. Much older than 28 or 27. And worlds away from 24 or 23.
28. I have five children.
27. They are 17, 16, 11, 3 and 2.
26. I live in the middle of nowhere.
25. I live in the BDH (the Barbie Dream House) although because of the kid situation, it isn’t my ideal house anymore. It still is nice, though.
24. I drive a van. It is 14 years old. It still runs good.
23. I can’t wait for Grey’s Anatomy to start. I don’t watch much TV anymore, but there are certain shows, like Grey’s, that are appointment TV.
22. I have a bachelor’s degree.
21. Not finishing my degree was a major source of shame for me for a long time, and I’m really happy when I get to check the “bachelor’s degree” button when I’m asked my highest level of education completed.
20. I would like to get a Master’s in Historical Preservation or go to culinary school.
19. Realistically, I don’t see either of those happening anytime soon.
18. Although I might see if the community college offers a cooking or baking class.
17. I have been working hard on improving my life in a few key areas.
16. The first is in my personal relationship. I am trying to be a better partner. I tend to be too critical, too quick to get upset, too insecure.
15. I am working hard to improve my finances. I have taken a strong interest in improving my credit score.
14. I am also working hard at maintaining the house and car in an orderly fashion.
13. I still look like a teenager, although when I am naked I can find flaws in my body which show that I am definitely not a teenager.
12. I would love to go on the show “What not to Wear” because I know my wardrobe is more “Junior” than “Woman” and I would really like to change that.
11. I am very proud of my blog and some of the things I have accomplished with it.
10. But I would still like my traffic to be much higher, I’d like to get more comments, and I’d like to start making more money from it.
8. My blog is a source of stress for me sometimes though. I wonder why I’m not on certain blog rolls. I wonder why people who used to comment don’t comment anymore. I get hurt when people say mean things.
7. I don’t eat healthy enough, get enough sleep, or drink enough water. On the flip side, I don’t smoke, don’t do drugs, am not overweight, and have very toned arms from lugging the baby around.
6. In the next year, I’d like to finish my book proposal. I have been putting it off too long, and really need to crack down and finish it.
5. I have very vivid dreams almost every night. Recently, I’ve had a lot of dreams about people I used to have friendships/relationships with and it makes me sad when I wake up.
4. I don’t like to sleep alone. I sleep much better when I’m curled up behind Geo. I wish I could sleep past 6:30.
3. I have come a really, really long way over the past ten years. I don’t really recognize that girl I was at 19. She was kind of an idiot.
2. I still have a long way to go.
1. I’m not as pretty, smart, rich, put-together, or mentally stable as I would like to be, but I’m doing pretty good. I might not love who I am today, but I like myself and that is a start.
September 5th, 2007 at 9:04 am
Happy birthday, my friend!
September 5th, 2007 at 9:15 am
Yeah, happy birthday. It sucks to turn 29, but 30 is worse. (Not to be discouraging or anything, grin)
September 5th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Happy Birthday!
When I was in my 20s, a friend who was in her 40s said that the 30s were the BEST ever, and she’s right so far!
She told me she liked them because you’re wise enough to know things and have had a lot of experiences and yet still have a lot of energy. Hee hee.
September 5th, 2007 at 9:24 am
Happy birthday! I’m 6 months behind you!
Anyway in my dream they were just in this empty apartment with a mattress on the floor, and the guy who brought me there was looking after them because their parents weren’t around much. They looked the same as when I last saw them, and they kept insisting they were still 3 and 5. I kept trying to explain, “No, because if I was 22 last time I saw you, and I’m 28 now, how can you still be 3 and 5?” I was so happy to see them though, and I kept picking them up and cuddling them, and saying, “Now I know that even if you think you’ll never see someone again, you’ll find each other somehow!”
I have very vivid dreams too. In fact last night I dreamed that some guy told me he wanted to bring me to meet some people named Robert and Kayla, and I was like, “I don’t know anyone named Robert and Kayla!” He brought me to this apartment, and inside were Bobby and Kayla… two little kids I used to take care of A LOT, similarly to the way I now take care of my two little girls. It was so weird because I haven’t thought of them in years… I never really got to say goodbye to them because I ended up calling DCFS on their mother, who was severely negligent and put them in dangerous situations, and she figured out it was me I think and never let me see them again.
Weird, huh…
September 5th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Happy, happy birthday!!
September 5th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Happy Birthday!
September 5th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Happy birthday! *throws confetti and rainbows* ^_^
September 5th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Happy Birthday!
And from the ripe old age of 34, I’d say the 30’s aren’t all that bad.
September 5th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Happy Birthday! You are still a “baby”- I am 35. You still have so many more wonderful things to do and experience. Thanks for giving us insight into who you are.
September 5th, 2007 at 10:37 am
I think you are pretty darn great.
Happy Birthday.
September 5th, 2007 at 11:02 am
Delurking to say that I commented during your blogathon, but wanted to say I think you’re doing a great job with those kiddos. I can see from your writing that the system is so frustrating at times (understatement of the year?) but personally, I think you do a fab job.
By the way, if you ever figure out how to self-nominate for What Not to Wear, let me know how. I’ve been wanting to be on that show for years!!
September 5th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Happy birthday, Baggage! You rock.
September 5th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Happy Birthday Baggage. You are an awesome mom and you inspire me to be better. Thanks!
September 5th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Happy Birthday to you!! I really identified with all of your blog comments–as much as I say “I do it for me”, it is so nice to have the traffic and the repeat visitors, and it is easy to obsess over why people don’t come anymore. But I can’t imagine dropping your blog from my reading list–I’m way too invested at this point!
September 5th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Hey, don’t want you to feel neglected because some of us stopped commenting. Here’s why I no longer have time to comment, yet I’m still faithfully reading!
1. My firewall (who operates independently of me, and the controls I THOUGHT I programmed it with) is slower than dirt on comments.
2. Both of my girls are now highschoolers, both in marching band, of which I am a booster and THE (as in only grrrr) Color Guard Sponsors, which means I’m currently trying to backorder uniforms and fight size discrimination, make new flags using weird clear thread that my machine hates (which we have to have all 15 flags by fri night?!? how am i gonna…grrr), and both girls are running cross country, 1 meet at least per week plus every afternoon practices for either band, cross country, church, or FCA or booster parent meetings or foster care classes (still trying to finish CPR, instructor keeps cancelling), waiting on the fire marshall to come inspect us, etc etc.
ANd Cooking dinner, doing housework, juggling mentoring for a teen girl in our area, being a housewife, doing the shopping and basically going bonkers. Quickly, I might add.
But you’re still in my prayers and my favorite blog list!
Sorry I neglected you- but be encouraged, you look like you’re doing great. I was gonna comment on the last court update on Bubba and S’baby, but then I just got irked at the whole “birthmom rules, everybody else sucks” situation in the american court system right now.
Have a great birthday!
September 5th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Happy Birthday!!!!
September 5th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear Baggage, Happy Birthday to you!
September 5th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Happy Birthday!!! Hey, I like my 30s better than my 20s I think! But enjoy.
(I still read your blog regularly. I don’t have a blogroll and I don’t comment much, I know. But I enjoy your blog and am always interested in whats up with you and your adventures with the crew.)
September 5th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Happy Birthday girl! Enjoy your day! You are loved!
September 5th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I’ve been lurking for a short time now, but this needed a reply! BTW- if you are interesting in cooking and learning about cooking, I joined a website some time ago and am now completely hooked! Check out www.recipezaar.com - you can sign up for free and NO I don’t work for them!! It’s just a great site and something you can do from home. I hope you have a great year!
September 5th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Liking yourself is so important. There’s a lot to like about you.
September 5th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Happy B-day Baggy!!! I’m glad I’m not the only one who needs to somehow get out of junior clothes, but doesn’t really fit into the older styles,,,,,I’m trying slowly..
September 5th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Happy Birthday!!! Haha! 29, omigod, you have done sooo much for a 29 yr old, and yet you have SOOOO many years ahead of you, you are scarcely started yet!! You’re totally doing great, with room to grow. Congrats!! From me, 12 hours ahead in China!!
September 5th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Happy birthday! *hugs* I promise to comment more often. The reasons I don’t wind up being either a) I feel like I’ve got nothing good/useful to say or b) School Girl is bouncing up and down behind me, desperate to use the computer. Plus three hours in the morning is *way* less time than I ever dreamed.
Have a terrific day and a great 29!
September 5th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Baggage
Happy birthday to you
Have a terrifc day, Baggage, we love you!
September 5th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Happy birthday, dear Baggage!!
September 5th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Happy birthday! I was hoping to be 29th, but 27 is not a bad position.
Oh I have just realised how much older than you I am… 29 was a looooong time ago.
September 5th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Happy birthday to you! *confetti*
I think 29 is young, but then I’m turning 36 in two months, so I’m trying to convince myself that *40* is young.
September 5th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Happy birthday!
I also have too many jr clothes and want more adult clothes.
I am 25 and people think I am a teenager sometimes too.
September 5th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Happy Birthday!
September 5th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!
September 5th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
happy happy birthday!
September 5th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Happy Birthday! I can’t wait for your thirties, you will LOVE them.
September 5th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Sweet and happy birthday, Baggage!
September 5th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Oh, and I agree about your thirties. You will love them. I’m just 30 now, but it feels very different than any of my twenties. Plus, I am starting to become less of a candidate for What Not to Wear.
September 5th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Happy Birthday, Baggage! I’m still keeping up and reading when I can; this summer and this move have really knocked back my blog commenting. But I’m still quietly cheering you on the other side of the computer.
September 5th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Historical Preservation? Really? It’s what I have my Masters in!
There is an awesome online program out of Goucher. I attended Iowa State University because I preferred face to face and the chemistry labs (much of my focus was preservation technologies) but my degree is a triple in American History, Architectural Studies, and English. Great program. My undergrad is in performance poetry and they still let me in! LOL.
Happy Birthday! 29 is not old. I know people who have been 29 for decades.
September 6th, 2007 at 1:31 am
Happy Birthday, Baggage!
I wish you a great day! And a great year!!!
September 6th, 2007 at 5:43 am
Happy Birthday Baggage. I hope for you day the kids are perfect angels. Won’t that be a great present.
September 6th, 2007 at 7:45 am
Hope you had a great birthday! I’ll be joining in the “29″ circle in 10 days… I read your blog everyday but for some reason my firewall hasn’t been letting me comment lately… hope this get’s thru! I have to say I admire you so much. We are the same age and you have accomplished so much! I mean you are raising 5 kids! I don’t even have 1 yet! I’d better get on that I guess! Have an amazing year - I’ll be following along even if I don’t comment all the time. >
September 6th, 2007 at 9:44 am
Happy birthday! And it doesn’t look like you’re doing too poorly in the comments category. (smile)
Twenty-nine is a great year, and the thirties are wonderful. And if you find out the secret to getting on “What Not to Wear,” please do share…!
- L
September 6th, 2007 at 9:53 am
Happy birthday! Wow, you’ve done some great things in your 29 years! I just turned 28 last month and haven’t experienced half of the things that you have. Maybe that’s why you feel like 29 is worlds away from your early 20’s? You’ve experienced & accomplished a lot in a short amount of time - you deserve to be proud! I’ve never even met you (although I read everyday) and I’m proud for you!
September 6th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Happy B-day!
My hubby is in cullinary school right now, and unless you want to work as a cook, I wouldn’t recommend it. He has school from 6:30 AM to noon then work from 4PM till 10PM not an easy schedule to keep up. Besides, they cost a LOT. If you just want to learn to cook better, individual classes are probably the way to go. Snooty kitchen ware and food stores like Williams Sonoma and Whole Foods sometimes offer classes in the more gormet types of cooking.
September 6th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Hey, the 5th was your birthday?! It was my birthday, too! Except I turned 34 and only have 1 kid.
I knew I liked you.
Hope you had a great day.
September 6th, 2007 at 10:43 am
Happy birthday to an amazing woman!
(that’s you, silly.)
Sorry for the belatedness, hope you are having an ok day!
September 6th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Happy Birthday!
I had somehow gotten the whole summer without thinking about Grey’s Anatomy. Now you’ve got me excited about it!
September 9th, 2007 at 1:27 am
Happy happy birthday!