Last week I turned 24. I'm still having a hard time absorbing that. Cognitively, I know that 24 is still actually quite young, and that I have my whole life ahead of me. I guess my problem is, to be honest, I feel like I'm 19 or 20. Nevermind the fact that I'm married and I've been through college, etc etc. I do not feel 24. Maybe it's because I spend so much time around kids. Maybe it's because the last five or six years of my life have been so crazy that my brain hasn't really processed the time. I don't know. But the calendar says I'm 24, so I guess I'll believe it.
I am definitely not one to get worked up about birthdays. I think the last birthday party I had was when I was 13. I always do something fun or enjoyable on August 18, but I feel no compelling reason to 'celebrate' me. That being said, this year I did feel the drive to look back at my past birthdays:
One year ago: I hadn't ever broken a bone. I just completed my first season of camp. I didn't know whether I would have a year-round job.
Two years ago: We were living in Arizona (in a hotel actually). Ahhh, Arizona. We were in the midst of a very unsuccessful house hunt at the time, we only had one little puppy, and Travis was just starting at Midwestern.
Three years ago: Taking summer courses, getting ready to start our last year of college, just the two of us living in a small apartment with no air conditioning. Our first year of marriage.
Four years ago: My first birthday with Travis. I was working at Musco, living in my apartment in Osky. Travis and I had been dating all summer, but weren't engaged yet. Getting ready for a big change in our lives.
Five years ago: I was single and working at theatre camp, where I was directing my future camp counselors.
Ten years ago: Getting ready to start ninth grade. Nowadays that would be high school, but when I was in school, it was still junior high. Just a few months before my sweet puppy April passed away, before we moved to our new house, and before the illness that changed my life.
Fifteen years ago: Going into fourth grade. Just starting piano lessons, and taking up the violin. Two very influential decisions of my young life.
Twenty years ago: Splitting my day between Jack and Jill preschool and my mom's daycare. Life was good.
Twenty-four years ago: After years of hoping, John and Diane Ottosson welcomed a baby girl at St. Vincent's hospital in Indianapolis on Tuesday, August 18 at 12:12 p.m., after a grueling 14 hours in the hospital.
....yeah, now I feel old. =)
