Goodbye 20's...Hello 30!

This was the last picture taken of me as a 29 year old. Before I begin to tell you about how I feel being 30, I have to clarify one thing. I am NOT a Yankee fan. I am a Rangers fan. But, I don't have a Rangers hat and my sweet friend Austyn sent this hat to me after she moved to NYC. So, I am a fan of NYC and my friend Austyn, but definitely NOT a Yankee fan. Whew. I feel much better.

On to being 30.....I am loving it!! Really! I thought it would be hard, but I was so wrong. It's probably because I am still on a high from my AMAZING birthday party last night. Seriously, it was the best birthday party I have ever had in my life...thanks to my INCREDIBLE (and incredibly beautiful) friend Kristi. Wow, does she know how to throw a party! Are you just dying to know what we did?

First I have to explain something. So, remember how much I love and adore my Grandpa Black who passed away a couple years ago? Well, one of the things that he would always do is record in his journal on his birthday about the miles that he either biked, ran, or swam that day. I love this tradition because I just can't think of a better way to celebrate life. To me, there is just nothing better than the euphoria I feel after finishing a race or a really long bike ride (maybe not so much a swim since the last experience I had in a swim meet was really quite embarrassing....but,that's a whole other story for another time).

With that being said, my friend Kristi wanted to plan a party for me where we did something that I loved. After talking it over (while we sipped away on DELICIOUS hot chocolate from Starbucks), she came up with a plan. She organized a private spin class (with an AMAZING teacher) for me and 15 of my favorite girlfriends. Then, afterwards, we would go enjoy some delicious salad, pizza, bruschetta, and cake from a local favorite pizza joint. The spin class was the most amazing workout ever, especially because I shared it with such great company. We sweated together, cheered together, and cried out in pain together :). The instructor even had me go up to the front between each song and do push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, etc. I know this sounds like torture, but it wasn't! It was so much fun and I LOVED the whole night!!! There is nothing better than enjoying pizza and birthday cake after an intense workout. I came home last night with legs that felt like jelly, a whole car full of gifts, and left over birthday cake and brushetta to be enjoyed for breakfast. I brought everything in, kissed all three of my sleeping beauties, and then laid awake in bed as I thought about how completely spoiled I had been. I feel so blessed to have the friends that I do. They are each so incredibly talented and amazing in their own ways and they bring so much joy to my life!!!!! I frequently express my gratitude and love for my family but today I want to give thanks for my friends. For all the friends that I have had over the years who have brightened my days and enriched my life. Friends truly are one of God's greatest gifts.

So here's to the big 3-0!!!! And here's to a day of celebrating with my VERY favorite people (I am so going to beat Cory in tennis today!).

I'll post pics as soon as I get them. My friend Jessica was the photographer (since she's 8 months pregnant and we didn't want her to go into labor last night). She also shot some video, which I'm a little nervous about watching.