30

I've been thinking about my 30th birthday for awhile. It's a bit of a landmark achievement in my life. Since I've just completed my first trimester of pregnancy I like to think that I am also ending my first trimester of life (I figure 90 years is a good amount of life). Like an embryo most of the development of a baby is done in the first trimester. It goes from a bunch of cells into a fetus with arms and legs and a beating heart in three months. Growing from the size of a poppy seed to a plum is pretty amazing.

In my first trimester of life I have grown from a 6 pound baby into a grown adult and I've mentally matured from not being able to talk to having a masters degree. Sometimes I feel like I've digressed spiritually as it's harder for me to have the faith of a little child, but I certainly know more about my Heavenly Father and have developed a better relationship with Him over these 30 years. I know I will continue to grow in my next two trimesters of life, but probably not as much as I have in the first. Hopefully I'll grow enough spiritually to feel somewhat prepared to stand before my maker in the life to come.

Some people make up lists of things to do before they turn 30, but the last couple months I haven't felt like doing anything. Just the thought of making a to do list made me queasy, so I'll just have to be satisfied in all the other things I've done in my life.

via here.

Here are some of the top 30 things I've done in my life so far, in no particular order: 

1. Served as a missionary for 18 months in Italy (age 21-23)
2. Graduate with a Masters Degree in International Commerce & Policy (age 27)
3. Married a wonderful man in the Washington, DC Temple (age 27)
4. Survived my first trimester, pregnant with my first child (age 29)
5. Planned and had a nice ring ceremony and wedding reception (age 27)
6. Landed a pretty good job that lets me travel to foreign countries (age 28)
7. Went on a trip with my old mission companions to London, Paris, and through Italy that I planned (age 23)
8. Moved to Washington, DC by myself twice (age 19, 23)
9. Interned for Senator Enzi (age 19-20)
10. Sealed in the Manti Temple to my family (age 7)
11. Was baptized & confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (age 8)
12. Received my Endowments in the Manti Temple (age 21)
13. Traveled to UK, France, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Jordan, Thailand, Nepal, and Brazil (ages 20-29)
14. Studied in Oxford, UK for a two week study abroad (age 26)
15. Was diagnosed with Celiac Disease (age 28)
16. Saw air refueling close up on a KC-135 (age 29)
17. Started to work at a department store occasionally (age 14)
18. Got my first full-time job as a maid (age 17)
19. Had my first kiss (age 13)
20. Graduated with my bachelors degree in International Economics (age 23)
21. Traveled to Washington, DC for the first time with Close-Up (age 16) 
22. Played high school tennis (age 15-17)
23. Acted in two high school plays (age 16-17)
24. Played middle school basketball and softball horribly (age 13-14)
25. Lost 15 lbs (age 28)
26. Got my first job with insurance (age 24)
27. Started college in Utah (age 17)
28. Fell in love and had my heart broken for the first time (age 15)
29. Found the one sport I excelled in, tae-kwon-do (ages 17-21)
30. Saw a baby with 1/2 of my DNA and 1/2 of my husband's swimming around in my uterus (age 29)