THIRTY, FLIRTY, AND THRIVING
Okay I just had to go with that title because today I am THIRTY (gasp!)! I’m not going to lie, as a child 30 always sounded so “old” to me, but I’m here to happily report it doesn’t feel any different than 29 so far haha. As sad as I am to say goodbye to my 20s (there were some ups and downs, but they were good to me!), I do feel strangely excited about turning 30! It’s a new decade and feels like a new beginning! I am excited to see what the next ten years hold for me and my family!
Last year on my birthday I wrote a post “29 Things About Me” (see here) and I loved the feedback I got as people learned new things about me! I’m a naturally introverted person so unless we’re super close, you may not know that much about me! I thought it would be fun to do it again and come up with thirty NEW things about me! It was actually pretty tough haha, but I hope you feel like you know more about me, my family, my silly side, and my faith when you’re done reading! Cheers to 30!
I was raised in Georgia, but was born in Florida and spent my first 4 years of life there. I (obviously) don’t remember it, but I love to say I’m from the beach. :)
We moved to Michigan for 9 months when I was seven for my dad’s job. It was only 9 months of my life, but Miles likes to tell people I’m from there and was raised in the snow. Most people believe him. Such a weirdo. ;)
I did ballet from ages 2 to 15 until I got injured. I decided not to go back after my recovery and I still miss it/regret it!
For all you enneagram lovers out there, I am apparently a 3, “The Achiever”. If you knew my need to “perform well” in my school and teacher years, you would 100% agree.
My second highest score was a 1, “The Reformer”. I personally think I lean more towards this, especially in my current season out of the “work” world. I truly haven’t studied the enneagram that much so I am not an expert by any means!
Chickfila sauce is my JAM. Do I use my diaper bag to covertly bring all my extras home with me? Yes, yes I do.
I love coffee with my whole heart. When I started drinking it in college I needed it very sweet. In my early/mid 20s I drank it black and loved it. I then couldn’t stomach it black with both of my pregnancies. I now drink it with just a little bit of milk (hot or cold), but no flavor.
I have been pregnant or breastfeeding for 3 years and 4 months straight. (I weaned Anniston the day I found out I was pregnant with Elliott.)
The only girl name we had picked out was “Anniston” so we had a hard time deciding on Elliott’s name. We had a list of “maybes”, but weren’t sold. One day I randomly thought of Elliott and for the first time Miles loved a name I mentioned. We just so happened to have an ultrasound that day and when we saw her on the screen we both just knew, there’s our Elliott.
I used to love vegetables, but hated them when I got pregnant with Anniston and haven’t really liked them since. I truly have to make myself eat them ever so often. Ya know, so I can attempt to be healthy.
Miles doesn’t call me “Courtney” unless he’s talking about me with other people. At home it is only nicknames. They are random, weird, and nonstop. Here are a few: Court, Coco, Bobby, Slaze, Lazenby, Slazanation, Lark, Nicole, Cory, Quarry, and I’m sure I’m missing some.
I am a bookworm at heart and when I am reading a book, don’t expect anything else from me. I truly have to stop myself from starting new books all the time because I know I won’t get anything done.
I hate driving. Truly. I mean, I like the ability to get to places, but all of my people know that I will never be the “driver” in the group if going places.
I fasted from shopping in the month of June and it’s one of the hardest things I’ve done. I don’t spend outrageously, but I truly enjoy the act of “shopping” and love buying little things here and there (or all the time :)).
My mom got to the hospital at 9:30 am and I was born at 10:02 am. I told Miles today I don’t think my day should start until 10:02 am everyday because of this. :)
With that being said, I. LOVE. SLEEP. Nine hours is a minimum. We go to bed early and I still have the hardest time getting up.
Running is my “go to” workout. I don’t really love the idea of it, but once I’m out there it’s my “me time” and I love the way I feel.
Other than running I have to take a class of some sort to get a workout in. I have no motivation without accountability and will literally wander around the gym for an hour doing nothing.
I despise deep cleaning, but I am pretty OCD so I need things “tidy” at all times. My kiddos have stretched me in this, but the house stays relatively picked up at all times or I start to get anxious.
My favorite movie is Top Gun and I am SO PUMPED about the new Top Gun movie coming out next year! I am so sad my dad is not here to see it with me!
Miles and I BOTH love romantic comedies (like seriously, they are his fave). We have a pretty solid collection we rotate, but I am pretty disappointed with the lack of new rom coms over the last few years.
My favorite TV show of all time is FRIENDS and we watch it every night before bed to help me fall asleep. I can quote almost every line and start laughing before something funny happens. I may or may not feel like the characters are my actual friends. ;)
I have an older sister and younger brother. I don’t see them enough since we live away from them, but I love having two people that I have done life with always and that I can laugh the hardest with. They are my heart!
Miles is scared of dogs and hates cats so we will never have a pet. People think he will give in when the girls ask for one, but I’m the one holding strong because I don’t want another thing to take care of. I’m already keeping multiple humans alive!
My mom is my very best friend and it’s weird if we go a day without talking on the phone. I pray everyday that my girls view me this way when they leave the nest (like WANT to call me… because you know I’ll be calling them).
We have two sweet girls and, God willing, I would love at least 1 (or 2 or 3) more. Being a mom has made me want even more kids because even on my hardest day, it is the BEST. Now just to get Miles on board. ;)
My husband and I lead a church, Auburn Community Church (see here and come visit!), and sometimes I still have to pinch myself at all the Lord has done since its birth 5 years ago.
I truly feel called to be a “Pastor’s Wife”, but being an introvert, it is not natural for me to be so outgoing with new faces and in large settings. The Lord has been so good to me in speaking confidence over who I am naturally while also stretching me out of my comfort zone.
On Sundays I am pretty much a single mom as we have services all day. Getting my girls and myself to church every Sunday is one of my harder jobs and each time I leave I feel so much respect for the parents that do this daily due to work, death, or divorce. We see you and you do not get enough credit for all you are doing!
Romans 12 is one of my favorite passages of scripture. I am HORRIBLE at memorizing scripture, but Miles and I took the time to memorize this in college and most of it has stuck with me. “…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (v 12:2) is my go to all day long when I start to think more about myself than my Heavenly Father.
Whew, that was harder than I thought it would be! But seriously, when I think of 30 I think of GROWTH. Over the next decade I am praying GROWTH over my marriage. I am praying GROWTH over the way I lead my children. I am praying GROWTH over our ministry. I am even praying GROWTH over this blog! I don’t ever want to become comfortable with where I’m at. The Lord has been good and where I am it is good, but I am praying for MORE. I’m not sure what that looks like exactly, but He continues to wreck my heart each and everyday and remind me of my need for Him. I pray I depend on Him more in this decade than ever before! Here’s to 30! The best is yet to come!
