30 Things I've Learned...

So, I missed blogging on my birthday. This sweet friend of mine posted the nicest birthday blog for me. I did continue to write out some posts while my internet was down that I could publish later. Here's one of them.

30 things I've learned in my 30 years of life, in no particular order:

1. Some things in life you just can't control. Let go and enjoy the ride!
2. Pregnancy is far worse than childbirth could ever be...I'll take 12 hours of hell over 9 months of it any day. Oh, and all of the sudden they let you have drugs to put you out of your misery...how can this be worse than the non-drug induced misery of pregnancy?
3. A pretty Mac with a big glossy screen really CAN make you happier. :-)
4. Being a web site designer is like doing the laundry, but funner. The job is never done, there's always some new-fangled tools and gadgets to getting it done, everyone wants it done but doesn't want to do it themselves and mixing the wrong colors together CAN be fatal.
5. Every day you get to be a mother is a blessing, extraordinary and amazing.
6. Every day you get to be a mother is another day you wonder what in the heck you were thinking that crazy night when you convinced him to "just start trying" already.
7. Having a dog is like the mother of all love/hate relationships. They adore you, they're simple and stupid, they're easy to please, they give the most simple affection, they're cute and cuddly and soft. They're annoying, loud, messy, smelly, destructive and a huge responsibility to not be entered into without a lot of thought. Unfortunately, most of the people who do get them don't tend to do much thinking before they pick one out and bring it home. The same can be said for children. :-) Except for maybe the stupid comment (although, I reserve the right to take that back once my girls hit puberty).
8. Family, when it comes right down to it, is really all that matters. What is more beautiful than a relationship where the other person just HAS to love you no matter how big of an idiot you are? This goes for good friends, too.
9. I reserve the right to change my mind at any given moment. So does life. If you were counting on it happening, chances are it won't happen the way you wanted.
10. Chocolate really does cure everything, well, at least for five seconds.
11. A sincere and honest girlfriend can make your whole world a better place to live in.
12. Some people in life not only won't, but physically just CAN'T understand depression. Instead of stressing about what "they" think, be grateful that you have experiences that can allow you to be sensitive and willing to relate to others who struggle.
13. One of the best people you can become good friends with is a "computer geek". This relationship will serve you well and save you lots of money. Heck, marrying one is even better.
14. You can never have too many sets of measuring spoons and/or measuring cups.
15. Scrapbooking paper has the ability to make you feel like all is right in the world.
16. Some things in marriage just aren't worth fighting over. He just doesn't care if there's spit on your newly polished bathroom faucet. Let it go.
17. There isn't anything better in this life than your husband being your best friend. It's worth the time, pain and energy to keep it that way. Laugh a lot.
18. A doctor isn't God. A doctor is a man or woman who happened to go to a lot of school and knows a lot about a small fraction of the human experience. Trust yourself, trust your instincts about your health and then keep switching doctors until you find one that "fits".
19. Sometimes God won't cure you, no matter how much faith you have. Sometimes the cure is in the experience and the lessons that you gain from your trial. Knowing that probably won't make it any easier, but it can make you sound wiser. :-)
20. Is it really that bad? No, really? A little perspective can go a long way.
21. Yard work is for other people. $5,000 to have someone do all the work for you, have the yard done when you move in and only make your house payment $30 or so more...so worth it.
22. If Nate and I lived regretting every stupid decision we made, we'd be piled in regrets. Mourn it, laugh about it, learn something from it and try to do it better next time.
23. DON'T take your under five year old children with you to buy a car. Just don't.
24. That fight you had with your sister? That annoying habit of your in-laws? That spanking you received when you were five from your Momma? The way your brother pulled your hair and called you a baby when you cried? Seriously, let it go. Family is too important to hold grudges over. If not for them, for yourself.
25. Therapy is for everyone, not just us "crazies".
26. Reading can make the whole world fall away. There will never be "nothing to read" in my world.
27. A magazine subscription is one of the best gifts to receive. It just keeps coming all year round, it's like Christmas in a mailbox over and over again. :-)
28. Same goes for a movie rental subscription. I love good mail!
29. Finding a good deal, no, a really good deal is like free candy to a kid in a candy store. That one really good garage sale find is so worth all the early saturday morning driving. That said, there's always another deal. You don't HAVE to have it today.
30. The simple things can be so liberating. A trip to the library, theater popcorn with extra butter and salt and a Dr. Pepper at a good movie, a favorite smoothie, a date with your hubby, a trip to the bathroom with a good magazine and no pounding on the door, a phone call with your best friend/sister...it's worth it to give yourself these moments as much as possible.