28.

It's here...my birthday! The day where I cast aside counting calories (okay, so I cast that aside most days anyway) and prepare for another glorious year on this planet. I feel blessed to be alive, to be healthy, to be surrounded by dandy people like this guy...

I debated on the topic of today's post. 28 Life-changing Things to Do While I'm 28 seemed overwrought. And overdone.

My Goals for My 28th Year. I'd probably say something like "I want to run a marathon!" or "I want to go base-jumping!", but I probably wouldn't mean it. Truth is, I have no ambition to run marathons (it's highly respectable, just not for me). And I have a slight fear of heights, so barreling willingly off tall buildings probably won't happen to me in this lifetime.

When it came down to it and I sat down to write this, the only thing that came to mind was peace.

A never-before-felt-in-it's-totality sense of inner peace and satisfaction.

It's a feeling that, until this year, I've never known. I think one only experiences when she is truly happy and full in every area of her existence.

I am at peace knowing that I have found my soulmate. God placed him in my life and I can now live out the rest of my days with him. I love the marriage I share with Stephen. He betters me in so many ways and always puts "us" first. I don't stress about the little things like I did in previous relationships; the big thing - love - is the only thing now.

Of course there are lots of little nitpicky things I'd chance about my appearance if I had a magic wand, but with age comes this sense of pride in what the good Lord gave ya. I'm proud of my body, for the things it allows me to do. I feel blessed that it's healthy, especially because it hasn't always been so. So yeah, I don't really stress about a new freckle or the subtle crow's feet that are showing themselves. I look in the mirror. I like what I see.

I love the friends I have. Some I've known forever. Some are new. But they are all worth more than gold to me.

My life is the Lord's. I don't stress about the unknown nearly as much as I used to. I have God. I still have days where He has to slow things down and remind me to trust Him, but I know that He'll always be at the helm and guide me to where I need to be.

I'v'e always been a people-pleaser, but I find that the older I get, the less I care about the critics' opinions. My mom once told me, "You are the only one who has to live with you forever. If you can sleep with it at night, that's all that matters."

Stephen and I are both blessed with great, secure jobs. We take nothing for granted in life, but in this economy, we are reminded even more of how crucial this is. God has provided us with far more than we deserve and we are so lucky to be able to buy food, pay or mortgage, keep the lights on and have a bed to sleep in. No not be burdened with the worry of where our next meal will come from is a magnificent gift and a great comfort.

I wish I had some riveting affirmation to share with you today, or a list of amazing things I hope to do this year. But in truth, the one thing that comes to mind today is peace.

Here's to another. Cheers, y'all.

Be blessed, lovelies-