Today I am 30

What, the what? 30? That's old. It's a whole new decade for me. I certainly don't feel 30, except when hanging out with people in their early 20s. Then I feel like I'm 30.

I definitely can't complain. For one, pretty much all my friends are (at least slightly) older than me, so everyone I hang with is already in their 30s. It just means I can't make fun of them for it anymore. 

I enjoyed my 20s. It was a pretty eventful 10 years. To kick off my 20s, I started dating Bill and spent a year studying abroad in Macerata, Italy. I graduated from University of Oregon while studying subjects I truly love. I moved to Rome after college to teach English, only to realize a few months in that I missed Bill and would rather live with him in Tacoma than live without him in the greatest city in the world (that's an awful lot of love right there). So that's is just what I did. I moved in with Bill in Tacoma.

We ended up living in Tacoma for 7 years (the majority of my 20s) and wouldn't you know it, I grew to really love that funky little city. 

While there, Bill and I got engaged and then married. 

I went back to a school to become a public Montessori teacher. 

We bought an adorable turn of the century foursquare craftsman. 

Got two dogs (oh, and two cats when we first moved in together).

Had two exchange students for a half year each (a boy from Italy and a girl from the Netherlands). 

(Sorry, Giulio, that was the only photo I found of when you were here during a quick fb scan!) 

Bill and I travelled together around Washington and Oregon, to British Columbia, Texas, Kansas, and Hawaii (and I went to Wisconsin without him).

And, of course, we had our son Judah. 

Tacoma was good to us, and while I miss it, I am glad we moved back down to Oregon. 

We have been in Oregon a little over a year now and in that time I have started pursuing being a self-employed photographer (only part time for now, as I take care of the kids all day- but with the plan on slowly growing my business and once they are in school I hope to be really contributing to our joint income). 

We bought a mid-century ranch in Milwaukie (which is only 15 minutes from downtown Portland and less than 5 minutes from Sellwood - a cute SE Portland neighborhood). 

And, of course, we had our second child, Shoshana, just a few weeks ago. 

All in all, I'd say my 20s were pretty damn enjoyable and eventful. I'm looking forward to seeing what the next decade will bring!