When did I get old?

For most of my "adult" life, I have worked in education, mostly with high school students. Being around high school students can make you feel really old or help you to stay young. As I get closer and closer to the big 3-0 (July 16, feel free to send presents), I have been really starting to feel my age.

I remember once when I was working with a group of students only a couple of years after I graduated from college. One of the students was rapping a song and I finished the line for him. He turned his head so fast to look at me because he couldn't believe I knew the words. Then he said, "Miss, you know that song? I didn't think people your age listened to that music." I was 23!

Hey, grandmas can rap! (courtesy of singup.org)

The other day, I was working (I've been doing a temp job the past couple of weeks, yay for being busy!!) and a co-worker saw my wedding rings and asked how old I was. When I told her I am 29, she replied, "Wow, I would never believe that. You've aged really well!" I know she meant this as a compliment, but I couldn't help but think she thought I was really old. She is 23.

I guess I thought almost-30-year-olds were old when I was 23 too. I remember feeling so old when I was 23 because I felt like time was ticking for me to find a husband. I met LoLo when I was 23 (I was almost 24...and he didn't come to my birthday party, but that's another story for another day). Now that I'm almost 30, I think I was so young when I met LoLo. When I look at pictures from when we first met, we look so young.

About 9 months after we met...what a baby face!

When LoLo was about to turn 30, he started feeling really down and told me that he felt like he was getting so old and hadn't accomplished much. He thought we'd have children by now, he thought he'd have a job he loved by now, he thought we'd have lots of money by now. But we don't. Instead we have a house that we love, a puppy who is super cute (and if you need more proof, click here), we've traveled together, and we've had a lot of fun. Someday we'll have kids, someday he'll find his dream job, and hopefully someday we will win the lottery (because don't you remember? I said I worked in education!).

But for now, I'm enjoying my life the way it is. If being 30 means having amazing friends, the best family anyone could ask for, a house that has started to feel like a home, and a puppy to cuddle with anytime I want, I'm all for it. Bring it on, 30, I'm ready.