In case you missed me shouting it from the rooftops, I turned 30 yesterday.  My 20s were weird and uncertain and full of ups and downs, but something about turning 30 filled me with a fear I couldn't quite pinpoint. And then I really worked through it and realized most of that fear stems from feelings of inadequacy.  We live in a time full of comparison and oversharing (lol this blog post) and too often I look around and feel an intense pressure to "be" or "accomplish" in order to achieve success and worth in my life. Too much of my precious time is spent beating myself up for the things I haven't accomplished instead of finding joy in the way my cup overflows. I woke up yesterday and decided I have the power to change the way that I look at my life, and that is my goal going forward. I am ready to say goodbye to all the crappy parts of my 20s, be grateful for the things worth remembering, learn from the difficult roads I walked, and choose joy in the decade ahead. Here's a little recap/photo dump of my day yesterday. Thank you all for making it so very special! Ps-- my sister gifted me that gorgeous dress in the photo above. You can find it here. 

Morning & Afternoon

I started my day with my favorite way to pray, singing the Divine Mercy Chaplet. I made a cup of my favorite coffee, put this eye mask on, and offered up a few special intentions. Steve wrote me this adorable card (pictured above) with 30 things he loves about me, including highlights such as, "How you remind me of Elaine Benes, Hermoine Granger and Snoop Dogg all in one", "your competitive nature", and "your tolerance of superhero movies." Best.Then I got ready for brunch with my mom & sister, Molly (lol it was lunch we are not good on a time schedule). We stopped for coffee (matcha latte for me) at Cherry's Natural Foods (find them on instagram here) and then made our way to The Mad Batter in Cape May.I chose Mad Batter because they have vegan food (!!) and it did not disappoint. We sat outside on their enclosed porch and the weather was perfect. I ordered the Basil Sour to drink and Vegan Fries with cheese, tempeh bacon, scallions, and jalapenos. My mom ordered the Chesapeake Bay Benedict & Molly ordered the Ironbound Summer Cider to drink and the Skirt Steak Flatbread. They were so generous and brought me slice of vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake with a candle in it, and it was SO SO SO good.

Evening

I came home to beautiful flowers and gifts from a few dear friends, and then took a nap before Steve and I went to dinner at one of our favorite spots, Tacos El Tio . Then we rented a movie and Steve sang to me with vegan cupcakes from The Bakeworks . Also, Steve wins all husband awards because he surprised me with tickets to see BSB IN VEGAS IN NOVEMBER AND I'M DYING.What a way to start off this year. Thank you all for your sweet birthday wishes, your gifts and time, and for making this day extra special! I'm excited for all that my 30s have to offer, and I look forward to another year of life spent offering every blessing back to my Creator.  Wishing you all the best Labor Day weekend!