Last days of BEING Twenty!

Well as some of you know, the big "30" is on the horizon for me. Okay, okay...it's closer than that...more like 10 days away! Wow. I will be celebrating my last 10 days of being in my "Twenties". T minus 10 days starts now! I am thinking back to when I turned 20 and I guess it didn't have much of an impact on me because I don't remember it too well. I do remember thinking, "I am no longer going to be a teenager". That was a happy transition for me since I wanted to become an adult, or more so of wanting adult responsibilities, like having my own place and being on my own. So much change happens from 20 to 29. Not necessarily the physical, but definitely the mental. I guess you can say I found myself in my twenties and I will always be grateful for that. Growing up in my house we always celebrated "Golden Birthdays". A Golden Birthday is when you turn the same age as the number of your birthday, so mine was my 22nd birthday as I turned 22 on the 22nd. I became obsessed with the number 22 and 222 (my b-day is 2-22) and still am! On your Golden Birthday you are suppose to do something special. Well I do remember my golden birthday, my co-workers brought in balloons, flowers, stuffed animals, cards saying "Happy Golden Birthday"! Apparently I really got people excited about my birthday. I arrived home at my apartment in Arizona and my friends (Nick included and he was just a friend at the time) had decorated the whole apartment, inside and out! Apparently I really got them excited about it too. I think people must have felt that it would be a special year for me and that is the year I am most grateful for up to today. As contradicting as this may sound, the month after I turned 22, I hit rock bottom. I asked God to let his will be the way in my life and to give me the strength to let that happen. I knew that I could no longer trust my decisions with my life, so I asked him to take over for me and I would follow. For the first time in my life I felt an inner strength that was not there before and I had this internal peace and direction. I told my boyfriend of 5 years at the time to leave the apartment(and my life), I was going to get a night time waitressing job (I was working full time at Saguaro Children's Surgery and going to school) so I could pay the $750 month rent by myself. God gave me the strength to do that, I know that without a doubt. I fell in love with God and Jesus that year and started developing a relationship with them. Although I thought at the time that I was done with guys for a LONG time, God kept Nick in the picture even though he had already moved back to Utah. I ended up falling head over heels in love with Nick later that year. By December, I knew that I had found the man I was going to marry and moved to Utah. Here we are 7 years later, 5 years married this August. 22 is my lucky number and it definitely was a Golden Year.


In September of my senior year, 1996, my Parenting class teacher, Mrs. DiCioccio, had us write a letter to ourselves that we would receive in 2006. My letter did come 2 years ago and it was a trip back in time. It made me laugh and even cry. Here's some excerpts (and remember this is me talking to me 10 years later):


"So tell me, are you happy with your life? I'm pretty satisfied. Senior Year. Not much work. Friends are good. Well I hope I'm striving to do my best in whatever field I'm doing. I think I'd major in Social Science or Psychology, something that helps people, Health too? I just hope that I like my job and am happily married (If I am married-if not-that's okay. Mr. Right will come along from New Zealand!) Be Patient! Be nice to my kids and treat them like human beings. I hope I have a boy and a girl. Did I end up cutting my long curly hair?"

Wait it gets better!


"Well, I'm really at a loss. Let me just tell me this. I've worked hard all my life to be who I am. I feel like I'm not working up to my full potential but I feel that is going to change. I know there is a clear reason why I am here and maybe I'll figure a piece of it out by the time I receive this letter. And maybe I can leave a really significant mark on this confusing world. Melanie- I love you girl and remember you can do anything you want. TRUST ME PISCES! Well ya made it this far. Good Luck and Good Decisions with the rest of your Life. Love Always, Melanie

Maybe now you know why I laughed... and cried. I don't know if I have quite figured out why I am here, why God has chosen me to be here at this particular place in this particular generation. The one thing I do know by now - and maybe this is that piece - that I am with my soul mate. I found him, he found me, we found each other and are living this life and going through it together. Maybe I'll never leave a significant mark on this world, but I know that I have left a significant mark on him, and him on me.


When I was entering this twenty-something time period, I hoped to be happily married and have a job I like. That came true. Now I am entering the thirty-something period and am hoping that God directs me to do what he wants me to do. Whether that is to have children or not(something I have been struggling with lately), I pray that his will will be the way in my life because I know that will be the best road to take!