Reflections on turning 26

I am turning 26 today. So far, 26 feels the same as 25! The funny thing is that I can already believe what my grandmother used to say about how fast time flies. I feel like the last 10 years of my life have just flown by.

Today I woke up to the sweetest surprise from my husband

He wakes up at 4:45 every day for work, but today heard him get up at 4, and I knew I had a surprise in store. I woke up to 2 cards and pretty tulips, and if you can't read the napkin hanging out of the microwave it says "breakfast is served". Inside the microwave I found some baked oatmeal ready to be heated up. It was such a sweet surprise! When I went out to my car to go to work for a few hours, my husband had filled up my gas tank. Nothing says love like that!

One thing that is interesting about this birthday is how different my life is at 26 compared to what I thought it would be like. I always imagined getting married young (which I accomplished) and then starting a family quite soon after that. By 26 I imagined I would have at least 1 or 2 children. Of course I also imagined myself as a stay-at-home mom.

One of the most humbling experiences of my life has been realizing that my plan and God's plan really don't line up sometimes. I never imagined I would be 26 with no babies in sight. I know 26 isn't old by any means, but it has been a very humbling experience to see things NOT happen how I always expected them too.

The question then is, what would God have me do with my life if it does not involve birthing children? For someone like me, who imagined lots of children running around, it is almost a "deer in the headlights" feeling to realize my plan may not be even close to reality.

Another reflection from turning 26 is that I am actually ok with where God has me. I would love children, don't get me wrong, but I am happy. There is happiness in following God's plan and letting go of bitterness that things aren't turning out how I originally wanted them to. God wants his best for me, and I am so happy and joyous for that! And sometimes, I am finding, that "best" doesn't involve what I think it does.

My husband is on his way home from work now and will be taking me to get pizza at my favorite restaurant. I am usually a very health-conscious eater, but today I've decided I am going to indulge and enjoy my birthday. I only turn 26 once, after all! Afterwards my husband will take me to H&M to pick out some new accessories and clothes. I rarely get clothes that are not second hand, so this is a real treat for me. I am on the lookout for new Spring accessories.

I feel like good things will happen for me this year, mostly because I have finally decided not to fight God's plan for me, even if it takes me different places than I thought it would.