In A Perfect World

We're T-Minus 3 days and really my mind has refused to face it all week. Don't worry, I'm not going to be that girl who dresses in black or dramatically wails about her age for attention. Yet, as the hours have ticked by I haven't been able to scare up any idea that sounds definitively fun and celebratory. I've been FROZEN with indecision. I've realized that facing 30 during this time of transition in my life just makes the waters muddy. I choose to believe that God has something up his sleeve for these years I call life, but at the current moment I'm not seeing it.

I was sitting in silence last night stressing over the dang idea of a party. You would think I've been fretting over rocket science for the amount of time I've devoted to the silly topic. I mean, I think I would really regret not doing anything to mark 30 and yet anything I think of seems like more of a hassle than a good time (think of Lisa Turtle in the dance-off doing "The Sprain"). But letting it pass completely would leave me sad in years to come I fear. I already have a wagon full of regret in the first 29.95 years I've lived...no need to add to it. So I've decided to keep it small and simple and save the bigger party for 30 1/2 (Mark your calendars for September 14) when hopefully I'll be in a better place. In the mean time, I've been dreaming about what it would look like to celebrate in a perfect world (ie--if you were all here).

So in true Mr. Rogers fashion, please squint your eyes to the blurry point right before they are closed and pretend you're traveling with me to the Land of Perfect for the Celebration of the Completion of my Thirtieth Year.

Friday:

I'd pick you all up from the airport in the afternoon. We'd pick up smoothies for lunch and head to my apartment for a tour and to drop your stuff off. Then we'd go shopping around town at Thrift Stores for beat up junk that could be made into beautiful artsy house decor. I'm not sure why, but this sounds like so much fun to me. Could be the too much YHL reading. Anyway, we'd go back to my apartment to hang out and then get our trendy outfits on and head to Fernbank Science Museum for Martini's and IMAX (translated: fancy drinks among dinosaurs, and then gigantic nature movies). We'd stay late and then come home to crash.

Saturday:

We'd sleep in until we just couldn't anymore. We'd make cinnamon rolls and THE fruit salad for breakfast. What's that you say? You don't know what THE fruit salad is? Only the perfect combination of fruit that was discovered after hours and hours of devoted research by Liz and myself during my first year in Florida. I even have a picture of it, but am currently too tired to find it, scan it, and post it. So until I do...just know that it is comprised of pineapple, green grapes and strawberries. (You'll have to ask Liz to devote a post of her own to THE trail mix combo she discovered in her solitary woods adventure.) Anyway, back to the perfect Saturday. After breakfast we would all get dressed and go to Stone Mountain to hike. Yes, there is more than just a Sweetly Southern/Confederate Saluting/Fried Chicken Loving/Fanny-pack Wearing/Dippin' Dot Eating/Dixie Singing Laser Show that goes on there. You can actually hike to the top! It's a big windy up there so we'd stay long enough to catch our breath, point out the Atlanta skyline, snap a picture of two of someone faking falling off the edge, and then head back down. Once back in town we'd head for mani's and pedi's. Hmmm.....dinner would be something we all create at home. Maybe DIY panini's or pizza's. Then a rousing game of 'would you rather' before bed time.

**THIS JUST IN: Found the pic of the fruit salad as seen below:

Sunday:

Sleep in until we couldn't sleep anymore. I know the good thing now would be to say church. And in a perfect world it would be. But currently I don't really attend and getting all of us showered and ready in time would not do. So we'd pack up some fruit, cheese, and crackers and a picnic blanket and head out to the park where we'd have our own "church". We'd connect on life and talk about victories and failures. Guarantee we'd laugh a ton. Then we'd go to Calloway Gardens and rent bikes for the afternoon. After a long ride through the trails and a brief stop at the Butterfly House, we'd head back home. First, we'd stop at my favorite little coffee shop overlooking the Chattahoochee River where we'd sit in the adorondak chairs sipping drinks and watching the ducks flip upside down to eat. So entertaining and peaceful. Sunday night we'd head to El Taco (the restaurant where Zach works) for a queso/guacamole/sangria/margarita/fried chicken taco FEAST. More memories and pictures and maybe....just maybe...an ice cream cake :) We'd giggle all the way home and talk until we couldn't keep our eyes open any longer.

Monday:

You'd have to get back to your families and lives at some point. So we'd go pick up bagels and coffee at Einstein's and then head to the airport. I'd watch you leave with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face knowing that I just soaked up every hour of the past weekend with the girls I love the most in the world.

And since that world only exists in my dreams, it's time I sign off and go to bed. Love you all!