Tomorrow I turn 28. Right about now would be the appropriate time to make a “30 before 30” list. You know, 30 things I want to see or do before I hit a new decade. Instead, I decided to recount some of the things I’ve already seen and done as sort of a tribute to the glory that is getting older. None of this is gospel nor is it advice. This is simply my personal catalog of yeses I’m deeply glad I made.

1. Saying yes to Jesus. This one deserves to be on a list of its own. I said yes to Jesus when I was four years old, and despite seasons of struggle and finding my faith, I’ve never looked back. 

2. Getting married young. Some will advise against it. All I’ll say is this—I may not be the same girl I was at 20, but if you let it, marriage will refine and reveal facets of yourself you never knew were in there. Get married at 21 or 40 or not at all, just remember that marriage isn’t about finding someone who completes you, it’s about learning how to put another’s wants and needs before your own.

3. Living off of savings our first year of marriage. This concept would make Dave Ramsey shudder. Would I advise a newly wed couple to quit their job to pursue their dream of being a musician, take out their pension, and live on savings while they figure it out? Probably not. But looking back, that first year of marriage set the stage for a foundation of unrelenting trust and whimsy (two critical ingredients in a marriage burger).

4. Traveling. Six months into marriage, Matt and I took our third trip to Belize where my brother was living at the time. We’ve since been all over the continental US and will soon take our two boys to Europe for the first time. If ever there comes an opportunity to board a plane or load up the Jeep and hit the road, I try to say yes every time. 

5. Investing in community. Building a tribe of people you can do life with is like building a house. The upfront work is often hard and tiresome, but once the foundation is set, you know you’ve not only found a safe place, you’ve found a home.

6. Getting my degree. There have been several distinct moments in my young adult life where getting a degree felt like an impossibility. Had it not been for the unwavering support of my family, I would have undoubtedly dropped out. But finishing what I started has been arguably nearly as significant as the degree itself. 

7. Working a joe job. This one was less of a personal choice and more of a parental requirement of getting a car. But if you ever need a scoop of good ole fashioned humility and perspective, get a job that pays $9 an hour to bag peoples groceries. 

8. Not having a birth plan. You can read my reasoning behind this one here.

9. Moving into a 1976 airstream travel trailer. It isn’t rare for Matt and I to have some crazy dreams. But on occasion, we have the courage and gumption to whole-heartedly pursue those dreams. This was one of those occasions. 

10. Taking a weekly Sabbath. Our Monday Sabbaths have become not only my favorite day of the week but have sprouted some of the best memories.

11. Going to Disneyland. This one is advice. If you ever have the opportunity to go to Disneyland, do it. 

12. Giving generously. This one is a bit more broad and can be tied to responding to that inner tugging. If we have the means and an opportunity presents itself, we try to always respond in obedience. Whether it’s $5 or $500—I’ve never regretted sharing with others in need. 

13. Paying off our debt in our first year of marriage.  Living without debt in general lends an inexplicable amount of freedom.

14. Pursuing purity. A mentor of mine once asked me a fundamental question in response to my wanting to know “how far was too far before marriage”. “That depends,” she responded. “How pure do you want to be?” Looking back, I’ll never regret the lengths Matt and I went to protect our purity.

15. Starting a blog. Being vulnerable is almost always worth it. The things we were created for have a way of pulling at us from every direction until we respond with a resounding “yes”. 

16. Saying the nice thing. Anytime I’ve ever had a nice thought about someone my immediate next thought is always “you should tell them.” Oftentimes I allow fear and awkwardness get the best of me. But when I don’t, it’s always worth it to see someone’s face light up. Who knows, it may have been exactly what they needed in that moment. I love thinking in some way I could be an answer to someone else’s prayer. 

17. Marrying a musician. (You get a lot of songs written about you ;) )

18. Doing the scary thing. Parasailing, getting on stage, looking fear in the face and saying “not today”. 

19. Saying I’m sorry first. 

20. Going to the concert in the rain. Specifically a Train concert at 6 months pregnant in the middle of July with the tickets Matt got me as a Christmas gift. The line was long, I had to pee like a racehorse, and lightening and thick rain drops threatened the outdoor venue. We almost left but if we had, I would have missed out on dancing to Marry Me in the dewy grass as the sun set over the Dallas skyline. 

21. Becoming a mom. It’s grown me in ways I didn’t know I need growing. My boys teach me how to love, how to be patient, and how to lay my life down for a far more worthy, fulfilling cause. I’ll never look back because whatever life I exchanged for motherhood is a dim lit bulb compared to this new, sun-filled way of living. 

22. Taking a mental health day. About once a semester, I would hit a point of deep overwhelm and my mom would take me shopping on a school day. Those are the moments I remember when I think back on my high school years. 

23. Buying the camera. One of my first big investments as a young adult was the purchase of my first DSLR. I’ve always been a bit of a penny pincher, but it’s hard to put a price tag on investing in your passions. 

24. Going for the run. 

25. Going on a mission trip. My first mission trip was to Tijuana, Mexico when I was 16 years old. I left naively expecting to change lives in my little week-long venture, but instead I was the one who came home changed. Any time I’m given the opportunity to submerse myself in another culture, to see other ways of living, I try to never pass them up. I have so much to learn just outside of my comfort zone. 

26. Eating my vegetables. I heard in a documentary once that no food tastes as good as heathy makes you feel. And that couldn’t resonate more for me. Learning that making healthy food choices is not about abstaining from something tasty but giving my body the nourishment it deserves is a life changing truth. 

27. Visiting my grandparents. Time spent with family is never wasted.

28. Being present for my boys. Because I’ll never get this time back.

What are some of your best yeses?