Dear Younger Me,

    I turn 37 tomorrow.  I've reached the age in my life where I forget what my age is when people ask.I really thought I was 35 all year until my friends starting turning 37.

    There are moments when I think about where I thought I'd be.... I was going to be married.  There would be a couple kids.  My house would be clean.  My dog would be well behaved.  For sure, the front yard would have been landscaped.  I was going to be thinner....not thin, just...not so not thin.  What's up with the gray hair?  That was no where in the plan.  If it was, I was going to have more money to pay to cover that stuff up.  College loans, those were going to be paid off years ago.  

     Those don't define who I am at the moment.  This wasn't the life I had planned, but I could not have even written in the plans the incredible friends I'd meet and get to keep along the way.  The countries, states, and places I've been able to visit.  I've accomplished goals I never even thought about wanting to do because God provided moments and motivation to dream up some new, pretty incredible goals and adventures.  I've had a front row seat to answered prayers and miracles.  I don't know what the future holds.  I don't know if I'll get to check off any of the things from my "Once Upon a Time" list of expectations, but should none of those things ever come to pass, I know it's going to be a great adventure through year 37 and beyond.

   I will now pick up my birthday soap box and leave with this song....it speaks to me.  So if you are struggling with the age thing, the life expectations and life mapquest directions taking you down a different road than the one you thought you should be traveling, regrets from paths begun that diverted you from God's plan, this puts me back on track...