Going on a vacation...

So for my 30th birthday I am going to get to see the ocean. If tropical storm Fay has her way, I won't actually swim in one, but I will see it.. yup. We are going to Orlando, and staying in the timeshare there that my parents have (thanks for that mom and dad)

My parents have been to Orlando before, so I think that is great, they will be able to show us around a bit. We are going to one dinner show, Arabian Nights... with the beautiful horses and of course dinner... We are going to the beach and to get some pictures of cape canaveral. Other than that, sightseeing and "Citywalk" (Emeril's restaurant is there) and lots of assorted other fun things. From the looks of it, we may have to find a lot of indoor things to do, as it might be rainy much of the stay. Darn it Fay! Go Away! Vacationers don't want you, and the locals are SO SICK of you!

So I will be away for a while and then hopefully back with some great pictures for all to see :)

I'm 30, I'm 30!

I just wanted to commemorate my 30th birthday with a blog post.

I was not very excited as the 30 mark approached. There is so much I haven't done in my life, and so much that I may never do, and I think that milestone birthdays serve as a reminder of that for me.

I did want to share however, that the last 10+ years, I have been lucky enough to have a wonderful man by my side through all of my trials and failures, the laughing and the crying, the giving and the taking. That man is my husband, Jim Chasse. I don't know how my life would have been without him in it, but I don't really ever want to think about that. He is perfect for me. He takes care of me, but understands when I want to try to take care of myself. He tries to gently lead me into doing the right thing, but never tells me what to do. He is a friend and a lover, and he treats me as his equal.

Jim has been always trying to move himself forward, in every sense of the word. From finances, to innner understanding, to formal education in college. I admire so many things about Jim, and in many ways wish to emulate the stamina and positivity that he puts into his life, and into my life and into the world.

I love to just spend a day with Jim, debating about the next president, or flawed foreign policy, or the welfare system, or just why certain things should not be allowed for a child. We can talk for hours and hours about nothing, or anything at all. I love to hear what he has to say, and though at times we don't agree on specifics, our general outlook on life is very similar.

I love Jim for being himself, for not letting what others say or do change who he is, and what he does or says, or how he acts. He doesn't put on airs, and he doesn't think he is any better or any worse than anyone else in the world. Different, sure, but not any worse or any better.

I wish I could prioritize like Jim does. He has a great way of knowing when something "doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things" and is able to let those things go and focus on other things that are more meaningful.

Jim is a kind and gentle soul with me. If ever I need reassurance, or to feel safe and loved, he is the first and last place I need to look for those things. I have trully found my soulmate, lover, confidante, and best friend. I am so lucky to have entered my 20's and now my 30's with him by my side, supporting me, loving me and being there for me no matter what. I sometimes am in awe of how lucky I am to have found this person this early in my life. Hopefully he and I have many many many years left together.