Once upon a time, when I was busy turning, like, ten or eleven, I loved birthdays. Loved 'em. Loved 'em hard. I'd claim ownership of the phone all day just to answer it every time it rang with "Hi, this is Jennifer and today is my birthday!" Truly. You can ask my mom. Many a telemarketer found themselves rattled by the annual cheerful answer.

Today, I reachieved that glee. A party hat will do that to you.
But first, I had to stress.

Way back then, there was limited age anxiety because I was on a constant prowl to gain years, get older and earn some playground respect. Then I got older. And older. And older still. And the fear of getting older and wrinkly was overcome by the fear of holy shizz, I'm getting closer to death.

Remember that time I said I'm really good at psyching myself out? Yeah. Proof. When I turned 20, I had this weighty thought: okay, so best case scenario, I live to be 80. I've already killed 1/5 of my lifespan with nothing but going to school everyday and eating Skittles for every meal. Where's the glamour!?

(A birthday manicure always brings the glamz)

Anyway, it's my birthday, and as hard as I was dreading the aging process, today I'm partying. What the hell, I'm 25. I've been rounding up for the last six months anyway, might as well enjoy it! So shouts of "woooo hooo" can be routinely heard coming from my office, I'm dreaming of a stack of carbohydrates for dinner and all things sparkling and glittery in between. I'm going into 25 with the same ease with which I went into 24 (which ps. was easier, because I was still closer to 20 than 30, which has officially flip-flopped.) 



I felt weirdly and unexpectedly giddy this morning. I woke up at 3:31 a.m. and considered poking Ryan and whispering in his ear, it's my birthday! I didn't, but only because I have a healthy respect for life and he can't really be trusted when woken abruptly and left to linger in a half-sleeping daze. But anyway, I felt excited. Excited enough to consider waking him. I'm 25. I'm 25! This is legit grown up status, right?! I pay bills! I have a house and a car and a career! And I'M 25! I'm for real now!

****

So today culminates birthday week (well, sort of. When one's birthday is on a stupid day like Thursday, I believe you get the preceding and proceeding weekends in which to include in the celebration.) But it's been a solid week.


There was ice cream and free food and a tubing adventure.
Wait...a tubing adventure?
Raise your hand if we've been friends for more than two weeks and you've ever seen me go tubing

Crickets?




Look and see how I've changed. I bounced into 25 with a brand new sense of courage.

25 sounds good. It feels good. It is good. 
And we've got a whole year together.
****

Birthday week continues.
I'll be back.