I have to say up front there is nothing in this post about being flirty. Sorry folks. It just rhymed with thirty so I put it in the title. I have to say flirty has gone out the window a long long time ago. I am thirty today though. I keep pinching myself to make sure it is true. The big three-zero is upon me and I can't quite believe it. Where has that time gone? I still feel like I am 20 at heart although on a particularly tiring day I feel 50. I wanted to do some extravagant cake post to wow you all with but I am tired, pregnant and feel like gagging most of the day so that wasn't going to happen at this point. I will point you in the direction of my favourite dessert that I made for my birthday one year though. My Chocolate Pudding in a Teacup!

It has been hard trying to decided how to celebrate this big birthday. My mum was onto me about what I wanted to do about a month ago. I just wanted to crawl into my bed and put the covers over my head because trying to think about parties and food was just too much. Being in the early stages of pregnancy around your birthday really isn't fun. I decided to keep things simple and have immediate family around for a simple morning tea on the weekend. Husband is taking me out for a special meal on Friday night (child free - yay) to a 7 course Modern Asian Banquet. I just hope my evening sickness doesn't decide to return at this point. I will not be impressed!

This week I have been reflecting on my years of being in the 20's and transitioning into the 30's. I have to say I feel more confident in myself as a person than I did in my early 20's. I care less about what people think. That is a good thing most of the time. I do what is right for me and my family and am not worried what the Joneses are doing, buying, wearing, eating, driving etc. It's freeing to be like this and to carry on with the life that you are meant to live not trying to follow someone else's way of life. I have discovered that what is important is not on the exterior of someone but on what comes out from within. It is better to have (dare I say it) an inner beauty rather than a beautiful exterior and an ugly core. I still have my ugly days (inside and out) when I look in the mirror in despair from looking at what happens each year your body ages. I think I feel more confident about myself and my body than I did in my early 20's. Even with having a baby 18 months ago and embarking on blowing it up all over again. It's being content with what God has given you and looking after it to the best of your ability. I have to say I eat better now then I did in my early 20's! Takeaway and processed foods were high on the menu in my early 20's and I have learnt the lesson the hard way that eating bad food makes you feel bad!

My mid 20's were hard, emotional and wearing. I have the grey hairs and wrinkles to prove it. We were trying to conceive for four very long years. I remember my 25th birthday was not a happy occasion. In my mind I had planned for us to have a family by then but we were far off from ever having any children at that point. I wondered if I would be 30 and be one of those people that could never have children. By God's grace we have been blessed with one very boisterous and precious boy and another baby on the way. My late 20's has been a journey of learning to be a Mum to a strong and determined little boy and getting whipped at this job on a daily basis.

I wonder what the next ten years will bring as I embark on my 30's and into my 40's. I only hope that I can be a good daughter of the king, a honest, loving and caring wife and a nurturing mum.

I raise a toast to the my 30's! Be kind to me! :-)