Birthdays.....

So I´m officially 35, and it sounds crazy to me! 35, that´s like half way to 70!!! Not many years ago I thought about that as being middle aged!! So do I have to act a certain way now? Be all wise and talk in a specific manner, nod slowly when I listen to people to appear grown-up, quite shopping at H&M and BikBok, start using only gold and silver (no more plastic-fantastic) and change my life to characterize the age-stage I´m at? To some extend my life isn´t all that different from 13 years ago... am I even grown-up then? When I don´t have the house and the kids and the career and the stable life I thought I´d have by now.

I think I definitely did not think I would be and feel like this turning 35, when Anett and I from the age of 16 to 18-years old would sit on top of the hillside, giving us the greatest view over our little town, and talk - and dreeeeaaaam about the future!! We only saw potential and opportunities, and life would definitely be smashing and amazing and lived way before we were 35. By then we would definitely have changed our lives, and maybe even the whole world!! I look back at those nights today, not with sadness, not with cynicism, well, maybe with a hint of humor, but most of all with contentment - that I really was `young and idealistic´- that I dared to dream big, and long with all my heart for something, and go after it, even though in many ways it did not end up the way I hoped/thought/expected/dreamed-of and so forth.

Well, I can label a lot of those years and my actions then under  `unexperienced´- from the amazing summers, and friends in UiO (YWAM) Norway where we talked with great security about life, where we bonded and loved each other and shared all we knew that was on the inside, the 3 amazing and rough years in missions, my wobbly way thru education, changing church, changing friends, boyfriends and boy friends, bad choices, good choices, very bad choices... finding myself (still trying to!), ect, ect...

But from now on - do I still have the freedom to commit mistakes - and many of them? To love like it´s my last chance and as if I had never been hurt, and take chances and risks like I used to, fall on my face and try again until I make it - or not...

I wonder.



These are a bunch of pictures from my 3 Birthday celebrations, getting as much out of it as I could possibly get!! My Mom and some others skipped the radar of me taking pictures.
(Click on a picture to get it enlarged)

 

 

WOW! Cake, party, gifts, good friends from different places and different times in my life. I loved it!

 

Cameron and I go way back, from 1997 where we did DTS (Discipleship training school) together in Kona, Hawaii. Then we took and staffed SOW (School of worship). We (including his beautiful wife Kari) have hung out in the 90´s in Hawaii before, and it was awesome to do it again, now with their 4 kids!! So treated for dinner and mudpie! (and loud singing in the restaurant....)

 

The kids were all so quiet that morning and woke me up with cake and candles, gifts and singing!! I am so blessed!! 

 

 

Going out to a great new restaurant with Magnar and Christina, eating the best French fries I have tasted in my life - ever!! They´re called "waffle fries" and taste yummy!!

Ending my endless celebration with a date with Lukas to the movies, watching "Bee movie", then going to the local café. I realize this celebration how I am truly spoiled!!