If I Could Do Anything....

We've survived one birthday this week, and tomorrow there will be another.

Seriously, how is it possible that I'll be thirty-one in a matter of hours?

I remember when I used to think thirty was SO O.L.D.

And I don't feel thirty.

By that I mean, when someone asks me how old I am, it's all I can do not to blurt out "twenty-four" without thinking.

What exactly did I DO in my twenties that makes me feel like I'm eternally stuck there?

It's not that I MIND being thirty+, it's just that I don't FEEL thirty+.

Regardless of how I feel, however, tomorrow is a-comin'.

And I'll be spending it with my mom...going on a mystery date of sorts.

For basically the first time in my life, my mom has managed to keep a secret from me.

She's got something planned,

 and I have absolutely no clue where we're headed or what we're gonna do once we get there.

So, today I'm imaging and pretending.

And if I could spend tomorrow doing ANYTHING I wanted, with no time or money or reality to stop me, here's what I'd do:

I'd go back to the place where I spent most of childhood:

Isn't this church beautiful? It's where I went to school from pre-k to eighth grade. I spent nine years there and met some of the most wonderful people I've ever known during that time. And I haven't visited since 2004. Unfortunately, a piece of my heart broke when it burned down in November. And if I could do anything tomorrow, I'd spend some of my time visiting it one last time.

I'd also sit and watch these two play for a bit.

And by play, I mean no fussing, no fit pitching, and no having to say 'no' and 'stop that'.

They would just sit, and smile, and laugh, and be my precious little angels.

After that, I'd spend some time at a place that looks a little something like this....

...and I would call my grandad, who died just after Libby's first birthday.

I'd talk to him about when he was young and when he met my grandmother.

I'd ask about his undeniable faith and tell him over and over again how much I love him and how thankful I am for him stepping in as my father figure during that time in my life when he was the only one I had.

Then I'd find a place that serves these. They'd be fat free, of course.

And packed full of vitamins, obviously.

Just like this would be:

You see, tomorrow I'd have a bottomless cup of warm peppermint mocha.

 I'd drink it all. day. long.

And it wouldn't bother my not-so-great after almost dying from e-coli kidneys one little bit.

And all day I'd feel like this:

And I'd take a little trip here, coffee and good book in hand.

And when I got tired of reading, I'd sit, stare at the waves, and do some of this:

And at some point tomorrow, I'd see or hear something that's as funny to me as this is:

And then all of my best friends would join me at the beach.

We'd play in the waves, look for seashells, and laugh and laugh and laugh.

In fact, we would smile so much that on a REGULAR day, this is the point when my face would officially hurt from over-using my smile muscles.

There's also be a point (or several) during tomorrow when I'd be rocked to the core with inspiration to do and be and live better.

And undoubtedly, I'd spend some time doing some of this:

And, at the end of the day, I'd sit back with a full belly and a full heart and a face filled with a smile and stare out at something that looks like this:

And I would feel overwhelmingly.....

p.s.) Love the pics in this post? You can find them and tons more that are equally as great here.