Bursting with excitement, I could hardly contain myself. It was almost 12:00a.m. on the dot. I never stayed up that late. But when it came to my special day, I made sure to watch the clock strike midnight.

My birthday, as a little girl, signified another year older. I anxiously prepared as the calendar crept closer to June 15. That meant birthday parties, celebratory dinners, cakes, and, lots of presents! Who wouldn’t countdown for that?

As a little girl, it always seemed so much more fun to be older. It seemed the older you were, the more things you could do; the more freedom you had; and, the more people respected you and took you seriously.

I just wanted to be bigger and older in the fastest way imaginable.

See, that’s life it seems. Hindsight is 20/20. Being a kid was amazing. And incredibly easy. But, I wasn’t able to recognize that then. I wasn’t able to truly seize the moment. It was always a race to “get bigger.”

Today, as I turn 33 years old, I can’t help but wish sometimes I was that kid again. That little, innocent, playful, and excited kid–but, one who just enjoys being herself.. in that moment.

Now that I’m “older,” all I want is to be younger. So when my 3-year-old son runs around the house screaming, “Mommy, I’m getting bigger. Do you see?” I can’t help but explain to him that being little is incredible. Because…

With age comes a new body. It changed, and my metabolism no longer works the way it did. Wait–then have three kids and see what happens. Let’s just say, it doesn’t look like it did when I was ‘little.’

With age comes responsibilities. Sure, I had to clean up my dinner plate and do my homework, but let’s be real. I didn’t have any responsibilities then like I do now.

With age comes grey hair and wrinkly skin. There is nothing like youthful looking features.

However, I will say this. It’s not all that bad getting older. There are some pretty magical aspects of it. I am married to a wonderful husband. I have three adorable and energetic boys. I have come to realize I have no desire for drama or conflict. And, finally, the older I get, the more I realize it isn’t about being tan, skinny, and made up. Life is about authenticity, character, and love.

With age comes wisdom. So, even though I am not sitting on the edge of my seat watching for June 15 to hurry up and get here, I still get excited for the day. It marks another year of adventures; a time to acknowledge that the increasing wrinkles means I laughed more and harder; and, that age is truly just a number!

Cheers to 33, and this upcoming year! This picture is from today, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store next!