Love, Life, and Lessons with the Kinzenbaws: Goodbye 20's, Hello 30's!

Wowza...30 certainly snuck up on me. I've been walking around all 29-like, and now today I enter a new decade. Some sure signs this is really happening? I had my first gray hair. What??? You better believe I plucked that thing out no matter what they say about how you aren't supposed to do that. I also have noticed some tiny fine lines forming around my eyes that I had never noticed before. And my body seriously hurts all the time and it's not like I am doing killer workouts like I used to do in college ball.
Oh well...as much as it is a little strange to feel and watch yourself getting older, I am seriously A-Ok with it. There was good and bad about my 20's and there will be good and bad about my 30's, but I serve a great God who loves me UNCONDITIONALLY!

Here is a quick look back at some happenings in my 20's and a look ahead to what I see in my 30's!
-played college basketball at D2 Winona State
-Somehow completed my last semester of college taking 22 credit hours while still in basketball season part of the semester and planning a wedding
-Got married
-Student taught in Rochester, MN
-Graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major in Early Childhood and Elementary Education
-Moved to Ankeny and bought a town home
-Worked at Tournament Club of Iowa and substitute taught for 1/2 a year
-Started attending Ankeny Free Church
-Got hired to teach 5th grade at Terrace Elementary in Ankeny
-Got hired to coach freshman girls basketball in Ankeny
-Mickey's grandfather passed away
-Traveled to Paris, London, Italy, Dominican Republic
-Sold our townhome and bought a house
-Was blessed to welcome Evan into our family as our first child
-Attended and graduated Viterbo University with my Masters in Elementary Education
-Traveled to Arizona, Colorado, Mexico, Seattle, and Ireland
-Was (surprisingly) blessed with another pregnancy and the birth of our little girl Alea
-My gramps passed away
-Decided to become a stay at home mom/wife and leave my beloved teaching job at Terrace
-Tried my hand at coaching high school girls basketball for Kingdom Hoops then decided it was too much to do with young children at home
-Traveled to Puerto Rico
-Got involved with MOPS
-Started home-schooling my son for pre-school with the Raising Rock Stars curriculum
-Started helping out at a our homeschool co-op teaching the preschoolers art and P.E.
-Started co-leading a community group
-Started co-leading our amazing Titus Bible Study
-Felt God tugging at my heart to adopt and I actually listened and obeyed Him!
-Made the decision with my husband to leave our home in Ankeny for a year and go to the mission field in Zambia, Africa to adopt, minister to the poor, help in the schools, and just do whatever God wants me to do while I am there.
-Traveled to Hawaii and Disneyland for the first time

I am probably missing some major things but these are definitely the things that stick out to me-quite a bit huh? And these were just the big items! This doesn't account for a million little amazing moments, new friendships made, weddings, holidays, and so much more...And it certainly doesn't even begin to tell the story of how God has completely changed me from when I turned 20 until now...so glad God never gave up on me and continues to pry open my heart so that He can live through me.

So, what will happen in my 30's? Well, only God knows for sure, but here are some of my hopes and dreams.
-We will add to our family by way of adoption.
-We will add to our family with another biological child.
-God will use my teaching knowledge and experience to help the teachers in Zambia.
-God will break us and change us to love like Him as we experience life in Zambia.
-My marriage will continue to improve and be strengthened and God will grow us closer and to a better understanding and deeper love for each other.
-Continue co-leading Titus and helping women develop a personal relationship with Jesus and help them actively be a light for Him.
-My 2 current children (and possible other children) will accept Jesus as their Savior and choose to follow Him in all they do.
-I will write a book.
-Become more active in Ankeny as far as reaching the lost and helping the poor.
-I will do what God wants as far as schooling my children...my prayer is that He will make it clear to us what is best for our family.
-Take many missions trips as a family, helping others and seeing the world.
-Relationships that need healing will be healed.
-Be an encouragement and source of strength and joy to family, friends, and beyond.
-I will become involved in Kingdom Hoops again-really loved it and what it is all about-just had to put my family first right now.
-God will give my husband clarity on what to about his career.
-We will sell our current house and build a house together (my hubby's dream since he was little!).
-Finally, I hope I will learn to love...that is what Jesus gives to me everyday and I certainly don't deserve it. I know I am doing nothing for His kingdom if I don't love others. Because like the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:1, "If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, I am a nosy gong or a clanging cymbal." All of the hopes, dreams, accomplishments, successes, and failures mentioned above mean nothing if I do not love.

So, here is to "love" in the next decade! And two pictures below of the people I love most in this world! :)