Well Ladies and Gentz…yesterday was my big 30 as most of you know. I have to say, the last two weeks were really rough. I was stressing more than ever about our end to Korea, the wedding, my big birthday and all that jazz…but as this week warmed up, all of it seemed to disappear.
My 30th, even though being away, had to have been one of the best birthday’s ever. Ill get into the deep stuff after I tell you about my day.
I woke up and Adam gave me a card. I was a little shell shocked and kept my mouth shut…but inside was screaming, “that’s it?” I had great Skype conversations with nicole, mom and dad and grandma and papa…as well as a phone call with brandon. Then, I said to Adam, let’s go downtown, I want to buy myself shoes for my birthday (I all of a sudden have had a craving for shoes) We stopped in at Starbucks then went to SOVO and I got myself two nice pairs. We had a good breakfast then I went to work.
Adam dropped me off at the elevator and was like Cya…and still in my head, I was like what the! At work, I share the same birthday with my boss and I happened to walk into a party the management was having for him, so they sang to me to. When I got back to the office and my desk, Adam had stayed late at work and done up my desk as a surprise. I was shocked. Not only was there a sign and bows and confetti…but a rockin Adidas shirt waiting for me.
About 15 minutes later, my email pinged and I received a picture of a huge bouquet of flowers that our local florist friends had made just for me…per Ad’s request.
I was living on cloud 9. All my students were singing and wishing me a wonderful day. Then, my older kids had a surprise of their own. They made me a cake out of choco moon pies and candies….complete with Fanta to drink.
At school, we all gathered together to watch the very sad Korean soccer match.
Then headed to a great restaurant for some Galbi and Makalee! 16 of us went and celebrated…complete with an ice cream cake and a paris bagette cake. I was in heaven and so happy.
We got home and Maryanne and Frank sang and sang and counted…it was great.
I realized that last year on my birthday, I was flying home for Nicole’s wedding. I had been in Korea a little over a month and was so happy to be going home to see my friends and family. Now, a complete year has past and when I look back I can’t even begin to grasp everything that has happened this year.
I always thought at 30 “this is what my life will be like” and now that I am there…I don’t think one single thing I thought would be…is. And my life is truly perfect. This year, my 30th year has included so many life changing events, so many memories, people, places and momentous occasions, I couldn’t have asked for a better year.
Thank you all for being a part of it!
Love,
Nicole
More from Korea
More from Korea
Intentionally and incrementally. Most families who live this way did not leap from conventional to adventurous overnight. They built remote work capacity, paid down debt, tested longer trips, and had increasingly honest conversations about what they actually want from their lives. The leap feels bigger from outside than from inside.
Different for every family. For some it is long-term travel. For others it is weekend adventures close to home. What connects them is intentionality about how time is spent and a preference for experiences over accumulation. The version that fits your family is the right one.
By finding stability within the adventure rather than treating them as opposites. Routines, rituals, and family rhythms travel with you. Familiar foods, bedtime routines, and predictable family dynamics provide stability even when the location changes. Kids need consistency in relationships more than consistency in geography.
That people are fundamentally similar across cultures in what they want for their families. That comfort zone is a smaller circle than it feels from inside. That the things worth having in life require effort and discomfort to get. And that time together doing hard interesting things is the most reliable source of family closeness.
By getting clear on why you made the choices you made and returning to that clarity when the outside noise gets loud. Most families living unconventionally describe an initial period of explaining themselves that gradually gives way to just living the life. The explaining becomes less necessary as the results become visible.
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