25.

Normally, I don't like to celebrate my birthday. Ever since I was a kid, I've had these weird birthday memories and just can't wait for the day to be over! I don't know if it's getting another year older, or birthday plans never really working out how I wanted them to in my head, or just the fact that I just want to go about my business....but it's always like that.

This year is different. Last year, when I started freaking out about becoming 24, I asked myself why. It had a lot to do with societies' stigmas and expectations placed on any given age. Deny it if you want, but each age comes along with something we "should" be doing according to societies' standards. I didn't realize this for a long time, but obviously, when I did realize this, I thought it was rediculous. And (as usual) all I needed to do was turn around my thinking.

I said to hell with society and what I should or should not be doing. To hell with going to a school I'm not happy about. To hell with living a life I'm not excited to be the protagonist of. I never listened to society before, there's no reason for it now. Normal is boring, isn't it? That's what I always tell my students anyway!

I asked the question: How old would you be if you didn't know your age?

My answer last year (and still this year), was 22! Even though my body was 24, my insides only felt 22. And I think that's what matters. Young, healthy, spontaneous, still a student, still acquiring life experience....22.

So, what's really cool is that since I am actually an adult, but only feel 22, I get to "turn 22" again every year (in a sense) on my birthday!

Yes, I'm still growing as a person, and I expect to do so until the day I die...But I know exactly who I am...And that person has the attitude of a 22 year old! That probably won't change for quite a while, if ever. Every year I become more myself. Every year I acquire new friends, and new life-changing experiences, but I've been done changing as a person for a while.

So, what do I say? Let 25 equal the number of years it has taken me to meet some of the most amazing people in the whole world (literally)! 25 is the amount of years it took for me to become the person I am on this very day. It's the number of years I've gotten to laugh, act rediculous, create, spend with people I love, go on adventures, and explore places and ideas I used to dream about!

25 years to become a well-adjusted (wink wink), mid-twenty year old, full blown adult. With a desk at work. Molding the young minds of young students. (Hear that mom?! An adult! Aren't you excited?) I have a big-girl job and a big-girl Teacher's Planning Book. And sometimes, after a lesson, I have chalk-hands.

Anyway, today is a happy day--And to my friends and family--you are a big part of the reasons for my happiness.


This weekend? I get to go exploring in a real castle!



.....In a lot of ways, I am still very much a little kid on the inside.