A tribute to me and them:)

On Wednesday I celebrated my 29th birthday, a very reflective birthday it was I must say.

First of all it was the first year that I did not care so much it was my birthday.
Typically ( for all those who know me can attest to this:) my birthday began a day before the actual day and lasted for one week after, referred to as my "birthday week"
This year I did not anticipate my birthday or really expect anything. Getting older I would say is the reason for this and that is a good thing:)

On my actual birthday I just kept thinking back to just a few years back, living the single life in a cool apartment, in the trendy part of Chicago. (wriglyville)
Specifically my 24th birthday stood out in my mind. That year I had a broken leg and was in a cast and so my "oh so cool neighbor/friend at the time" borrowed a wheelchair from somewhere, decorated it and wheeled me around to all the bars in wriglyville - we received a lot of attention as you can imagine, anyways strangers kept wishing me happy birthday and my response to them (after a couple drinks keep in mind) was
" 6 more years until I am 30 not real exciting but thanks"

On my 24th birthday I was feeling like life was going nowhere and that before I knew it I would be 30 and still living in my "oh so cool apartment in wriglyville and probably still in college.

Wow, how life changed....... And so on my 29th birthday it was so comforting to look at my adorable 15 month old son Noah, my prego belly and my wonderful husband Eric who I love with every fiber of my being. I couldn't help but be proud of myself and so happy at my life and how far I have come!

Ask any of my college friends and they would tell you that they thought I would still be "good ole hippie Juliana bumming around Chicago from job to job or class to class or show to show.

I have myself to thank but there are four people in my life that I have to thank for who I am today.

First is my Father..........He always encouraged me and he never gave up on me. He gave a sermon one Sunday talking about how you can not sit on the couch crying about your life if you are not going out into the world to improve it or to make it what you want! He spoke to me that Sunday in his sermon....Because I felt like my life was going nowhere but I was not really doing anything to make it go somewhere.
So that Sunday I left church headed back to the city and made it appoint to get off my ass and do something with my life. My three goals in mind were to focus on graduating, getting rid of my roommate and meeting that "cute guy from the church in the city" So thank you Dad, love you!

The second person I have to thank for helping me become the person I am today is that "cute guy from the church in the city" Well that cute guy would be Eric , my awesome,beloved Husband. He is am amazing person who saw all my potentials and encouraged me to be a better person! He has put up with a lot of my crap as my parents have and he never gave up on me and continued to challenge me to be the person I am today. I can not thank him enough and and I am so honored and lucky to have him as my Husband. He is not just my Husband but my best friend and I do not know where I would be without him by my side! Thank you Eric. I love you sooooooooo much!

The third is someone I do not talk to often but think about often and that is a college professor and counselor of my mine at Columbia; Patti Mackenzie. I met Patti at a time when I really needed here. She was my speech teacher but also a counselor for those with special needs/learning disabilities. Well anyways she was there for me throughout my time at Columbia and helped me map out my learning difference and ways to overcome them. I can honestly say that if it was not for her I may have never graduated. She taught me so much about myself and gave me the confidence I needed to succeeded in school and life! Thank you Patti - I am forever grateful to you!

And last but not least my lovely Mother. She is the sweetest, most genuine women you will ever meet and she has stood by my side through everything - She is not just my mom but friend. She has taught me a lot but most of all how to be the best mom ever. Thanks Mom , Love ya!

Do not get me wrong I am not perfect and I still have a lot of work to do but I have come along way in just 5 years and it is rather unbelievable to me. I needed to write this post to make it more of a reality to me.