Coming of Age

I'm fresh from celebrating my 33rd birthday! Some call this the "Jesus year," but I prefer to think of it as my Hobbit coming-of-age. Hobbits mark 33 as the year of adulthood, after the "irresponsible tweens" of the 20s. I need to say to anyone who might be reading this in their 20s, the 30s are so much better. Every year of it gets better as I learn more about myself and the world around me.

I got some amazing gifts. Dad sent me my first Kindle! Jon added to my collection of Harry Potter lego figurines, and the kids made me some original art!

This is Adele's. It looks like sunshine on a field, but according to her, it's a dolphin, fish, and sheep, grazing. The ocean goes on top. Artistic license. 

This is by Miles, entitled "Solar System Like Ours."

I had a quiet, family birthday on Wednesday, ending with a delicious meal of Thai food and some high quality beer waiting for me at home.

Saturday was an old Blacksburg favorite: Wheels and Wagons, 2015 edition! As always, the event featured vehicles of every kind for kids to touch, climb on and ride, as well as balloon animals, face painting, and other attractions. But this year the Blacksburg Children's Museum was open, free, during the festival hours, so the kids spent the first part of the morning soaking up some free creative play!

I love the decor. 

They probably lingered longest at the dress-up section:

This little theater room was so cool and abstract:

Outside, as usual, the kids had their pictures taken in front of their last year's contributions to the Wheels and Wagons Art BT Bus:

...and made some new art for next year. They painted the snowplow:

And this year, watched the helicopter take off since we missed the landing. We got balloon art, climbed on some vehicles, ate hot dogs and snow cones and called it a great morning.

Later that afternoon, we made the tail end of a Gospel Music Festival that was happening just a few blocks from us, at St. Luke's and Odd Fellow's Hall. SL&OF was a black community center, built during segregation at a time when black citizens could not use town restaurants, bars, and other gathering places. There are two historically black churches, but St. Luke's & Odd Fellow's Hall (below) was for community gatherings. 

This lovely old building is right on Virginia Tech's campus. They put a tent up and, although we missed the fish fry due to nap time, we were on time for some gorgeous a capella gospel music from the Glorylanders. I really love gospel music, and this really lifted my spirit and reminded me that, despite the discouragement I'd been feeling about Jon's employment and our progress in life, I have more blessings than I know what to do with right now. 

That night, we went out! This is my year for daring to do new stuff and for embracing heady, dizzying exhilarating laughter. Karaoke certainly supplied it!

Crimped my hair for the occasion!

I met a mix of friends from church and from twitter for karaoke at a bar a town away. It was a late night. And it was unforgettable. I got up twice to sing, and a third time when someone signed up our whole group to sing. I got to see friends be uncharacteristically bold to jump up and sing songs from Johnny Cash and Guns N Roses and Eminem and Joan Jett. I got to sing a couple songs that have been bubbling up inside for a long time. What an excellent way to celebrate 33! I will be back; I have warned the regular crowd of this. 

Sunday... was a recovery day. But we did get out for some bike riding. Adele is making great progress with her tricycle, and today, Miles had his first ride on two wheels! I'll find out how it went tonight, since this is my LAST DAY AT WORK. 

In my next update, we'll let you know about some decisions we've made for next year. Stay tuned!