Today I am 22.

This past year has been hectic and chaotic and all sorts of crazy, to be quite honest. And when I sit down and try to remember where I was and what I was doing on my last birthday, I am totally stunned to realize that just one year ago, we were still living in Port Hueneme, no official orders in hand, no idea where we were heading or when we were heading there. I had my birthday dinner at Red Robin in Ventura and was so excited to order myself my very first legal Cosmopolitan, but not interested in getting smashed drunk by any means. It was a quiet birthday but I enjoyed it.

Last year at this time, I was not planning more children in our immediate future. I was still on birth control, as a matter of fact. Last year at this time, I figured we were going to go to San Angelo, but didn't know when. I thought it'd be cool to go to Japan, but that was the extent of my thoughts on Japan. I can remember saying to Mark at one point around a year ago that if he was planning to stay in the Marine Corps, he'd better ask for duty stations outside of California. "If you're going to make this your career and put all this time and effort into it, we may as well see the world a little and get some different experiences. We've both spent our whole lives in California. Boring."

These things feel so far away. When I was a kid, I know I sat around waiting for the next birthday and the year in between birthdays always seemed to absolutely DRAG by. This feels different, but the same. In some strange way. I feel like we've crammed SO much into this one year, but I also feel like it's been forever since we were happily settled in California.

Anyways, it's my birthday. It's no big deal. It is what it is. People don't get crazy excited about turning 22, I don't think. So I'm about normal on this one. No big plans, no fancy presents. Not this time. Just another year older. Happy birthday to me.