34 Things I've Learned in 34 Years

1. It feels good to be wanted. Since I can remember, my mother has always told me she wanted “a red-headed little girl named Sarah.”
2. The unconditional love of grandparents can make an ordinary childhood feel extraordinary.
3. Books are the only child’s best friend.
4. Learning isn’t a chore. It’s a privilege.
5. College is the perfect mix of freedom and responsibility.
6. It’s all talk until you’re the one being cheated on.
7. There are friends chosen for you by life and friends you chose for life. Each is special for their own reasons.
8. Absolutely nothing is solved in the middle of the night.
9. Sleep is essential.
10. Girlfriends. Are. Mandatory.
11. Marriage is an epic odyssey so chose someone who you want by your side in battle and celebration.
12. Build skills not a career.
13. Low cost of living is the key to happiness.
14. Losing weight is about the calories you eat not the calories you burn.
15. Raising your children in your hometown is like having a parenting cheat sheet.
16. Learning to respond instead of react can make ALL the difference.
17. EVERYONE needs therapy.
18. Having a baby doesn’t have to be a physical trauma. It can be an empowering physical act.
19. When it comes to babies, sleep begets sleep.
20. Sorrow can swim.
21. How good of a day my kids are having has very little to do with how tired they are and MUCH to do with how tired I am.
22. Red lipstick is all the makeup you need.
23. THIS is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe.
24. There are very few things that either a hot bath or a hot cup of coffee can't fix.
25. The days are long, but the years are short.
26. My emotions are relevant, but they are not reality.
27. Doctors can provide information – not answers.
28. Everyone feels like an imposter from time to time.
29. The second you figure out your kid they change.
30. You have until the age of 3 to call your child’s bluff.
31. People who don’t read Harry Potter or listen to the Indigo Girls are not to be trusted.
32. Gratitude is essential to survival.
33. Forgot sunscreen. Wear a swim shirt.
34. Control isn’t the key to happiness – acceptance is …. Ok I’m still learning this one.