HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY, ME!

Hi, it’s my 30th birthday.

I’ve been terrified of this day for a very long time. I set such  high expectations for myself and where I wanted to be when I hit the big 3-0. In fact, before I started this blog, I wrote for another website and one of my biggest posts was about my 30 before 30 list. Sheepishly, I look back and I have to admit to myself that I was a little overzealous.

There was no way I was going to travel abroad before I was 30. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

I haven’t started my half-sleeve tattoo yet. In fact, I don’t even have the final drawings done.

I have yet to find a job that is out of the state (or at least one that has been good enough for me to move for – although I’m always open *hint hint gluten-free companies that live in Portland, Seattle, SLC, or Denver.*

However, I did eventually have a boyfriend and I did finally have my first Valentine’s Day – romantic comedy style. However, I am not yet married with an extravagant wedding that I’ve always dreamed of since I was a wee little princess.

But, I do have a really cool website. And I have over 2,000 Facebook fans. And I have a fan base of people (like you reading this) that send me awesome messages saying that I’ve made a difference in your life (or at least I entertain you).

While not everyone knows me when I go to expos, and not every celiac I see in the aisles at Whole Foods is wearing our shirts – I think we’ve made a great dent in the gluten-free world so far, and I’m happy to see where it’s going.

Right now I need to be happy that I’ve made it to 30 with most of my sanity. I have survived a celiac disease diagnosis and the accompanying shenanigans for five years in and out of doctor’s offices and hospitals. I have spent more on health insurance than I ever thought I would when I thought of my 30’s. But, I feel like I finally have answers to where my body was, where it is now, and where it’s going.

I need to be happy with my fantastic family, amazing set of friends, and my budding gluten-free business. I am proud of who I’ve turned out to be at 30 – screw the expectations I had of myself when I was 10, 20, or even 29.

I am 30. I am alive. I am awesome. And I will never forget it.

Birthday Princess

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Comments: 7

  1. Linda Caldwell April 10, 2013 at 11:17 pm Reply

    Happy Birthday! I promise you that you will love your 30’s. I am sure of it. I dreaded turning 30 myself and had not accomplished all I wanted either, or thought I wanted, sometimes directions change. I think you are in a super place, you have love in your life, your blogging which helps SO many people, and it is obvious you love to help people and that you have been through a lot, anyone with Celiac Disease has. I am WAY past 30, and it was the only birthday I ever dreaded. I am 62, hard for me to believe, and I went through 40, 50, now 60 kind of bothered me, but I have a family I love, I work on my Celiac Disease as you do and try to be healthy, and I still have not done everything I thought I wanted, but I have done many other things, and I know now family, friends, love, all the unexpected experiences and just hanging in there are the best of life. I wish only the very best for you, you have so much to look forward to, and you are an important part of many lifes!! You are special

  2. Amanda April 11, 2013 at 3:28 am Reply

    Happy 30th! & yes, screw expectations, you’re awesome!

  3. Gluten Dude April 11, 2013 at 5:14 am Reply

    Happy Birthday Erica. The world is a better place with you in it.

  4. McKenna April 11, 2013 at 8:36 am Reply

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I am getting closer and closer to 30 so I can relate. It’s a daunting number but I feel once I reach it, I will celebrate. I am trying hard to not worry about all the expectations I had for myself to do before 30 and to just enjoy to ride!

  5. mary fran | frannycakes April 11, 2013 at 11:39 am Reply

    Happy birthday awesome lady!

    I hope you believe how awesome you are, even if you haven’t travelled abroad…you just need to find a GF expo in Europe and use it as a tax deduction 🙂

  6. Jordan T April 24, 2013 at 8:56 am Reply

    Late reading this BUT how amazing!! I’m just a wee-pup at 23 and I already feel like I havn’t accomplished anything I wanted to, but you have helped me realize that there is a lot more to be proud of and happy about than I realize! Happy belated 3-0 to my favorite Blogger!

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