Seventeen: birthday recap // personal

I have been seventeen for a little over two weeks now.

On May 23rd I got The Question over and over and over again.

You know, the one that sounds something like,

"Do you feel any older?"

My answer was the same all day.

"No. It just sounds weird to say that I'm seventeen."

And its true! For whatever reason, seventeen has always been one of those ages that I imagined being but never could really fathom what it would feel like once I reached it. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I vividly remember everything about when my sister, Holly, who is 8 years my senior, was seventeen. Like I subconsciously kept her at that age in my mind. So when I woke up that morning in May and realized that I had reached that milestone, everything felt all mixed up, mismatched, scrambled.

Unreal.

And admittedly, 17 just sounds waaaaay older than 16. I always thought it would be a Big Deal when I became "Sweet Sixteen", "16 going on 17", and all that pretty pretty princess, fairytale pixie dust nonsense that somehow has attached itself to the sixteenth birthday. So, at least for me, sixteen seemed extremely young instead of "all grown up" like people try to make you feel.

But 17. That just sounded ancient. Maybe its just because its the "legally an adult" age here in Texas. I don't really know. So, that first day I didn't really feel connected to my new age. I felt like it was some exotic animal that I was staring at through thick glass. And oh yeah, someone told me I was going to get to take it home as a pet. 

"What?! That can't be mine! Look at it! Its so...weird. And different."

Hopefully I haven't lost you, this is just the silly way my mind works. ;)

All my strange, over-analytic feelings aside, I turned seventeen at 8:10 that morning.

{Good thing a certain someone left a reminder on her parent's phone so they would remember the exact moment their child was born. What a clever certain someone. ;)}

We spent some of the morning at my grandmother's house {where she let me eat a small snack of butter pecan ice-cream and homemade sweet potato pie.}
As I sat on the front porch, enjoying the breeze, listening to Mama and Mam-maw talk, and happily munching, I tried to wrap my mind around all these big thoughts I was having.

Sadly, ice-cream and pie are far too distracting. I'm pretty sure I ended up just thinking somewhere along the lines of, "Yum."

And then we started plans for the birthday night. I decided I wanted to eat somewhere new, different, and sophisticated...to fit how I was feeling about "seventeen." 

So that's what I found for us. :)

I knew we were in the right place as I looked around at the pristine table settings, and comfortable atmosphere.

Not to mention I'm pretty sure they hacked into my Pandora cause the music was capital M capital E. I love a little bit from almost every genre. But I listen to different things depending on my mood. Therefore, I can be pretty picky even in my diverse music interest.

Which means I'm pretty sure they hacked into my mind too cause the playlist was exactly where I was at mood wise. Kinda bluesy, sober, calm, but still happy and fun. :)

Sarah Barrelies, Adele, Fun., Ingrid Michaelson, Goyte, Colbie Caillat, John Mayer...I mean, seriouly, it was straight up crazy how on point it was. :D

And of course, these lovelies made my birthday more special than I could ever describe. :)

Then. Food was brought. And it officially became my hands down favorite restaurant of all time and I now have a forever-crush on that place. ;)

Beautiful food is wonderful. Tasty food is stupendous.

Food that is both, steals my heart.

It left me feeling dreamy and...

...ready for ice-cream. :D

What can I say? There's a part of me that shall always be a child at heart. :)

Aren't we precious? :)

Then, as I ran to grab my camera from the ledge I saw this right beside me to my left. Yes. My heart nearly stopped. 

It was an achingly lovely night. As we drove home in the dark all I could think about was the many many sweet happy birthday wishes I had received from those that I truly love. :) And then the phone rang. It was Holly. We talked for over an hour, which we hadn't done in soooo long. My birthday was officially complete. I felt an overwhelming sense of unworthiness to be as blessed as I am. I am so thankful that God has guided and directed me thus far. And so with His grace, I can find immense joy in the simple things. And I like that.
The festivities didn't end that night, either. The week continued to hum its happy tune of birthday joy. :) Cards, movie night with the big sis, packages with cute gifts tucked inside kept the joy alive. ;)

And now, something new is developing. Two weeks in, I'm starting to feel seventeen for the first time. And...its not quite so abnormal. Its actually....quite nice. :)
{But...I'm still me. So. I guess things aren't really all that different, after all. ;)}
 
~Through Christ's Love ♥