It is no secret to my closest people, that birthdays are a big deal to me. Each year, I go into my birthday, trying hard not to be a diva, but each year I have high expectations for how my birthday (aka, my day), should unfold.

Last year, I had a work commitment on my birthday, so Dillon and I decided to celebrate together the night before. I was about 10 weeks pregnant and eating whatever the heck I craved, so we did a food crawl, starting with Sushi from the mall, then going to to Chic-fil-a, and ending with frozen yogurt.

No one said that my transition into 26 would be subtle.

And each year, I try to take some space to reflect on the past year of my life, because I don't want to miss things that God is trying to show me, simply because I'm too consumed with looking ahead. What I've realized is that this past year held so many lessons for me; as a wife, a mom, and a creator. I grew a lot. I failed a lot. And I learned A TON! So, here is a brief summary of some lessons gleaned from being twenty-six:

Things I've Learned From My 26th Year

The home-buying process is not for the faint of heart (and neither are home renovations): What Chip & Joanna Gaines can pull off in a one-hour episode takes a billions times longer when you're Dillon and Ashley Sider.
Motherhood is a game changer: I always thought that I would enjoy being a mom, but I seriously underestimated just how much this role would fill my heart.
Being "put together" and "organized" 100% of the time is not real life: I've always prided myself in being a prepared person (see Self-Discipline and Rows of Ducks), but living a life that is constantly "in-line" is not relatable. What is relatable? Messy kitchens, yesterday's make-up, and granola bars for breakfast.
Never under-estimate the power of a bubble bath and dark chocolate: Even when it takes 2 months for that bathtub to be installed (see #1), it's worth it.
Baby powder is a great temporary solution to unwashed hair: Key-word being "temporary".
No one knows what they are doing: I've second-guessed myself more times than I can count during my 26th year. I've googled, texted, called, and prayed for all of the right answers and ideas, and at the end of the day, realized we're all just figuring things out as we go. If we let it, the fear of failure can keep us from experiencing greatness.
Its never too late to try something new.
Vehicles are less-reliable than an 8th grade boyfriend: This year was a rough one when it came to the Sider vehicles. You name it, we fixed it.
Learning contentment will change how you see everything.
Take time to declutter: You've only got one life, and it is a precious gift. Treat it as such. Make sure its filled with the things that reflect who you want to be and the life you are seeking to cultivate.

This year has been filled with more transitions and changes and projects and ideas than any of my other years thus far. I'm thankful to say that I'm embarking on year 27 with so much excitement and possibility for the work that God is doing in my life and my family and can't wait to share more in the weeks and months ahead.