twenty-six

today I am officially 26 years old.

I say "officially" because I've been trying it on and answering the "how old are you" question with "26" for the past few weeks. I like the way it sounds, and so far I've had good luck with it. I look younger then my age and though people questioned 25, no one has said anything about 26.
I'm finally on this side of my twenties, headed on to 30. I welcome the new year and if the trend of each year being better then the last continues then this is bound to be a good one.

I arrived to the world a few weeks early (I make no promises that the early thing will ever happen again) and didn't tip the scales much beyond 4lbs, but was healthy enough to get away with only a few extra days in the hospital. The cold winter didn't scare my parents and I grew to love layers and being wrapped in several blankets.


(the original polaroid says: Kristen and Linwood, Jan 11th 1980)

Today is bittersweet for me though, as the gentleman in this picture died on my sixth birthday. He was a phenominal honorary uncle who loved my family as his own and the smell of a pipe still takes me back to sitting in his kitchen with a homemade cookie straight from one of his vintage collectable cookie jars. The irony of his death on my birthday is something I take the time to think about today and our family has a grand time retelling his stories.

The holidays are a wonderful time for my immediate family as we have waaaay too much fun together. I wish you all a wonderful weekend and the happiest of holidays!