Kickoff to my second quarter century

I have now been 25 for 2 full weeks...happy birthday to meeee! And I have to say, I am feeling pretty great about that. Here is the square root of 25 reasons why:

1. I can now officially rent a car without paying the ridiculous under-25 fee
2. I can use a quarter-life crisis as an excuse for any unwarranted, immature, or out of character behaviour.
3. I have not yet reached the age where I want to look/be taken for younger. I am sure it will catch up with me soon, but I still try to pass for about 27 for now. I suspect I will change my mind at 30.
4. This year has been the best year of my life so far - and not just because of my move, but because I have had the chance to reinvent myself as someone I want to kick off the next 25 as.
5. I got to ring in my birthday with some incredible friends - which feels more important than ever when your family is 2000 miles away.

Part 1 of my birthday celebration began at what I candidly call my favourite place in the world. (Don't take that too literally. I'm 25 - my favourite place can change every day.) Regular readers may recall my story about visiting Fishipz Grill at Mandy's birthday, and I held true to my promise to return for mine. Basically this is a marina bar at Pate's Ford Marina, which is 1.5 hours east of Nashville. The bar is owned by the same guy as Tootsies and a few other honkey tonks in Nashville, and gets all the same bands in for a open-air floating-dock dance party every weekend.  Racheal, Jessica, Mandy and I stayed in a teeny little cabin walking stumbling distance from Fishlipz (thanks Mom!), and just lived 44 hours of sheer lake bliss. We made friends with all the little old guys sitting on their houseboats in our morning "dock walks", with the band partying at the dock manager's houseboat after their show, and with an awesome couple, B & Lisa, who took us out on their boat and got us all up wake surfing! Suffice to say, we never wanted to leave.

The true "Happiest Place on Earth" - Fishlipz Grill

Celebrating my birthday, Fishlipz style with Mandy, Racheal,
new friend Lisa and Jessica

5 girls on a boat. Thanks B! Or was he thanking us...?

After the perfection that was the lake weekend, I sadly still had to face work on July 30th, which happened to be a Tuesday. BUT my Mom sent cupcakes from Ivey Cakes (Carrie Underwood's fave), everyone at work was nice to me (I milked that birthday thing for all it was worth), and after work 10 of my wonderful, beautiful girl friends braved the rain to go for a delicious dinner downtown.

July 30 - Dinner @ Pub5 with Jamie, Racheal from 11N,
Sarah, Kellie, Stephanie and Lindsay from CM,
Jessica, Jenny and Mandy. <3 ALL these beautiful ladies!

The fact that I have been here less than a year and have 10 friends willing to come for dinner with me kind of blows my mind, and makes me very grateful. A few of us carried onto a couple of honkey tonks after dinner, because for my first birthday in Nashville, it seemed only fitting that a Broadway cover band should sing me happy birthday. And they did.

Ringing in 25 on the stage at Honkey Tonk Central!

I can not say thank you enough to all of my friends and family who made me feel so special, near and far. Two weeks in now, and 25 is feeling good. 24 was a pretty awesome year, and I don't know how 25 can possibly top it, but I am willing and excited to try. Bring it on!