31 never felt so…similar to the past 4 years. I think I have come to the conclusion I don’t feel like I’m getting old, I’m just figuring things out now. I realize I am in control of my life, what makes me happy and getting what I want. It’s a very liberating feeling and it adds excitement to my life, seeing how I can makes things happen for myself and the progress I have made in the past 5 years.
31 started off great, my staff meeting at work was cancelled, so I got to work from home. I had a few calls, worked on a few projects and was able to straighten up our place before we left to go to Connecticut to see my family.
The drive home used to be painful, and an emotional roller coaster. Stepping out of my comfort zone, driving for 4-7 hours (depending on traffic), and testing the limits of my mind and my bladder. But now that it’s Greg and I, the time goes by a lot easier and faster. We aren’t a couple that need to constantly be in communication or fill every moment of silence, we can just be near each other and it’s refreshing. When I drive he does his “correspondence” and when he drives I do whatever is on my mind in that moment.
Since it was my birthday Greg offered to drive the Maryland/Delaware leg of the trip. Even though he was mentally exhausted, since it was my birthday he wanted to help with the drive, it’s not a grand gesture or a private jet ride, it for me it felt like that-it’s the little things people!!
We had a birthday dinner the night before at Verde, a pizza restaurant in Canton downtown that I saw on the food network. I love pizza and this looked like amazing brick oven pizza-it was. We got the “date night special” an app-burrata cheese salad, two personal pizzas, his- a white pork belly pizza, hers- a red with arugula, prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella AND a dessert limoncello tiramisu. I also had a birthday glass of wine. I would go back and keep going back to that place.
My birthday dinner, day of we agreed on -Le Chick Fil-a. I love me some chick fila and chick fila sauce. We got ourselves setup in my car for eating and driving and took off, and I also was able to create an adorable dipping station in my car and lay down napkins for the sauce trail as we named it. Once we got into jersey I took over the drive, well more like the end of jersey. We arrived at my parents house about 11:10pm, said hello took showers and passed out.
The next day we got up for a long day of birthday fun. We stopped and got breakfast sandwiches on hard rolls, d&d coffee and headed to Jonathan Edwards vineyard. I had been there a few times before and it’s a really beautiful location and their wines are actually good, just because someone makes wine doesn’t always mean it will be good. We did a little wine tasting, bought some bottles and headed to fords restaurant for some lobster!
I had never been to Fords before, but Dad has. Dad is a retired police officer and is now one of the delivery drivers for a plumbing company that sells high end bathroom fixtures- fancy sinks, golden toilets, and those showers that are more like car washes, so he drives regularly around the tristate area and finds hidden gem restaurants. 
The restaurant is right on a dock, with patio seating and large umbrella coverage and another seating area which is on the dock itself but wasn’t open that day. We ordered all of our favorite seafoods, crab cake for mom, mussels and clams for the rest of us and those were just our apps. If you decide to go to this restaurant it’s a byob for alcohol so go to a vineyard in the area get a few bottles and bring them! The staff gave us an ice bucket and opener(we are not the first ones to do this) and glasses. And pictured above was my hot lobster roll. There are two ways you can eat your lobster roll- cold with mayo-not my favorite, or the Connecticut way- hot covered in hot clarified butter, on a toasted butter roll-perfection!
I will say now that I live in Maryland I realize you can get crab on or i anything, and Fords is the same feel but with lobster ❤️. Highly recommend , go there now!!
After being in the sun and drinking wine, we all were in food comas and decided to head back home, 2 hour drive later and 9pm we all went to bed.
Sunday my parents were having a birthday party/BBQ so I could see the family because I don’t get to see them more than 2-3 times a year now that I live in Maryland 😢. I also invited a Few girlfriends I hadn’t seen in a while since they are just as close as family. It was great to see everyone and catch up, but it always makes me emotional. I miss being home, I miss everyone it doesn’t get easier, if anything my guilt gets worse (Irish catholic guilt, it’s paralyzing).
Greg and I hit the road at 4pm back to Maryland and started our trip back to Maryland. I always get emotional when I leave home, it’s never easy saying goodbye to your parents, especially when I am very close with them both and they rely on me for a lot of emotional support. By the time we got home I was on the upswing of my emotions we unpacked my car put my precious slices of moms birthday cake in the fridge and prepped for bed. 
Since then 31 feels like 30, I don’t feel like I need anything else or need to check any other boxes. Some people define if they have their lives together by if they are married, and have kids and a house. If that is how they feel fulfilled, great! But for me I am fulfilled by my happy and living relationship ship with Greg, my parents who love me and the rest of my family also, I have a great job and I’m healthy. Do I want other things, yes but not until the time is right.
Nikki Ginger 