Turning Twenty-Eight

I don’t normally post about it being my birthday, but something about this Birthday feels more “milestoney”, whilst it actually isn’t a milestone at all. The past year has been the best of my life with so many highlights, I felt like I couldn’t not post about what an absolute delight being 27 was, and what life may bring turning 28.

I used to get a little bit depressed about my birthday – after 20 I’ve actually hated my age. Turning 21 was depressing and it’s only this year that I’m actually feeling positive about what good things do come with age too. There’s been too many highlights to cover for being 27 – so I’ve picked some obvious standouts for the year.

The big thing that happened turning 27 was obviously getting married in June. The big day was one thing itself, but the lead up to it was another. In February I had my hen do weekend with all of my favourite girls (and guy!) and friends who I hadn’t seen in years and it was a wonderful weekend in Cambridge I’ll never forget (whilst I should maybe try to forget the emotional part on the dance floor at the end where I told everyone individually how much I loved them and cried, cause that weren’t a cute look).

The hours of planning that went up to the wedding in the last few months were all worth the stress and late nights. Painting a big wooden pallet on our living room floor, practice flower centrepieces, pouring endless melted wax into candles and having to pull together an emergency table plan a few days before as the original plan failed. It was stressful and I’d do it all again (exactly the same) in a heartbeat. It was the perfect day, with perfect weather (dare I say the best weather there was all of last year), and by the end of the night, my jaw was aching from smiling so much. The day was completely us, a more casual menu and hopefully, a vibe that wasn’t formal and was more about having fun. I still haven’t been able to finish my wedding posts but if there are any bits you’re interested in hearing about let me know, so far I’ve only covered how I chose my dress and what the dress shopping experience was like.

Leading on from the wedding came the honeymoon, our first trip to Asia which won’t be our last. Spending a few days in Kuala Lumpur in quite frankly the worst weather I’ve ever experienced and eating all of the food, before nearly missing our taxi to take us to the airport for our final 11 days in Bali. Bali in the short time we were there feels like it changed me as a person, and I’m now as I’m writing this up realising I never finished off my travel posts from that part of the honeymoon. I’ve never felt more at home somewhere, the people and culture put me entirely at ease and I’d love to go back again in future. I’ve told Ben it’s where I’d like to retire to one day and as long as it doesn’t become an island ruined by tourism I’ll make that my goal.

Returning home made me feel completely happy and at ease. When people ask how married life is, I always answer – “same as before”, but in actual fact, that’s a lie. I feel this intense contentment, somehow I manage to keep loving Ben a little bit more every day. The past few months have been a bit of a rollercoaster, some good, lots of bad, and some points where life has felt paused whilst we’ve just been ‘waiting’. There’s been a job change for me, but each day when it has been hard we’ve had each other to lean on whilst at points we’ve needed it more than ever. This is the year I actually feel like I’ve grown up and feel settled.

So, Twenty Eight.

The year I can no longer clutch into being mid-twenties as I had been doing – and have to admit that I’m in the late category. I’m working really hard in my new role doing digital project co-ordination as I’ve walked away from “the doing”, and instead of telling other people how what and when to do, and plan to keep moving forward and working hard to find myself grafting into a management role. Turns out I’m actually a really organised person and can troubleshoot problems, get other people organised and have a good handle on many projects and people at once. I definitely didn’t know that was me a year ago.

The past week we got ourselves approved for buying our next home and putting our current one on the market. We bought our house at 23, and moved in aged 24. We’ve outgrown our two bed with two dogs and we’re looking at a nice big four bed for us to grow into over the next 10 years. With one that’s potentially in the running which we viewed over the weekend, which I fall in love with the more I think about it.

The whole house thing has come about a bit sooner in the year than we planned originally – but seeing a property come onto the market was a kick up the bum we needed. We had planned this year we’re really hopeful we can go to Canada to visit one of our best friends Jon, and his girlfriend Hayley. Whether we actually manage a major house upgrade and a long haul holiday in one year might not be achievable but we will see what we manage to pull off. I hope we can!

Even without the trip to Canada, we have some really fun and exciting things coming up. We’re away this weekend in Southwold in Norfolk for my birthday and making gin whilst we’re there, I have a day in London with Ben’s Mum, Nan and Sister seeing Dreamgirls, I’m wedding dress shopping for my sisters wedding over May Bank Holiday, going to watch Sam Smith at the O2 in April and spending our anniversary weekend in London with my sister and her fiancé (and Ben of course), as Ben somehow managed to win a competition to play football with a friend at Wembley (of course on our bloody anniversary)… being the good wife I am I said he could do it being a once in a lifetime opportunity (and I’m hoping me and Becca can get some footage for You’ve Been framed whilst we “support”). All in all, it’s shaping up to be a pretty good year and that only takes me up to the start of June, I am hoping by the time I’m greeting turning 29 we will be well settled into a new home with two pooches (maybe three, I want a sausage dog more every day 🤞🏼) curled at my feet.

Twenty-Eight you’re looking pretty great already.

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Helpless Whilst Drying

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15 Comments

  1. February 1, 2018 / 8:28 am

    What a lovely post to read 😍 sounds like being 28 is shaping up to a good year already! Xxx

  2. February 1, 2018 / 9:18 am

    This is such a beautiful post Rachael <3 when times get tough it's nice to have someone to lean on and someone you know is there for you no matter what. Here's to an amazing year ahead! x

  3. February 1, 2018 / 1:43 pm

    Happy birthday! Lovely post to read—a reminder that we all need to take the time to reflect on our lives and appreciate what we have. Glad you had a 27th year to remember, and here’s to many, many more 🙂

  4. February 1, 2018 / 2:29 pm

    Happy Birthday Rachael! 🙂
    So great to read about how lovely you’re finding married life!
    Good luck on the house!

  5. February 1, 2018 / 4:16 pm

    Happy Birthday! Sounds like you are going to be busy this year as well!

  6. February 1, 2018 / 5:59 pm

    Happy birthday! A great post with beautiful photos. 27 was a great year for you and sounds like 28 will be good too! Good luck with the house (and the sausage dog! 🐶)

  7. Nadine
    February 2, 2018 / 10:29 am

    Congratulations on your birthday! I loved reading this post. It was such a fresh perspective on birthdays. I love the seating chart and the decor you had at your wedding. 🙂 All the best for the house hunt and I hope that 28 will live up to 27. 🙂 x

  8. February 8, 2018 / 11:22 am

    I started to hate my age when I turned 21 too uggh !
    I hope you and Ben have the best years together 🙂
    This was such a lovely read.

  9. February 9, 2018 / 10:13 pm

    Aaw happy belated birthday! I hope you had a lovely day. Last year was great for you but this year sounds great too xx

  10. emilyryann
    February 18, 2018 / 7:27 pm

    Your wedding looked incredible! I love your light bulb sign… where did you get that?😍💍 —https://emilyryannblogblog.wordpress.com/2018/02/18/wedding-venue-tips-what-i-am-doing/

    • February 18, 2018 / 8:10 pm

      Aww thank you, I designed it myself and had it printed, then we put the bulbs in ourselves! I pretty much made everything myself for our wedding!

  11. tobeadultish
    March 17, 2018 / 12:41 am

    This is going to make you laugh, but when I turned 20 I was certain life was over… and I am almost 24 and now I just think about how much of a nut I was Lol

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