23

23

23 was the year I was anticipating.

After not feeling like myself for nearly a year and struggling with certain aspects of my last year of college, I decided that my twenty third year of life was going to be different. I made a pact to myslef to make it one of the best years of my life. Sometimes that is all you have to do. Sometimes all you need to do is say you want things to change and they do in ways we never imagined.

Why look forward to being 23?

To start, it is my golden birthday and I love my birthday. My parents always made a big deal out of it so that I never felt neglected being a Christmas baby. So it just happened to be my golden birthday when I wanted things to change in my life. That was reason enough for me to celebrate!

That year changed my life.

The love of my life proposed in Fiji while we were on our way to a glorious four months of living in Australia.

We put our fresh college degrees on hold while we played in the wineries of Australia and befriended their culture.

We were married four months after we were back in the states. Why wait when you know you want to spend the rest of your life together?

And to top that all off, two months before the big day I was diagnosed with celiac disease.

My year as the age of 23 was a whirlwind of emotions, full of adventure, and life altering. My life as I knew it before was a distant memory. No more pasta, bread, or cereal. At least none made from wheat, rye, or barley. A new last name really did feel like a new identity. I was discouraged, angry, and felt all alone.

That is why I am writing this. I want to talk to more people like me. I want to try to make life a little easier for someone else. I want to share the freedom I have found living gluten free.