My 20's.....

Well, after tonight I'm officially in my "30's". It's been a good 3 decades so far...this most recent decade began with a marriage proposal, and ends with a marriage that's still going strong....and a family that's grown by 3! It's good, very good. I'm grateful for the "sheltered" life I've led. I have wonderful parents, great siblings, and a fabulous spouse & kids! What more could a woman ask for? Thanks to all the wonderful people who have befriended me along the way, too. I would be lost without my friends! Here's my life so far "at a glance":

• Jan. 26, 1977 6:34am Utah Valley Hospital (Provo, UT) Joy Kristine Fellingham is born.
• Approximately 6 weeks later I fell extremely ill with viral pneumonia. Doctors didn't give me one chance in 10 of surviving.
• 9 months later our family moved to Sequim, Washington
• Sept. 1989 we moved to Bellevue, Washington
• Sept. 1990 we moved to Provo, Utah, shortly to move to Lindon, Utah
• Jan. 1995 we moved to Lehi, Utah
• May 1995 I graduated from Pleasant Grove High School with a 3.995 GPA. (One A- ...darned Mrs. Giles!)
• Sept. 1995 I started my BYU education
• Oct. 1996 I met my sweetheart, Steve
• April 1997 I was married to Steve for eternity in the Jordan River Temple
• Jan. 4, 1999 I started working at Ernst & Young in Austin, Texas
• July 27, 1999 Kenneth Warren was born
• August 1999 I graduated with my Bachelors and Masters degrees from BYU
• November 1999 I passed the CPA exam (Yea!)
• November 1, 2002 Daniel LaVelle was born
• October 31, 2003 was my last day working at Ernst & Young in Austin
• December 2003 I started my own business as a CPA working from home
• August 3, 2005 Caitlin Joy was born
• August 2005 we moved our family to Las Vegas, Nevada

When Steve asked my dad for my hand in marriage, Dad said "Joy is young, but she has always been well beyond her years." I did life early...that's how I like to say it. My life is good, though, and I wouldn't do it any other way. This year we celebrate my 30th birthday, our 10 year wedding anniversary, and Kenneth will turn 8. It's a big year for us.

Thank you to all of you (anyone reading this) who have touched my life and affected it for the better. You have each played a part in helping me fill my life with happy memories and bright hopes for the future.

Goals I have yet to complete:

• Learn Spanish
• Learn to play each hymn in our hymnbook (on the piano)
• Make myself the kind of person/mom/wife that everyone respects and who touches others in a positive way. I want my kids to remember me as a happy, nice mom - not a mom who yells all the time. I want my husband to think of me as a kind, loving person, not a naggy wife who complains. I want my friends to feel like better people because they were my friend. (Steve says this isn't a real goal because it doesn't have a definite "completion", but it's my biggest goal nonetheless.)

Well, here's to my 30's! Bring it on!