A letter from my Husband explains best how my 30 years have been. I’ve been so blessed! I achieved my goal of traveling to 30 countries before turning 30 years old. I’m proud to say at the age of 30 years old, I’ve now been to 35 countries.

Dear Sally,

30 years young. No other person that I’ve known has overcome the odds and hardships to blossom into the beautiful successful woman that you are today.

Decade #1

Your first decade of life was run by poverty, hardships, trauma, and hunger. An experience no child should endure. You were picking up change on the street to feed yourself and your siblings some ramen. Later on, you were separated from them. This is when you were placed in a group home and bounced around foster homes. At this point, many would’ve written you off and would’ve never given you a chance. But nobody has ever met you, Sally!

Decade #2

Your second decade was a blessing. Someone with a massive heart that oozes with passion to help those that many would have just written off came along Laurie Jo Wallace. Laurie Jo knew she had something special the day she met you. She believed in you and knew what you could become. She integrated you with her giant network of friends and family that have nothing but love to show to a young Sally. A great Mother who passed on her innate sensation for adventure down to you. A mother who adopted you as a single mother to show you a better life. Not many people would have done what she did but she is truly a special woman.

Then this amazing man by the name of Barry Bock came into your life, your father. A great father figure who was always there for you during all the highs and lows. Barry has the most amazing ability to say the right things at the right time. Setting the standard high for all of us but I’m glad to learn from the best. Barry will drop everything to help you at any moment and time. A remarkable man and father.

You then went on to be an amazing athlete; president of your high school class to becoming a student and graduate of Clark University. Who would’ve thought that when they saw you picking up change on the street? But again, nobody has ever met you, Sally!

Decade #3

This decade was when you proved to everyone what a person, when given a chance can flourish into. All your hard work paid off. Nothing was ever handed to you. You worked hard and that is why you are who you are today. A college graduate with a great career and a bad case of the travel bug. You accomplished a feat that many never accomplish in a lifetime, by visiting 30 countries before you turned 30. You launched your travel blog and amassed a huge following on @tiktok and @Instagram. Now everyone can view all your adventures and follow all your travel, lifestyle, and resiliency tips. Who would’ve thought all this was possible for a child who came from a group home? Everyone can believe it now because everyone knows about you, Sally!

So today we pop the cork and enjoy your favorite sparkling wine in wine country @napavalley. Fitting for an extraordinary 30 years of life.

So on this day we celebrate you my beautiful wife for a remarkable 30 years and for many more to come.

Sincerely,
Your #1 fan and Husband
Alan