My Next 40 years...

So today I turn 40. I used to think that was old. Now, I am wiser.

It’s a number. It’s my age. It’s how many years I have been blessed with life.

This past weekend my husband and friends surprised with me with a surprise party. Of course, Bryan wasn’t here; he left for San Francisco for 2 weeks the morning of the party. They outdid themselves.

One thing that was most special is that they put together a DVD photomontage to music of my life thus far. My wonderful parents were even in on the picture gathering. I saw pictures of myself as a child that I don’t remember, or have not seen. It all came together beautifully and made me realize that life is good.

I was blessed with a wonderful family. My parents provided us with good times, happiness, and love. Even though they dressed my sister and I up in some “righteous” outfits, we had some great times.

I saw pictures of friends from my childhood. Friends I hadn’t thought of or seen in years. I am talking many years. It was kind of like a key had been put in my brain and unlocked floods of memories that had been put on the backburner to make room for more recent memories.

It brought back memories of dance recitals, school dances, bad hair, big glasses, and my childhood pups George and LuLu. Funny hairstyles, funny clothes, Meredith the turtle, Baby Anne (my favorite baby doll ever that I still have in the top of Jackson’s closet in a box). Times with girlfriends on our houseboat… the beach… and proms.

Graduating high school, and on to college, meeting Bryan, and falling in love. First apartments, wedding, moving, children, and more friends.

I guess when you go through life day to day, life just happens. You tend to get caught up in the day-to-day functions of your life and rarely take the time to open up the vault and just simply remember.

The greatest gift was being handed the key. The key that opened up a flood of memories of a pretty charmed kind of life.

I am so blessed. I have friends new and old, I have a husband that loves me and we have two beautiful children. I have a family that has loved and guided me to this point in my life to be a loving caring woman, mother, and child.

So looking forward, in my next 40 years, I will continue to appreciate my life, my loves, my friends, and my family. I will keep taking those insane amounts of photos so that on any given day I can pull out that “key” and open up the memory bank and relive some special times.

In my next 40 years, I will never ever take for granted how lucky I am, past, present and future!

It really is laughable

The last 10 days, that is.

Last I posted, the boys (all 3 of them) were sick. Lets see for a recount, Nate started with a stomach virus, and then Jackson with the cold Flu. Then Bryan with the stomach virus. Then me with the stomach thing, then back to the Dr for the boys and Nate has the flu... see? comical!

So we got to Saturday, everyone seemed to be feeling better. Sunday we skipped church because I didn't want anyone enclosed in a room with my family. But everyone was on the mend, and we even all were outside working in the yard and getting some much needed fresh air.

Monday, blessed Monday, Jackson went back to school, Nathan was back in to everything and being himself, and I got to work. Life is improving.

Tuesday morning Jackson woke up and said his stomach hurt. I gave him some Pepto and sent him to school. No fever, no puke you go. By 9am I had a call from the school nurse. Jackson had pulled the Exorcist puke in the classroom. Oops, bad call mom. So I throw Nate in the car (along with a small trash can because after all this is a new car) and off we go to get him. Jackson is home again today (Wednesday). Stomach Virus.

Did I mention laughable? I am just kinda in this funky fog of going through the day doing laundry, spraying Lysol, and trying to keep whomever is sick out of everyone's personal space. This to shall pass. I know I keep saying that but it seems to mean This to shall pass to everyone in the house.

On the bright side, I think I've finished our taxes and while we're not getting a big refund, we get enough from one side to pay the other side, so we're breaking even. That's what we're supposed to do, right? Everyone says its best to break even to have maximized your funds. I guess I'm just happy we don't have to pay out of pocket, but a big fat refund WOULD be nice right about now. But, I will NOT complain!

Other than that you are caught up on my family news. I can't believe it is February already. Time never really stands still anymore... unless your entire house is sick! LOL

Healthy vibes to you all!