Thoughts on the big 4-0

Well, it has arrived.  The day I knew would be here all year.... It's my happy birfday.  So far, it is just like every other day.... just one year older.  I still woke up to the husband bringing in a cup of coffee, made with extra beans, because today was Thursday, and my birthday so... well.... he figured I could use the extra beans.  This morning I had a toddler next to me too... again, pretty normal...

There have been some differences in the day.......  everyone said Happy Birthday to me when they woke up, except Jeremiah....  He just wanted ice cream for breakfast, and threw a fit when I said no.... but that is normal. There were Happy Birthday posts on my facebook wall.... that doesn't happen every day.  I am sure though that it is going to pretty normal around here, I am still going to have to decide what to make for dinner.

This birthday has me in a bit of a nostalgic mood....  wistfully looking back to birthday milestones of years past.

There was my sweet sixteen.  We turned the garage into a malt shoppe.... dressed up in poodle skirts, ate burgers, and listened to Elvis.  It was the day I received my first flowers.  Dad wanted to be the first guy to ever buy his girls flowers.... so he did that for each of us on our sweet sixteens.  I still remember who was there.... Dale Rawlinson, Roger Korsten, Amy Larmor, Stacey Miller,  Rodney Bogue, Jeff Miller, Ray McGonigle,  Beth and Marshall Smith, Chris and Joel Croll...  Kelly Gabel,  Renee Bogue and Stacy Bowman... worked on a little dance number, Mrs Bowman made them poodle skirts.  It was very cool.  Amy..... Where is that picture of everyone on the lawn?  Can you send it so I can post it?

Then there was 18.... 
There is no photographic evidence of this birthday.  We were at Disneyland as a family. I remember we were ready to walk out the door of the hotel, and mom gave me my present.  It was a gold rope bracelet.  After I opened it, she announced that birthday was over!.... and it was time to go to Disneyland. (I must say that mom denies making this statement to this day.... but as an adult, I can totally see her saying it to be funny....) According to my friend Stacey Miller, this was deemed an absolutely horrid thing to be told on my birthday, even if it was spent in Disneyland.  She then organized a surprise party at her house with our friends.  We played pictionary with a HUGE tablet in the front living room....I can see in my mind her mom leaning on the counter in the kitchen talking  to us all as we came in for refills, I can hear her dad calling me "Julie-Bird", and I think he dug out some old family videos and pictures with me in them to make sure I was good and embarrassed.  .......good times, real good times.

21......
This one sort of fades in the memory...  I think it was around the time my then fiance broke up with me.  I probably had a quiet dinner and cake at mom and dad's.

30......
this one is blurry too... I am sure it was celebrated at The Fish Market, with the whole family, and with the all time classic:  Chocolate Peppermint Cake.

39....
The last birthday with dad.  I will say it was hard to be in a festive mood.  We did cake, mostly because it was a distraction from what was really going on.  I think we all breathed a sigh of relief when the day was over, and he was still alive.

40........
you have read the happenings so far.  If something exciting happens... I reserve the right to edit this post and update you all. (update 10/15... We ended up having a family dinner at IHOP.... not so terribly thrilling of a location, but kids meals are free, and I am always up for saving money.  My hubby got me an ice cream cake that said "Just cresting the Hill" ... he is so cute. There were a few gifts: chocolate, candles, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.... my family knows me well. )

The other thing this birthday has me doing is thinking about my own mortality.  Odd you may say, to think of death on the day you celebrate your life, but my own life, and the lives of people close to me have been touched with death lately.... and many of those who have passed have not been that old.  When people that are only 11 or 20 years older than you are dying.... you begin to ask yourself questions about the legacy YOU are leaving.  You begin to ask yourself if you are really making good use of the time you have today, in this hour, because you are not guaranteed anything more.  I wonder if I am doing all God created me to do.....


Ok... enough of this introspective talk.  It is time to go and make a cake.... Chocolate Peppermint , of course.... and decide what I am going to make for dinner, and maybe take the kids to the park.