It's hard to believe this past weekend marked the end of a decade and the beginning of a new one. I know, age is just a number, you are only as old as you feel, 50 is the new 30, blah blah blah yada yada yada but turning the age of my parents, well that has just felt weird. After all, I remember planning and celebrating their 50th birthdays and it seemed like that was just yesterday but here I am, the one who just celebrated that mile stone and I admit I have not been all that crazy about the whole thing for the past year.
As February 28 approached this past week, I started thinking about my 40s and wow, how much happened in those “short" 10 years…
In my 40s, a lot of doors were closed but a lot of doors were opened too. Jobs ended not by choice but somehow things always seemed to manage to work their way out and I always managed to be better off, even if it meant sometimes not having a job for a time.
Friendships that I thought would last a lifetime apparently were not meant to be and sadly ended but I've been blessed with new friendships as well of those that have stood the test of time. I cherish them more than ever.
Losing my childhood home in a devastating house fire one cold December night that would have killed my parents had my dad not woken up with a leg cramp 😇 and got himself and my mom out before it was too late with literally nothing more than the clothes on their backs. But just as a phoenix rises from the ashes, my parents built their dream home where the old one stood and we gained new place to make memories.
There was cancer, there was a loss but I learned to fly from the inside and when life gets you down and when all hope feels lost, to just keep swimming 🐠 and the people who care about you and love you will be there to be your floaties. I learned how to make the moments count rather than count the moments even more and was reminded that none of us are promised are a tomorrow so live, laugh, be kind, and love like crazy.
I started to run in memory of a friend and sister and ended up finally finding I was actually kinda good at something for a change. I ended up making some pretty great friends because of running, too.
My 40s would mean the home going of my dad, Papa D, and the passing of some dear friends. More losses, unimaginable heartache. But I also gained a beautiful daughter-in-law and became a Nona to a sweet little boy, both of whom have filled my heart with such love and joy when I thought there wasn't any room left to love any more. I was reunited with family whom I spent most of my teenage/adult life without or had to walk away from because of life circumstances. A heart made even more full by these blessed reunions.
So as my 40s came to a close last week, I thought of these things and was surrounded by those who make this life worth living and helped me become the person I am today. It just so happened my last day in my 40s fell on the day I usually spend with my mom. How blessed I am to have such an amazing lady to call my mom. On Friday, Paul took the day off to spend with me and after breakfast and the gym (I had to run 5.0 miles in honor of the day, of course), we headed off to Heidelberg to get Rick who was able to come home after thinking this would be my first birthday without him here. I may not have been crazy about turning 50 but knowing I would have my kids home and all of us together was one of the best presents I could have asked for. On Saturday, I ran a cold and snowy race and even won an AG award, something I thought would be a thing of the past now that I am in a new group. Nice way to start my new decade! And later in the day, the most amazing birthday celebration to remember with those who mean the most to me (minus a few who weren't able to make it). Blessed beyond measure.
God truly is good…all the time.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the cards, gifts, texts, messages, phone calls, and Facebook posts. To know that so many people cared enough to take even just a minute out of their busy day to wish me a happy birthday reminded how truly blessed I am to have such amazing friends and family. So what started as day I wasn't really "feeling it" and not looking forward to for various reasons turned in to such an amazing day so from the bottom of my heart, thank you to each and every one who made this birthday a day to truly remember. I tried to thank you all personally so please forgive if I happened to miss your post. I had so many it was hard to keep up!
#WhenICountMyBlessingsIcountYouTwice #50IsTheNewWhat?
As February 28 approached this past week, I started thinking about my 40s and wow, how much happened in those “short" 10 years…
In my 40s, a lot of doors were closed but a lot of doors were opened too. Jobs ended not by choice but somehow things always seemed to manage to work their way out and I always managed to be better off, even if it meant sometimes not having a job for a time.
Friendships that I thought would last a lifetime apparently were not meant to be and sadly ended but I've been blessed with new friendships as well of those that have stood the test of time. I cherish them more than ever.
Losing my childhood home in a devastating house fire one cold December night that would have killed my parents had my dad not woken up with a leg cramp 😇 and got himself and my mom out before it was too late with literally nothing more than the clothes on their backs. But just as a phoenix rises from the ashes, my parents built their dream home where the old one stood and we gained new place to make memories.
There was cancer, there was a loss but I learned to fly from the inside and when life gets you down and when all hope feels lost, to just keep swimming 🐠 and the people who care about you and love you will be there to be your floaties. I learned how to make the moments count rather than count the moments even more and was reminded that none of us are promised are a tomorrow so live, laugh, be kind, and love like crazy.
I started to run in memory of a friend and sister and ended up finally finding I was actually kinda good at something for a change. I ended up making some pretty great friends because of running, too.
My 40s would mean the home going of my dad, Papa D, and the passing of some dear friends. More losses, unimaginable heartache. But I also gained a beautiful daughter-in-law and became a Nona to a sweet little boy, both of whom have filled my heart with such love and joy when I thought there wasn't any room left to love any more. I was reunited with family whom I spent most of my teenage/adult life without or had to walk away from because of life circumstances. A heart made even more full by these blessed reunions.
So as my 40s came to a close last week, I thought of these things and was surrounded by those who make this life worth living and helped me become the person I am today. It just so happened my last day in my 40s fell on the day I usually spend with my mom. How blessed I am to have such an amazing lady to call my mom. On Friday, Paul took the day off to spend with me and after breakfast and the gym (I had to run 5.0 miles in honor of the day, of course), we headed off to Heidelberg to get Rick who was able to come home after thinking this would be my first birthday without him here. I may not have been crazy about turning 50 but knowing I would have my kids home and all of us together was one of the best presents I could have asked for. On Saturday, I ran a cold and snowy race and even won an AG award, something I thought would be a thing of the past now that I am in a new group. Nice way to start my new decade! And later in the day, the most amazing birthday celebration to remember with those who mean the most to me (minus a few who weren't able to make it). Blessed beyond measure.
God truly is good…all the time.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the cards, gifts, texts, messages, phone calls, and Facebook posts. To know that so many people cared enough to take even just a minute out of their busy day to wish me a happy birthday reminded how truly blessed I am to have such amazing friends and family. So what started as day I wasn't really "feeling it" and not looking forward to for various reasons turned in to such an amazing day so from the bottom of my heart, thank you to each and every one who made this birthday a day to truly remember. I tried to thank you all personally so please forgive if I happened to miss your post. I had so many it was hard to keep up!
#WhenICountMyBlessingsIcountYouTwice #50IsTheNewWhat?
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| Loved spending the last day of my 40s with my mom. |
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| The cake we forgot to bring out at the party. |
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| My family, my hearts. The best birthday present was having them all home. |
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