My Fourtieth Birthday

Today was my birthday. I am now the big 40. I am now considered middle-aged. I do not mind as much as I pretend to. Turning 40 was not the biggest birthday I ever celebrated I can say, because turning old enough to drive the best one yet.

On my birthday I actually woke up at 6:30 am. It was the normal time I awaken everyday. I thought for sure I would be sleeping in, but boy was I mistaken. It seems that no matter what I do, use of earplugs, turning off the alarm, it does not really help me sleep any longer, than normal. Since I have a husband that snores, I use ear plugs. I have been doing this for several weeks now, and it seems to work for the most part. I thought for sure I was going to sleep and sleep on the morning of my birthday.

I think the first thought I had was one of being older. I was officially older, and I did not look at it as a death sentence but more of a mature awakening. Now I could stand amongst others and have the satisfaction that if I were to speak, others might acknowledge me, a little more. They might actually take what I have to say as a guide for their thinking. It was all just a brief thought, and one that did not really fit in anywhere.

I got up out of bed, and went to wash my face. I was noticing the one wrinkle I have on the top of my nose, between my brows. I cannot get it to diminish, even though I use daily, moisturizer cream. I have tried and tried to focus on this spot when I apply my daily moisturizer cream, but to no avail it has not made a difference, yet. For some reason this was the thought I was having at 7:00 am in the morning as I peered at myself in the bathroom mirror. Was that not odd , the first thing that concerned me about it being my day to be older, was looking at my wrinkle, my one wrinkle.

After washing my face and brushing through my hair, I then went to check on the dogs and let them out to go potty. I fed my cat some wet food, because he will sing to me, all morning long if I do not feed him. He looks forward to this type of food first thing in a day.

As I looked around and gathered more thoughts, I heard my husband stirring around, he was now up and at it as well. He made us a fresh pot of coffee, and I scrambled to wash and dry some clothes loads I still had left to do. This day started normally, there was no big bang, no burst of emotions, it was just normal.

Still in the early morning hours, I woke all the kids, because I wanted them to get up and dressed so they could play in the snow that had fallen through the night. This snow fall was not really big, maybe it was just a couple inches if that much, but the kids loved to sled down our hill in the front yard, and they loved the snow. Snow on my birthday, wow.
I thought God gave me some snow, to remind me that things can be bright if only we look for them to be. Snow is pure, it is white, and it is refreshing. I liked that and I correlated it to my birthday, and its meaning for me.

What a better birthday could one have asked for. I saw a lovely card from my spouse first thing, and I received a lovely card from my children. The words expressed what they thought of me, and what I meant to them. It was perfect. The cards were all I really wanted but I got so much more.

My back had been acting up, and I was experiencing some discomfort in my mobility, and everyone in my family made an extra effort to help me get things done and if I needed something they would help there to. Because it was my birthday, I had a special made cake from my husband. He made it with chocolate icing and decorated it as well. The children helped him. On the cake it said "Happy Birthday, Michelle". I was delighted.

After taking some pictures, we headed out the door to go to town. I needed to get a few things I had not gotten previously, and my husband wanted me to get a new laptop, for my birthday, and he wanted my opinion on choosing one. I was eager but I really just though of how lucky I was to have such a caring family.

The evening was great, my husband made me some steak, with bake potatoes, and rolls. He knows I like my steak, and it was good too. The children were happy, and I was happy to see him make this meal. He spent a pretty penny for all that meat. I sure did appreciate it. The night time came so soon, before I knew it, it was almost time for my birthday to end. I had a great day, and one that I will cherish, and one I wanted to share.

No it was not dinner at a lavish restaurant, and a dozen roses, on a yacht somewhere, but it was my 40th birthday, and it was sent doing what I love best, being with a family that I love and loves me.