Posted By FarmerJ on October 16, 2009

Yesterday was a big day ~ a milestone.  I made it to the forty yard line.  I turned the big [gasp!] four-zero; I am now over the hill.  And, you know what?  The grass is greener on the other side!

Sure, I remained in denial up until the very last millisecond ~ denied I was turning 40…denied I was even having a birthday at all.  But, in all seriousness, I wouldn’t trade this birthday for anything.

I cannot imagine giving up all those years of life experiences, good and bad.  I’ve learned so much from them, and those experiences are what have shaped and molded me into who I am.  If I were 20 again, I wouldn’t be ‘me’ today, right?!  It’s funny now to think back to when I was 20 ~ how I thought I was finally all grown up and had everything all figured out.  Twenty years later, what I’ve figured out is just how ignorant and naive that young girl was…way back then.

Yesterday, I spent a lot of the day reflecting.  And you know what?  The reflections were bright and beautiful!  While the thirty-somethings were good, I know [because I'm older and wiser now] the forty-somethings are going to be great!  I have a wonderful life.  The Lord has given me not one, but two of life’s greatest blessings.  How blessed am I to have actually found the one man on this earth who was truly made for me.  How blessed am I to have a son who doesn’t think I will ‘officially’ be old until I reach the age of 60.  I actually want to and look forward to growing old with them!  There’s icing on the cake, too.  I’ve been blessed with good friends.

Darling Husbie started celebrating early by bringing all my prizes home Wednesday night.  My Beloved truly outdid himself this time.  He tells me he combined my birthday gift with our upcoming 10-year anniversary gift ~ even so, I am still in awe and don’t feel I am worthy of it.  Maybe he will give me the next 10 years to live up to it!

My boy, the soon-to-be 18 year old, showered me with gifts of love ~ straight from the heart and into the tummy!  My very own quart of Blue Bunny Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream [my favorite!] and an 8-pack of Snickers bars to name a couple.  Who knew he even paid attention to little things anymore?!  But…doesn’t the metabolism begin to slow down at 40?  Perhaps I should be careful and devour these treats more slowly, too, then.

My friends showered me with prizes from head…er…mouth to toe.  Cards that made me cry from beautiful sentiments; cards that made me cry from hysterical humor.  Trinkets and treasures that I know were picked out with love just for me; a lunch and a pedicure to pamper me.

I declined Darling Husbie’s offer to take me out for dinner.  Instead, I asked him if he ~ my loving Grill Meister ~ would be willing to grill me a steak at home.  He obliged, of course.  I threw together a couple of quick sides of Butternut Squash and Green-Eyed Peas, both fresh from our garden.  My Beloved, my boy and I at the dinner table ~ complete with the Mon-kay meowing, Abigail whimpering and quivering, and Peanut drooling…they never get any table scraps, poor things.  It was the best birthday dinner ever!

Dad always told me I live the life of a fairytale.  I think he’s right ~ and I pray I can live out another forty years…happily ever after!  ♥

Thank you, Lord, for my many riches!

Categories: Plainly Ponderings
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