After four kids, ten moves and nearly two decades, we are still blissfully in love (most of the time) and I found myself back in the state I was born and raised in. It has definitely been a journey. In fact, on our 18th anniversary we pulled the last of our stuff up over the pass and into Montana, leaving our surprise love, Idaho, behind. But Montana is a great place. The last best place according to some. And we fully intend to explore as much of it as we can! Join us on our continued adventure through life, love and other stuff that comes with it.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

FORTY!



So, I went and turned 40.


At first I thought it was kind of rude all sneaking up on me like that. 

But that was two years ago when I turned 38.  Somehow that was harder than turning 40. 

Or now I am just tired and don’t care.  We have moved several times since then.  That wears a girl out, actually.

Usually my birthday isn’t a big deal.  I’m not one to make my birthday a big deal at least.  The people who know when my birthday is and who care enough to tell me they are thinking of me on that day always make a point to do so.  But in all honesty, I have no idea when most of their birthdays are and have some guilt about that.  So I don’t make a big deal about mine, but it is always a totally great day regardless of who does or does not remember my birthday. 

But this year my sneaky husband changed all that.  He decided that the milestone should be recognized and made some strategic phone calls.  He even went so far as to have one of the kids hijack my phone so he could get numbers out of it.  Sneaky man.

I got phone calls and messages and emails and all that for the whole day. I got some birthday wishes before my birthday and they kept rolling in for about a week afterwards. Upwards of 50 people wished me happy birthday.  It was incredible and made me smile all day long.  The husband did well.  (And I may have told about half of them when HE turns 40!  Ha!)

He also got me an incredible gift.  But that is going to have to wait for now because it isn’t ready yet. It deserves its own post.  It really is that good.

Now what is a girl to do with this year of 40?  It happens that my birthday also falls during all the crazy holiday stuff.  I have put some thought into it, like I usually do.  One year I was going for better every day.  This year, I am going with that same theme I think. 

It is going to be AWESOME. 

That’s it.  Just AWESOME.  Awesomeness is going to rule this year.  And I am dragging the husband and kids along with me.

**Insert evil laugh here**

I have no idea what that looks like yet, but I will keep you posted.

A couple ideas:

Say yes—not to all the little things that suck your energy and fill up your schedule (I do need to take on a few of those now that I am new again), but to the new people and new and great experiences we have an opportunity to meet and find.  I was talking to a new acquaintance last week and she mentioned a few things that we are going to be all over—like learning how to pack.  As in put a bunch of stuff on a horse and ride into the wilderness for a few days.  And archery class.  Sign me up.  That sounds fun!  And my kids are always coming up with crazy ideas.  Like temporary tattoo musthaches.  


So why not?  Let’s do it.  And I will drag the husband along as well.  Oh wait, he is the instigator of craziness most of the time ... Hey!  You all smile over there! 


Fine, be weird.  But I'm taking your picture and then POSTING it!! (Maybe we are all a little crazy.)


Be deliberate--I just plain need to do this more.  Not that spontaneous and last minute are bad.  I have in fact survived and even gone so far as thrived on being spontaneous and last minute.  But I am now wondering if being more deliberate will bring it up a notch. Maybe that comes with this new age of mine. 

The husband has been bringing me flowers pretty regularly since we moved into this house.  That seems pretty deliberate.  And I like it.  So it isn't all bad I guess.   


And if we are going to have these horses, we are going to have to ride them.  A lot.




Even when there is snow on the ground!

Be creative—Is there a better way to get something done?  Is there a more fun way to get from point A to point B?  Let’s figure it out.  And drag the kids and the husband along.  Because that is AWESOME.  Right now for history Brent is reading the kids some really great historical fiction.  They are loving it, he is loving it, and I am loving it because it makes my life easier because the kids are learning and I am cleaning up the kitchen.  That is creative!  And I want to make a timeline that wraps around a room in our house that the kids can add historical events to when they learn about them.  It is accessible and all in one place.  That is AWESOME!

I am sure that I will come up with a few other ideas along the way.  And part of this whole awesome thing is getting back to feeling better.  I’ll be honest, this last year was tough.  It was really tough in a lot of ways.  Living without a husband makes me not sleep.  And when I don’t sleep, everything goes downhill fast for me and everyone else along with me.  So, I am working on getting back to feeling good and being good and making life good. And dragging everyone along with me back up that hill. 

Except we are going to surpass good and jump right to AWESOME.

And I know all the way to the core of my being that it is going to be AWESOME.

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