Birthday Reflection

Happy Birthday – to ME! Since today is my 58th birthday, I am reflecting on the many blessings in my life. First, I am grateful that I actually woke up this morning and am able to enjoy the day – whatever it may bring.

My favorite adult birthday memory was a “surprise party” that Belinda planned for me with the help of her two great aunts – Edythe and Elsie. It was for my 40th birthday and my FIRST surprise party. It was a special day for two reasons – it was Belinda’s idea and it was the first time that my divorced parents were in the same room at the same time. Belinda was all of 9 years old so it was amazing that she got the whole thing together. Of course, the fact that I arrived in sweats and a tee shirt because I thought I was “stopping by” to help with something at the fire house was a little horrifying but funny since I almost didn’t arrive at the party. When I arrived, Belinda started to cry because she took the look of surprise for a look of “being mad” and didn’t understand that the tears were tears of joy. The next was the decorations – “OVER THE HILL” theme everywhere. Belinda picked them out. So the standing joke is if I was “over the hill at 40” what am I now? It was a great day and I was overwhelmed by the love from family and friends.

As a child, there are lots of memories of birthday celebrations. One of things that I looked forward to each year was the annual trip to New York City to see the Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus. This annual tradition was a treat from Edythe and Elsie. It included the circus and dinner in NY. I always felt so grown up!  Both of them are now our guardians angels in heaven.

Birthdays are milestones in our lives. For many years during my addictions and then even in my recovery, I saw “birthdays” as just another day or “I am too old to celebrate birthdays” and I even said that on many occasions. Today, I am looking at them a little differently.  TODAY is a gift from God to be able to spend another day with family and friends. The celebration doesn’t need to be big, it doesn’t need to have lots of presents (one or two, maybe – LOL) and it definitely NEEDS to include thanks for the many blessings that I have been given through the years. I was blessed with a family that loves and supports me despite our many faults. I have been blessed with a child who has grown into an amazing woman. I have been blessed with a husband who loves me unconditionally despite how crazy I make him. These are the gifts that I celebrate on my birthday this year.

Happy Birthday to me! Hope you have ThirtyOne-derful day!

Purse-onality

Happy Saturday!  I am still in North Carolina with hubby visiting our daughter so if you are reading this it simply means that I didn’t have time to blog.  I mean blog this morning as I wrote this before we left just in case….

We are heading for Ringling Brothers Circus in Asheville today with Belinda and her roommate, Ashley.  See we are recreating the total trip that was planned last year.  I don’t remember going to the circus when Belinda was little – don’t get me wrong, she went but with other family members.  I on the other hand remember going to the circus for my birthday in NY while I was growing up.  Every year I looked forward to that trip that included dinner in the CITY!

Okay, so what does that have to do the “purse-onality”?  Nothing really!  Although I changed my bag several times before leaving for the trip to ensure that I had the right one.  One side of me wanted to take them all so that I could change for every occasion but I knew that would make hubby crazy.  So I went with my go to bag – retro metro bag (bottom left corner).  Big pockets and lots of space to carry things in.  Of course I will have other Thirty One bags in the car, just in case we do some shopping or need to pack anything up to come home.

What is YOUR favorite bag?  Here are the names starting at the top row from left to right:  Cindy Tote, Inside Out bag, Vary You Backpack, Retro Metro Foldover, Explorista Crossbody, Vary You Mini Crossbody, Retro Meto Bag, Organizing Shoulder Bag and the Suite Success Tote.  We have something for every occasion and to fit your style.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

North Carolina Bound

Today’s the day….I am so excited!  Rob and I are headed to North Carolina for a long awaited mini vacation.  I always like to travel early in the morning, you know getting up at o’dark hundred to get on the road BEFORE anyone else.  Okay, so that was before.  This time things will be a little different…

Rob and I agreed that we would leave no later than 9AM.  Yes, later than I like but isn’t marriage about compromise.  I know that there is a process for both of us these days BEFORE we make a long trip.  I packed the car yesterday so the only thing I have to pack is our suitcases and the filled thermal tote.  We are going to swing by Taylor Sam’s and pick up some sandwiches to take on the road for energy.  Not my usual but the goal is NOT to stop until we get on the PA Turnpike or a little later.  Both of us worked last night so I am trying to squeeze in as much sleep as possible before we get on the road.

Belinda is working today till 11PM but I told Rob if we arrive that late at the hotel, she will probably be there to greet us.  She has been sending me countdown pictures for about 2 weeks now.  Can you tell we are excited?  This is the BEST Mother’s Day gift – to spend some time with my daughter (and hubby).

We are planning on doing some realizing on this trip.  Nothing too crazy since this is the first trip since Rob got sick a year ago.  So, we are going to explore a Farmer’s Market and the sights in Asheville.  We are going to the CIRCUS!  OMG!!! I can’t wait.  It has been years since I went and to be able to see it with my daughter and hubby is even better.  A late brunch on Sunday and then we will be heading home.

I am going to  blog a few days early in case I don’t get a chance to write while we are away… who knows you may get short random blogs about our travels…

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Birthday Reflection

Happy Birthday – to ME!  Since today is my 56th birthday, I am reflecting on the many blessings of my life.  First, I am grateful that I actually woke up this morning and am able to enjoy the day – whatever it may bring.  

My favorite adult birthday memory was a “surprise party” that Belinda planned for me with the help of her two great aunts – Edythe and Elsie.  It was for my 40th birthday and my FIRST surprise party.  It was a special day for two reasons – it was Belinda’s idea and it was the first time in too many years that my divorced parents were in the same room at the same time.  Belinda was all of 9 years old so it was amazing that she got the whole thing together.  Of course, the fact that I arrived in sweats and a tee shirt because I thought I was “stopping by” to help with something at the fire house was a little horrifying but funny since I almost didn’t arrive at the party.  When I arrived, Belinda started to cry because she took the look of surprise for a look of “being mad” and didn’t understand that the tears were tears of joy. The next was the decorations – “OVER THE HILL” theme everywhere.  Belinda picked them out.  So the standing joke is if I was “over the hill at 40” what am I now?  It was a great day and I was overwhelmed by the love from family and friends.

As a child, there are lots of memories of birthday celebrations.  One of things that I looked forward to each year was the annual trip to New York City to see the Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus.  This annual tradition was a treat from Edythe and Elsie.  It included the circus and dinner in NY.  I always felt so grown up!  This year, I am getting a chance to see the circus in North Carolina with Belinda and hubby.  I am excited because I haven’t been to a Ringling Brothers Circus since I was about 13 years old.  I am sure there may be a tear or two that day for Belinda used to go to the circus with Edythe and Elsie too.  Both of them are now our guardians angels in heaven.  If I figure out how to post pictures on this blog – I will share some.

Birthdays are milestones in our lives. For many years during my addictions and then even in my recovery, I saw “birthdays” as just another day or “I am too old to celebrate birthdays” – I even said that on many occasions.  Today, I am looking at them a little differently – have I grown up?  have I learned that I deserve to celebrate (even in a small way) my birthday?  I am not sure what the reason is but TODAY is the day that I stop saying “it is just another day”.  It is a gift from God  to be able to spend another day with family and friends.  The celebration doesn’t need to be big, it doesn’t need to have lots of presents (one or two, maybe – LOL) and it definitely NEEDS to include thanks for the many blessings that I have been given through the years.  I was blessed with a family that loves and supports me despite our many faults.  I have been blessed with a child who has grown into an amazing woman.  I have been blessed with a husband who loves me unconditionally despite how crazy I make him.  These are the gifts that I celebrate on my birthday this year.

Happy Birthday to me!  Hope you have ThirtyOne-derful day!