On July 3, I enjoyed my last day in my thirties. I can't remember all we did because I'm pretty sure it wasn't much--we were still recovering from our trip and jet lag and all that. However, Gabe made sure I got my final picture with him as a 39-year-old. And then Brian wanted one too.
For my 40th birthday, Brian surprised me with a video of my friends and family wishing me a happy 40th. I loved hearing all the sweet things people said about me. It was a bit of an "It's a Wonderful Life" moment. The best was hearing what my mom said. When I was a teenager, she used to tell me that I was selfish, so I was moved to tears when she told me that I was selfless in the video. It's good to know that I'm getting better with age--hopefully!
Brian also surprised me with a Church history tour with my favorite podcast people. Of course, my first question was, "Who is going to watch the kids?" and he had a ready answer with the arrangements he'd made (just like he knew that would be my first question!)
He also made me my favorite cheesecake, complete with raspberries and blueberries.
He even remembered the sparklers! And Michael lit them up for me.
Imagine the incredibly off-key and off rhythm singing from these guys. If you haven't heard Savilles sing "Happy Birthday," you need to hear it.
Me pretending to blow out sparklers as if I could snuff their sparks before their time.
Brian even found the 40th birthday banner that I originally bought for Chelsea two years ago! Next year, it's heading to Cal. I think he'll really appreciate the pink and black color scheme.
The cheesecake was so delicious! Well done, Honey!
Rachel painted me toes a very patriotic theme. I still have the remnants on my toes, 4 months later. They were perfect.
Rachel also made me dangle earrings with the kids' birthstones--well, beads in the proper colors--for me.
Brian also surprised me with tickets to Stadium of Fire, headlined by Rascal Flatts. He insisted I wear the Birthday Girl banner that Lea gave me back in 2022, so I did.
I really do love celebrating America, and I really love how Stadium of Fire does it, cheesy theme song and all. The fly overs, the skydivers, the patriotic songs, and the fireworks. I really love my country, and I really love sharing a birthday with it. After being in Europe for 39 days, it was especially wonderful to be back and celebrating this amazing place. We have problems here for sure, but there is no place like it.
They had a drone show celebrating the 200th birthday of the U.S. Army and U. S. Navy. It was incredible!
And obviously these fireworks are wishing me a very happy 40th birthday!
On July 5, I got to go out to lunch with these Foxy Ladies (really named because we met in the Fox Hollow subdivision in Saratoga Springs). We had Mexican food, so it was doubly awesome to see them. We also celebrated Jen's birthday, which was in June.
Later that night, we lit a few sparklers with the kids since we couldn't do it with them on the 4th.
Michael missed out; I think he was out with friends.
(Side note, I think it's pretty funny that I'm wearing an Ireland sweatshirt to celebrate America. I guess it's a nod to my ancestors who immigrated here in the hopes of a better life.)
We made sure to sing badly to Papa (aka Kirt and Dad). We were so terrible that the AI responsible for the transcript really struggled to make sense of our singing.
On July 6, Lea hosted us all for dinner and dessert. The food, was of course, fabulous, and the company superb. Kirt and I got to blow out candles together. I failed miserably to get my half out.
And at some point, Michael ended up on the roof? I have some questions.
Thank you everyone for all your birthday wishes. I loved your videos, your well wishes, and I especially appreciate all the support and love you've given me over the years. I feel blessed to finally be 40. Each day, each year, is an incredible gift. I'm grateful for the laugh lines on my face that prove I have smiled enough over the years to have some (I have resting banshee face, so this is a big deal!) I am a strange duck in that I was excited to reach this milestone; I feel like a perpetual youngster. No matter how old I get, I have so many people who like to remind me how young I am, and while it's true, especially compared to my friends and loved ones in their 80s and 90s, I do wonder when I will ever feel old enough. Growing older is a gift that not everyone gets to experience, even if it does mean more aches and pains as payment.
I have been blessed to have spent my last 17 birthdays with the love of my life, and I still stand in awe of that fact. He makes everything in life better, and I couldn't have made it this far without him. The Lord has truly blessed me in my life, and I find myself standing still and in awe that I'm living the dream I envisioned for myself as a child: I have a handsome husband who loves me, three incredible kids, and a beautiful home, not to mention countless friends and family in my corner. I feel like a wealthy 40 year old in deed, and I am so grateful for this life I'm living. I'm not 100% sure I've got another 40 years in the tank (though I hope I do!), but I will try to see each day as the incredible gift that it is. I truly have a wonderful life.
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