Time is flying. Not just the days or weeks. Or months. But the years, my friends. A little over a week ago I turned 35. I was not looking forward to this milestone. I'm not really sure what it is. I guess I'm now on the slide to 40. This wasn't settling well. To make matters worse, I had been gaining weight at an alarming rate and feeling very tired. I thought it was amazing that I would start falling apart right as my 35th birthday approached. As it turns out, a little bloodwork revealed that my existing hypothyroid disease was rearing its ugly head and I was in need of a medication adjustment. To top it all off, I'm a bit anemic. Though not ideal, I was happy to know that there was a reason for my symptoms other than middle age. So I'm taking an iron supplement and my synthroid dose has been bumped up.
And my birthday was fun. The friday before, my cousin Karen took all five kids for the night. She had been planning on taking the older three for a sleepover, then ended up with the other two at the last minute. I was so happy to be kid-free after a long week with extra kids. Lincoln showed up from work early to take me out to dinner. He had made arrangements for a baby-sitter who was no longer needed, but the gesture of getting the sitter did not go unnoticed. We went to Madison and did some shopping, then had 7:00 reservations at Quivey's Grove. I wish I had brought my camera. The restaurant is an old stone house surrounded by lovely lawns and flower gardens. The menu is traditional early american fare. We were seated at a tiny table by a little window upstairs. Very cozy.
Over dinner, Lincoln presented me with a bank account that he had deposited a chunk of money into as the start of our Greece fund.
After a delicious dinner, we made our way to the movie theater to catch a flick. It was nice to be able to spend as much time as we wanted doing whatever we wanted without worrying about the tab we were running up with the sitter.
Saturday morning we slept in, then went out to breakfast here in town. We checked out a few garage sales, then we went home and watched a movie right in the middle of the day. We are crazy, I tell ya.
Karen kept the kids at her house all day. We met up with Karen and Jamie at 3:00 to drive to Madison for the Priesthood and adult sessions of stake conference. Karen and I shopped while the men went to their meeting, then we all went to dinner before the adult session.
On Monday, my actual birthday, I felt really good. I felt full of joy, contentment, and gratitude. It really hit me that 35 isn't any different from any other birthday. Every year we get a little older. It's what happens. I am so blessed at 35 to have a good and loving husband, not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but FIVE beautiful healthy children. My husband has a job- a GOOD one that he likes, we have a beautiful home to live in, and plenty of food to eat. We live in a beautiful place surrounded by fantastic people and great friends. That's a good place to be at 35. Instead of feeling like I was headed downhill, I thought about the now. I couldn't ask for more at this stage in my life. And instead of looking inward at my aging self, I began to think more in terms of what the next decade holds for my children, what my reponsibility is to them. In ten years, two of my children will be graduated, the other three all teenagers. 10 years is not much time to ensure their development into good, kind, reponsible adults.
So, bottom line, I'm 35. Big deal. I'm all grown up. I have experience and wisdom on my side. I know why I'm here and where I want to go. I know my Savior and i know from where my blessings flow. And I am happy.
(I should mention that Lincoln cooked my requested birthday dinner- ham steaks, mashed potatoes, home-canned green beans- and made me an eclair cake. We took our first bike ride as a family which I enjoyed immensely, and I got some cool gifts.)
