The Birthday Blog #46

46. Sigh. I made it.

My heart feels so happy as I close out my 45^th year. Like every year of life, I can find lows and highs. There are moments that I wouldn’t mind erasing and there are others that I want tattooed on my memory. I have shed a few tears and have had countless hours of laughter.

I have learned this past year that I am plain and simple. I’m good with that description. I am the woman who rarely puts on makeup and loves a good case of bedhead. I feel the most comfortable in jeans and pair of Converse. I know I don’t look like a twenty year old and I embrace all the changes that come with aging.

My hobbies are diverse and yet still playful. I’ll go to an art museum one day and put together a Lego set another day. I love a good book but can’t resist reading an Archie comic before bed.   And if given a choice between something new on TV or a retro program from the 70’s….the 70’s will always win.

I have been supported this past year by an incredible cast of characters who love me for who I am and don’t try to change the things that seem to make me unique.

My true friends understand my limitations and quirks. They get that I will be the first one to call it a night, say something completely unfiltered or make a reference about poop. (Does that make you curious as to what kind of comments I feel are unfiltered?)

They understand that my monkeys helped me through a really tough recovery from surgery and moments when I was scared and alone. They inquire about my stuffed companions and have never once told me I was nuts.

The line between family and friends is very blurry because so many family members have become my closest friends. Everyone from my mom to my aunts to my husband’s aunts and cousins….I feel so fortunate to be embraced by so many.

My husband is my dream come true.   He is the image I see when I hear a love song. He is my voice when I can’t speak. He is my everything. Every year has become better because he is either by my side or he is lifting me up. He makes every year worth living.

So as I start my 46^th year, I’m going to try to continue to be grateful for the life I have and simply the joy of living. Thank you for being a part of it and I can’t wait to see what the next year has in store for me.