four decades later...

I have neglected this blog for too long now! Between trying to figure out a new computer and it being the month of December, I didn't get around to blogging for a while. It's been a crazy month around here, to say the least. I will hopefully get a post up about December in the next few days, but I have a different subject today...me. I don't really like talking too much about me, but today is a big day so I'm gonna bite the bullet and let it fly.

Four decades and a few hours ago, I came into this world via a great family. At that time there was just my mom and dad, and my older brother, Eric. Brenda and Darren would follow quickly after me, giving my mom a real handful! I had a great childhood with loving parents who were great examples to me, and siblings to play, fight, and love with. Now I have an amazing husband, who I love very much, and 3 of the greatest boys, who I also play, fight, and love with!! I look back on the past 40 years (yep, I finally wrote it out and it's official!) and look at all I have been blessed with, and it's a lot.

Friends have also meant a lot to me over the years, and I'm fortunate to keep in touch with so many of them. I am the first of my friends I had growing up to turn 40, but they aren't too far behind! We are planning a girl's trip this spring to celebrate our oldness. I also have many "newer" friends, who I love as well. Included in that group of friends is this crazy group of girl's called the "running girls." At 7am this morning I heard the loudest singing of "Happy Birthday to You," out on the front porch. Will and Jake came running to say, "The running girl's are out there singing!!" (I'm not quite in the shape they are, so I bypassed the 10-mile run this morning in lieu of more sleep.) They had decorated my front porch and had a box of donuts.

Are these guys the greatest or what?!

I came back in to make breakfast for a couple of boys heading off to school, and they gave me a new 50mm lens I have been wanting, so this is the first picture I took with it. And yes, their teachers might kill me for letting each of them get sugared up right before school!!

So this is what 40 green (my fave color) balloons look like, and I must admit, it looks like a lot! Heck, it is a lot!!

When daylight finally started to break, I took a picture of what the running girls did to our trees. I can just see them now, laughing their heads off as they are t.p.ing our trees--ah, the good ol' days! You don't see much of this anymore! And all this before 7:30am! Whew!

Anywho, it's really not so bad turning 40. For the most part I don't feel my age, but then I look in the mirror and it is apparent that time is marching on. That's ok, though. As long as time doesn't pick it up to a full-out sprint!