My Birthday Weekend
Birthdays - the idea of getting older - never phased me much. In fact, I thought of them as little more than a really good excuse to make time to get together with friends and family....and to eat ice cream cake. This year, though, I struggled mightily as December approached. For the first time, I really felt like I was getting old, and not older but truly old. I'd never cared much about the comments - as often as I heard them - that we were taking a different path in life, that we were married X years/were X age and didn't have kids...so maybe, as so many people around me are having or have discussed being done having babies, my age had finally hit me. Or maybe I really am just.that.old. now.....
Regardless, the past three days, my birthday weekend, have been wonderful, and today I can safely say I don't really feel all that old at all!
Friday, with Brian's support (and not so subtle reminders that I put in my fair share of time and then some), I took my one allotted personal day of the year. I slept in, enjoyed coffee and bagels, went for a run, got a manicure and pedicure -- mostly for the massage factor --, did a whole bunch of reading, and ate my fare share of guacamole for dinner. It was a smattering of my favorite things (but for the missing Forensic Files or Criminal Minds marathon).
On Saturday, after my typical morning workout at my local gym - where some of the greatest and funniest strong ladies (and a few guys, too) lift weights - Brian and I prepared for the B1G event we were hosting, the Big 10 Championship game. Some of the Runnells cousins came by, which was a blast, and thought the game did not end well and I had a stress-related stomach ache by the time it was all said and done, I certainly enjoyed having fellow Badger fans around to help me swallow the bitter pill of defeat. The Kopp's custard helped, too.
The Sunday morning snowflakes made for a gorgeous end to the weekend. It was the perfect kind of winter weather; we took advantage of the scenery and the not-yet-too-cold weather and headed out for a hike, which, after a drive west (where the snow was much more of a rain), turned into a local jaunt around our neighborhood. The falling snow aided in our ever-evolving travel planning, and by mid-afternoon, we made some solid plans (as much so as is possible with the variable of time looming overhead -- if not for now, we at least have plans brewing for spring). Happy birthday weekend to me!
The weekend was capped off with a birthday weekend tradition, dinner with Mom and Dad. And no matter how old I get (or how old I feel), time with my parents is time well spent. My life feels whole and full when family is near. I think of all we've done together, all the memories we have made, and it is a reminder of how I got to where I am today, how I became who I am, and that is the most wonderful gift of all.
Thank you to everyone who took a moment to send birthday love my way. Your calls, texts, and messages made me smile and surely made me feel extra special on my special day.
Regardless, the past three days, my birthday weekend, have been wonderful, and today I can safely say I don't really feel all that old at all!
Friday, with Brian's support (and not so subtle reminders that I put in my fair share of time and then some), I took my one allotted personal day of the year. I slept in, enjoyed coffee and bagels, went for a run, got a manicure and pedicure -- mostly for the massage factor --, did a whole bunch of reading, and ate my fare share of guacamole for dinner. It was a smattering of my favorite things (but for the missing Forensic Files or Criminal Minds marathon).
On Saturday, after my typical morning workout at my local gym - where some of the greatest and funniest strong ladies (and a few guys, too) lift weights - Brian and I prepared for the B1G event we were hosting, the Big 10 Championship game. Some of the Runnells cousins came by, which was a blast, and thought the game did not end well and I had a stress-related stomach ache by the time it was all said and done, I certainly enjoyed having fellow Badger fans around to help me swallow the bitter pill of defeat. The Kopp's custard helped, too.
The Sunday morning snowflakes made for a gorgeous end to the weekend. It was the perfect kind of winter weather; we took advantage of the scenery and the not-yet-too-cold weather and headed out for a hike, which, after a drive west (where the snow was much more of a rain), turned into a local jaunt around our neighborhood. The falling snow aided in our ever-evolving travel planning, and by mid-afternoon, we made some solid plans (as much so as is possible with the variable of time looming overhead -- if not for now, we at least have plans brewing for spring). Happy birthday weekend to me!
The weekend was capped off with a birthday weekend tradition, dinner with Mom and Dad. And no matter how old I get (or how old I feel), time with my parents is time well spent. My life feels whole and full when family is near. I think of all we've done together, all the memories we have made, and it is a reminder of how I got to where I am today, how I became who I am, and that is the most wonderful gift of all.
Thank you to everyone who took a moment to send birthday love my way. Your calls, texts, and messages made me smile and surely made me feel extra special on my special day.
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