One Year Older...

and I have to say that, this year... 

 

I feel just a bit wiser.

It has been a year full of challenges...

 

 

a year full of joy...

 

 

a year full of struggles...

 

 

 and a year full of blessings... 

 

 and even though I don't feel (gulp) 51...

the Lord has given me a type of wisdom this year that I think can only come with age...

and challenges...

and joys...

and struggles...

and blessings.

 

 

So, while I still don't love celebrating my birthday...

it certainly does serve as a reminder of how incredibly blessed I am.

So Friday was my birthday and it began with Em and Lizzie waking up at 4:00 a.m.

 

Yep 4:00 a.m.

 

They know that I get up pretty early each morning so they made sure they were up before me, to cook and serve me breakfast in bed, that consisted of chocolate covered peanuts in the shape of a heart and coffee!

 

They could have stopped right there and I would have been happy!

 

I mean who needs anything more than chocolate covered peanuts and coffee at 5:00 in the morning??

 

Certainly not I!

 

However, the goodies did not stop there!

 

The kids had all made cards for me and as much as the chocolate covered peanuts for breakfast, touched my heart, and my tummy...

these cards...

well, I will let you read for yourself...

 

From Emmeline...

who just has my heart as the Lord has hers!

From Charlie...

who is 14 and thinks that I will be able to sleep with him behind the wheel!  

Bwhahahaha

Silly boy!

From Caleb...

who makes me laugh and soothes my soul.

From Maggie...

who built me a church!

From Lucy...

who writes "I love Mommie" on everything, including her school assignments!

From Lizzie...

who is my hero!

From Christian...

who manages to make my cry every single birthday!  He said that he pulled some of this from other sources and wrote some himself...

 

oh my goodness...  

 

He will be off to college in less than 2 years and will take a large part of my heart with him.

 

Now I really did not need anything more than those incredible cards, but there was more...

After a full weekend of soccer...

Hubby and I got to walk the big bridge here in town...

 

 

 all by ourselves...

 

 

something I have wanted to do for a very long time...

 

 

it was wonderful spending time with my sweetie and just what I needed to close out this year of growth and learning and readjusting...

 

cause sure as shooting...

 

the minute I get used to being 51...

 

52 will come along!

Can't wait to see what God's got planned for this half of my life!

 

If it is anything like the last half...

I may need a nap...

 

or a drink...

 

you know... Ensure!

"wink"