Another year older!

I celebrated my birthday a couple of days ago without a bang.  No fanfare, no party, no surprise whatever by anyone.

In spite of the absence of balloons and candles, it was a milestone, even just for me.  Especially for me.  

I never wondered what I'd be doing at this age. I never actually charted a dream alongside this age.  I had, "when I'm 13...", "when I'm 18...", "when I'm 21...",  "by the time I'm 30...", "definitely when I'm 40..." dreams and goals, but I can't recall one placed at my age.  Although it's another year that takes me closer to the dreaded decade (at least for me), it's a nice number, and I gave myself a silent pat on the back for having made it to this age without looking like I'm this age. According to my harshest critics: all my children, no less... even if they had this baffled look on their faces.  Undeniably, Facebook and text message greetings helped a lot, too.

Why am I happy to turn a year older, particularly at this age?  Top five reasons (of the moment, and not necessarily deep or sensible):

• I finally traveled out of the local region I've been burning tracks around for decades.
• I see more traveling coming with each project that lands on my lap.
• I'm happy with my hair. It's been a lifetime of struggle and half that much blow-drying to find a hairstyle I could maintain.  I've found the right cut, accepted my natural curls, and given myself an extra half hour each day since ditching the blowdryer. Even if I have less toned arms because I've ditched the blowdryer.
• I find myself doing things with more eagerness and passion.  Including chores.
• It's summer, my kids are home, they fight for the right to use my computers and go online, have so much drama and demands, BUT they are my facebook friends.  

All in all, God has been faithful to his promises. More than I have, shame on me. And without noticing how long I thought I've been waiting, many of my wishes have come true.  Even if I never really pinned them at this age that I've never imagined myself being in.   What age? I'm not telling.