I looked in the mirror as I was getting ready (Yes, I had to flip it to the magnified side. Hush!) and saw a few more wrinkles that I had not noticed before. My lips are a bit thinner. My once big brown eyes are squinting to see, my beautiful black thick hair is now half gray that is kept under wraps by my beautiful cousin Donna, and my hands have these nice latte colored spots that are called ...egads!....age spots. WHO THE HELL IS THAT?! Sigh...that is me.....at 50.
The celebrating started this weekend with a night out with my best friend and her husband, a movie at the house with the addition of the kids who had just come in from the dance and Raychel and her cousin Ashlee baking cupcakes, a birthday cake and pudding parfaits. All of which I should not eat due to my diet. Their hearts were in the right place so I did not mind. Today I arrived at work and my coworkers made two different low calorie desserts, a vegetable tray and I see a huge Over the Hill sign plastered to my door. There are too many messages on my cell phone and the house phone rang off the wall this morning. So many people wanted to wish me a good day and take the time to gloat about either being younger or the fact that I am now "one of them".
My Facebook page is full of well wishes. My in box is being filled with virtual cards. My coworkers keep popping in and smiling. I sit here trying to take stock of the past 50 years.
I AM 50! Okay, it's out there. I think I have been going about this all wrong. I have been trying desperately to review the path that brought me here to this place in time. Instead I need to just look at where I am at this precise moment and where I intended to go from here.
I surround myself with loving, caring and fun people. I have God as my daily guide and I have my family who can bring you down to the earth as quickly as the can raise you up. I have great friends who truly care about me and I about them. I have children who are strong and bold and gutsy.I have a husband who has watched this face and body change from a beautiful tall, thin 17 year old to the gorgeous, fat and fabulous 50 year old I am today and he still loves me. (I had to throw gorgeous in there or else I would cry!)
I am putting everyone on notice. The first half of my life I have spent building a foundation for my family. The second half will be spent loving life and enjoying what God has blessed me with. There will be changes ahead. I started with my hair by cutting off four inches and adding the big red bold chunks in the front. Who knows what will come next? One thing I know for sure 50 will be like no other year I ever celebrated before. As you see me change this year, I only ask one thing...unless you are over 50 do not judge me. Your turn will come sooner than you think.
Next weekend I will celebrate with my handsome son and my beautiful daughter in law. They will make it fun and young and hip. I will try to keep up!
Happy Birthday to me! Thank you mom and dad for bringing me into this world. Now it's time for me to enjoy every bit of it!
