40 years!

I have to be honest.  I was not looking forward to this birthday.  I think a part of me recognizes that it is another milestone without Daddy and another part of me feels like life is just rushing by too quickly.  When I look back on my 30's, there was a LOT of great moments and milestones.  There was also heartache and some really tough mountains.  At the heart of it all, I am grateful for God's blessing, a strong family unit, and the health of my family and friends.  I was reminded of the love around me in so many ways as my birthday came around.  The "framily" made it such a special weekend starting with Bunco at Lisa's where they surprised me afterward with a basket of love and all my favorites.  These girls have surrounded me with love since the day we met and I am forever grateful for them.  They make me laugh when needed, they hold me when I cry, they know what I need before I do, and they tolerate me on my worst days.  I pray everyone has a group of friends like I have been blessed with.  On Saturday morning, I had breakfast and coffee with the fam and then Charles and the kids left to go "get" my birthday surprise in the neighborhood.  I was so confused, but played along.  Shortly after, I realized they had planned a car parade to celebrate.  The best was the end of the line when the last car was Nana and Mendy, Chris, Mackenzie, and Jax!  I had one big ugly cry for sure!  We spent the rest of our day with family time, watching Caelin wrap up her Inter Milan Soccer season, and dinner with both sides of the family with some fajitas from Lupe Tortilla.  It was such a fun day with so many memories.  I cannot believe I am starting a new decade, but I look forward to what God has in store these next 10 years.  In 10 years from now, my hopes are: Charles and I are still enjoying our careers and feel that we make a difference in the lives of students, Cade has a direction for his life from God and is happily on his way at the age of 21, that Caelin is enjoying her first semester out of High School with new school adventures and trusting God's direction at the age of 19, and that Bear is still smiling at me when I walk in the door each day and wanting to snuggle with me each night at the age of 13.  Cheers to another decade!