This week I turn 38 years old. The older I get, the more I tend to forget how old I will be turning. I keep thinking I am only going to be 37. Nope, 38. When I was a kid, I never seemed to forget how old I was turning. Like my son, who will be turning seven in less than six weeks (and could tell me this fact in his sleep), I never used to forget.
I could not wait to turn 16. I remember being at the DMV as soon as school let out that afternoon and standing in line to get my driver’s license. When I was 18, I was so proud to be old enough to vote in the next election. 38 just seems to be another year older. But today, in honor of my upcoming birthday, and since I couldn’t think of anything else to blog about, I wanted to list 38 reasons (in no particular order) why I am happy to be alive and to be having another birthday.
- coffee, ice cream, chocolate,avocados, sushi and pizza
- going back to the Dominican Republican in November
- hearing and seeing the funny things my son says and does
- walks with my dog
- cool breezes through open windows
- having my back tickled
- discovering something new about myself
- discovering something new about God
- taking a risk
- sunrises over the Perquiman’s River
- sunrises or sunsets anywhere
- the smell after it rains
- running a 1/2 marathon in April (if not sooner)
- crying over something beautiful
- eight (amazingly quick) years of marriage in November
- being there for a friend
- a friend being there for me
- making some new friends
- watching God work
- being a family with my husband and my son
- sitting on the beach and listening to the waves
- thunderstorms
- snow in the South (comes and goes quickly)
- hearing a song or reading something that changes/inspires me
- role-playing with my son….again
- kissing the top of my son’s head and snuggling next to him
- listening to my husband play with our son
- laughing together as a family over something completely silly
- video chatting with family far away
- visiting family and friends far away
- making soup when the weather cools off
- putting the lawn mower away in the fall
- taking the lawn mower out in the spring
- pumpkin seeds in October
- Christmas morning
- the smell of cinnamon in December
- memories
- this spacious journey called life that I get the privilege of experiencing every single day
Hey, Eileen….this is one of my favorite posts! Thanks 🙂