The Big 4-0

I never really imagined it happening to me.

Naturally, I understood on an intellectual level that it was going to happen one day. What I don't understand is how it happened so fast!!

I will be 40 years old tomorrow.

It's difficult to wrap my mind around the concept of being so solidly middle aged when just a minute ago I was a fresh faced twenty something that people regularly mistook for a teenager. Although I look younger than 40, no one will ever mistake me for a teenager again! On the inside I still feel like I'm in my twenties but that will probably be the case when I'm 80! I'm always a little surprised these days when a 20 year old calls me "ma'am". (Here in the South, people are brought up to call their elders "sir" and "ma'am" even if they're only "elder" by a handful of years. I started to hear it a lot in my mid 30's.)

 Despite its bad reputation, I've decided to be happy about turning 40. I've gained a whole bunch of life experience, and I still have good health, lots of energy, a youthful love of learning and an open mind. In fact, I'm going to try to rock at being 40!

As a birthday gift to myself I requested a week of vacation time. I'll be spending most of it at home doing stuff I enjoy--spending extra time with Ginger, George, and Marco,   cooking, reading, blogging, napping, sitting outside in the lovely spring weather, and working on some unfinished craft projects.

There will also be other people helping me celebrate my birthday this week as their schedules allow. Tomorrow, weather permitting, Gregg and I will be heading to a park for a picnic. Later in the evening, I'll pop open a nice bottle of champagne I bought to toast the occasion. On Tuesday, my parents are taking me to a small town on the coast for a seafood dinner (my favorite birthday meal, and a tradition for us). On Wednesday, a friend is meeting me early in the day for coffee and some thrift store browsing. Then on Thursday night, I'll be going out for dinner and drinks with three coworkers, all of whom either just turned 40 or are about to. We decided months ago to get together one night to celebrate our shared milestone. After that, I'll still have a couple of days off left---I go back to work next Sunday. The very best part of my birthday this year will be the time away from the job.

Now I'm off to enjoy my last day of my 30's....and there may be a teeny tiny bit of alcohol involved. Just sayin'. Haha!