kitschycoup

When you’re a kid you look forward to milestone birthdays - 16 (driving!), 18 (graduation/adulthood HA HA HA), 21 (boozin’ it up!). After that, there’s no magic number that I remember looking forward to. Granted, I look forward to all my birthdays because, well, I do. Life is worth celebrating, and that is the purpose of birthdays.

I’ve had friends make a big fuss over turning 25, saying they should have accomplished something by that age. I think at 25 you’re still larvae. You’ve got some life under your belt, but… not much. Not as much as you think you do when you’re in that moment. (File that under, “the more you know, the more you know you don’t know.”) For me, I loved 25 - I was in the best physical shape of my life. Thirty was tremendous - I lived in the coolest apartment in the best part of town, newly married (just over a year) and was making bank.  Thirty five? Realized that I’d much rather be happy than miserable in a job that paid well and pursued a family. Became a mom, quit my job, became a mom again. Truly happy. Sleep be damned!

Fast forward a few years and I find myself truly daunted for the first time by a number. As in “,age ain’t nothin’ but a.” Thirty eight. What the heck, dude? It’s not that I care that I’m staring forty in the face. HI FORTY. I WIN STARING CONTESTS! BOO! Or that my 20 year high school reunion is this fall (wth?) It’s just that… this may sound odd… I have this mental image of my parents. Who, by the way are in their early 60s. And my mental image of my parents - is that they’re in their late 30s. My parents may be chronologically 60-whatever, but they’re about 38-ish to me. So, it’s kind of like matter and anti-matter colliding in my head. How can I be… if they’re? And uh. And also, it’s just… I’m not a kid anymore. I’m not trading in my anything for elastic waistbands and whatever the codgers are wearing these days… but.

I DON’T KNOW. It’s just. Thirty eight. That business is not messing around anymore.

And but so… seeing as how it’s a new year for me (Happy New Year to MEEEE!!) I have a list of goals that I plan on accomplishing. I’m even putting them out in the ether because I’m so confident they will come to fruition. I’ve got the technology to make it happen. (I typed “happy” instead of “happen” - so, you know. thinking positive! Go me!)

• I will have WLS by summer (I had some issues, but I cancelled my subscription, so I think we’re good)
• I’m enrolling for school in the fall - the kids will both be in preschool at that point, so it’s kind of serendipitous with the timing and all
• We are going on a flipping family vacation - The location hasn’t been nailed down yet, but the last time Greg and I took a trip was October 2006. We’re due. I’m thinking road trip! Greg’s thinking NOT road trip! We’ll see how that battle of the wills plays out.

Regardless of the fact that I’m a bit freaked out about turning thirty eight, I’m still looking forward to my birthday. This past year has been amazing. I have the most ridiculous family. My life is definitely something to celebrate. And so is Greg’s - his birthday is the same day as mine… and he’s turning… 40.