60 and counting on the porch...

I did it. I not only survived the big day but I enjoyed it! My sixtieth birthday far surpassed my expectations. My dear old husband (Sentimental Old You) decorated, made breakfast and my fav, coffee. My first gift, I was expecting this, a 100mm Canon macro lens. But then a surprise a low rise, old lady bike. I love it.
We packed up and traveled to T.C. to my oldest daughters home. On the way lunch at Cut River Inn. My favorite White Fish Chowder and grilled White Fish fresh from Lake Michigan. Oh, and it just gets better from here. My youngest daughter from MQT meets us in T.C. with her family(5 kids, 6 hour drive) her hubby has to fly out to take his boards on Monday . Seven of my Grands greet me with love and excitement. Gifts and a Moomers Black Cherry ice cream chocolate cake sent from my Texas family. T.C. daughter had a lime green feather boa and a  beautiful tiara for me to wear. So diversion complete I go to bed thinking what a lovely family birthday I had!

Unsuspecting I go out to breakfast (Cracker Barrell)with my hubby and then he tells me to take my time at Borders and buy a book of my choice?? Hmmm?
Back to my daughter's and there are cars lining the long driveway...tears of disbelief. I know these cars. My brothers sisters and their children whom I never get to see enough of. Once or twice a year at best. I walk down to the beautfully decorated back yard...Surprise!! My 80 year old Uncle drove from G.R. My niece & family (red heads like me) from Grand Ledge (three hour drive each way)! My sister from Detroit made a Barbie cake!! Her wonderful young daughters. My beautiful slightly older sister & husband from Midland kept the secret. My brother with the garden (he reminds me of all the good things about my Dad) and his wife who is more sister than in-law from my old home town. My baby brother, his amazing daughter (we share camera art love) and his wife who also is more sister than in-law from Sparta. Two friends of my T.C. family whom I love as if they were my own gave me their day for my birthday! My Texas bunch was with us in our hearts and on the phone. My Sis & Bro from Idaho sent me a basket to rejuvenate me! Arizona Sis sent beautiful e-wishes.
The Grands dressed up and decorated and passed around a little heart shaped book for everyone to write in. A tower of tiny Cupcake Wars cakes and my mother's recipe potato salad and grilled hamburgers & gourmet hotdogs with all the trimmings for lunch. My son-in-law (grill chef) touched my heart when after I thanked him for opening up his home said "I owe you 599 more days like this."

I am so thankful for the love and  the gifts of time and effort given by my wonderful family to make a day I was dreading (first day of old age) a shining memory. Sixty is not the new forty but it is an amazing number!

Two days left and let the party begin...

I woke up to birthday decorations! A friend took me out for a birthday lunch former co-workers
took me out for dinner and a Bloody Mary. It begins...Friday a.m. I leave for T.C. for birthday surprise with my family...

Question # 11. Where am I wrong? According to Soccrates, we gain our first measure of intelligence when we first admit our own ignorance. Ask where am I wrong instead of insisting I am right.
Hmm... tough one. I do like to think I am right.

Where am I wrong? I wish I was more able to step out of my comfort zone in my daily life. I like every day to be the same, safe. Is that wrong?  Anti-politician, I want them to serve the people and stop helping themselves...Is this wrong? I need to come  back  to this question.

Four days left...

...in the decade of my fifties. I wonder if I did everything I should have done? Most of the time I feel good about my life. Sometimes I wonder.  which leads to question # 3. Why worry? Beck says worry rarely leads to positive action. It scuttles happiness. By focusing on gratitude we can shut down the part of our brain that worries. So, some gratitude here.

On Saturday evening I went upstairs to put the baby to bed and she cried so I rocked her in the yellow bed room I decorated for the arrival of my first grandson 10 years ago. Sitting with her snuggling in my arms was so sweet. It made me think of all the babies I had rocked in that same room in the same rocker...love and joy. She drifted off to sleep in my arms. I am so thankful for the love my grands give to me.

Happy Birthday, Mom

Today is your birthday, Mom...you would have been 90. I will be 60 in a few months. I have outlived you by 12 years, you were only 48, I was almost 16 when you died. I hardly knew you. So many questions we could answer for each other if we could have one more conversation. I think I know what love is between a mother and her children. Somehow in the short time you spent with us, your 8 children, you gave us a family to value. We all still spend every Christmas together. We still care even though we live all over the U. S. I have ten incredible grandchildren and I have been given time to enjoy them. That was my dream, my wish, as a girl. I just wanted to see my girls grow up. Now getting to know my grandchildren is so sweet. I still miss you. I loved you so. Losing you was so hard. Happy Birthday to my dear Mother. Thanks for the songs you sang, for the cakes you baked, for the love you gave...you were never truly gone from me, you have lived on in my heart these many years.