Birthday Pros and Cons

When you are over 40, the celebration of your birthday kind of changes. My mother and her mother, whom I truly adored and miss so much, did not like getting older and made that very clear to us all. In fact, Mom remained “29” and then “39” for many years in a row! Yet, throughout their lives, they did all they could to maintain beauty – priorities continued to the end to wear flattering make-up, always have great hairstyles, and dress fashionably. I am grateful for that example – I wish I had the “fashionably” part down better. But, I digress.

So, what was good and bad about last Friday on “the birthday” this year?

Cons: (so I can end on a positive note…)

1. I had to make my own birthday cake (ok, so I chose to do that – Rich would have gotten me one had I mentioned it…).
2. I am one year closer to a BIG one… ew.
3. Mitt Romney was not chosen as McCain’s running mate.
4. My house was way too quiet most of the day
5. AARP will start sending me mail very soon
6. My favorite t.v. shows on Friday nights were NOT on –which proves once again that, since I care about that, I am getting old.
7. They say 50 is the “new 40”. Well, 40 isn’t really so great, so is that a good thing, really??? I’ll decide that next year, I guess. Ahhh – Mom’s influence coming through again…

Pros:

1. I got an AWESOME present from my dear hubby!

2. I share my birthday with John McCain and Michael Jackson, and my cool nephew Jon – time will tell if sharing it with McCain is a “pro” – we already know about Michael Jackson (oooh – should I have put that in the “cons” section?).
3. I got to have lunches with some of my dear friends – and THEY pay!
4. My sister in law Kate sent me flowers – so dear (that is cool nephew Jon’s mom, by the way…)
5. The famed author and dear creator of This and That, Erin, sent me a gorgeous handmade birthday card!
6. I also got cards from “Steen” and from our Relief Society
7. I got a box from my missionary son with a photo cd, (see some of those photos here), a musical birthday card, and a lovely Hot Pad – that HE MADE! What a riot!
8. Rich came home early from work – yay! We went to dinner and to a movie.
9. Hurricane Gustav did NOT make landfall on my birthday, as Katrina did a few years back

Mom taught me to make lists of Pros and Cons when making big decisions. Well, Mom, you were right – and it even helps to make a potentially bad thing look a little bit brighter. Look at those lists!! The Pros in my life win again. That is a blessing indeed.