Yesterday was my 44th birthday! You might think that would make me sad but I am perfectly fine with it. My forties have been awesome!! That’s not to say that I’ve had it easy in the last 4 years. I think they have been the hardest years of my life. But in my head, beyond the fibro fog and the pain, I feel young! I think it has mostly to do with where I am with my family right now. Ron and I are doing great! All couples have their speed bumps along the way. But right now our journey thru our life is speed bump free. There are a few pot holes along the way but that is perfectly normal. Making sure we stay aware and avoid the pot holes in a marriage is the key to things running smooth.
I am extremely proud of my children. They are both doing really well. The teen years are a completely different life for everyone involved. Michael is funny and brilliant. I’m getting used to his lack of common sense because I realize he gets that honestly….from his father! We feel like he has a clear direction for his future. He wants to be a Civil Engineer and we think he is going to TN Tech. He has a super sweet girlfriend. I don’t think he could have chosen anyone better. So, I have had little to worry about with him the last 4 years (or ever really).
Parenting a teenage girl is like trying to wrestle a Bengal Tiger with a plastic sword. The best method for that fight is to jump in a tree and hide until he gives up and walks away. I didn’t figure that out till well into the fight though. Thankfully the tiger has been tamed and is now a sweet housecat that only occasionally hisses at me. That’s an improvement. Seriously though, Lauren is a joy to be around. She is funny. She is loyal. She is committed. she doesn’t need a guy at her side to make her happy or to make her feel complete. Honestly, she’d rather NOT have a guy. She guards her heart closely after the one boyfriend/girlfriend experience we have had. She learned a lot in that relationship. She is a tough cookie, that’s for sure. She and I are a lot alike – which may be why we have butted heads so much in the last few years. She is not positive what she wants to be “when she grows up” but she knows she wants to learn to be “it” at Lipscomb. So, that is taken care of.
So, you see, yesterday when I turned 44 it wasn’t an issue for me. The kids friends asked me if I was turning 25. I love those kids!!! We had a full family day. I made it to church – which was a blessing in itself. Then we went to lunch at Cheddar’s. Oh my word! That place is yummy! I wanna thank my friend Kim for introducing me to it years ago when she lived in Missouri. At least I THINK I wanna thank her!
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Me and My handsome young man!
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My man and our baby girl
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This was my cake and ice cream - a Cookie Monster from Cheddar's
After lunch we ran a few errands and headed home for a day of lounging outside – well for Lauren and me. The guys had a little work to do to complete one part of my birthday present.
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The hammock made it outside for the first time this year
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I got the table all set up for our cookout
Ron and the kids bought me some pavers to put down in order to extend the patio.
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The pavers for the addition to my patio
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This section of grass will soon be an additional patio
The guys worked hard! I lounged at the table and supervised and Lauren chilled in the hammock and talked on the phone.
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My boy is working hard!
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Ron was working hard!
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All done!
The rest of this week they will work on leveling the ground, pouring gravel and doing whatever other manly stuff has to be done to make me a pretty patio.
Then this was the final part of my birthday night.
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Time to eat the burgers fixed on the grill after a full day of family togetherness.
It was a gorgeous day! It was a wonderful family day. And I have the beginnings of a beautifully redesigned patio. He said in the fall we will get the fire pit that I want. I envision it sitting on the pavers section with chairs around it.
Not only will be a great place for the family to hang out together. But it will be a really nice place for the kids to have their friends over. That’s what we love – a houseful of teenagers having a great time safely under our roof. Who has time to feel old with all of that going on!?!?
Happy Birthday to me!!!! The whole day was full of happiness and joy! Just like it should be! That’s why I’m posting this to Finding the Happy and Perfect Moment Monday. You can find the happy through all the pictures and hopefully you can hear the perfect moments thru my words! It just doesn’t get any happier or more perfect than yesterday was.
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