The Big 4-0

Well, I am still here to write about turning the big 4-0.  I had been dreading turning 40 for some time.  It just sounds so old, but I am here to tell you that it didn't hurt and that nothing has changed.  I don't know why I let a number get to me, so I have changed my attitude and I am going to embrace it.  I am just going to believe that I don't look like I am 40 and that I am in the best phase of my life.  I am healthy, happy and have a wonderful family.  I think having a big milestone birthday and not having my dad here to witness it and tell me how proud he is of me is part of the reason that I was struggling with this birthday so much.  He was always my biggest fan and may have not always told me how proud he was, but I still knew it.  I miss him dearly.  

Evan had been so excited about my birthday for weeks and wanted to make a chart.  He has countdowns going on for everything.  He had a countdown to easter, a countdown to Bryan and Emily's wedding, a countdown to my birthday and a countdown to the last day of school!  I love how at his age timeframes don't mean anything to him yet.  He will use days, weeks, months and years timeframes without having any idea what it really means.

Evan asked Scott to wake him up early on my birthday, so he can get me up and show me my birthday table.  We have a tradition of everybody in the family getting a birthday table with presents, candles and flowers or balloons (I always set up the kids tables the night before).

Evan still has a love for wrapping things.  These were packages from my mom and brother and he decided to wrap the entire package again.

We didn't open my gifts until the afternoon, so poor Evan had been looking at this table all day and was very excited to open presents.  I had lots of helpers.

Since I wasn't too thrilled about my birthday I didn't want to have a party, but last minute we decided to get some friends together on Saturday for a little pub crawl.  I didn't even want people to know that I was turning 40.  So silly, I know. 

We started at 4pm, so that we can be home by 10pm.  Haha!  See, I told you 40 is old:)

We started at my favorite patio in town, the wine bar and made our way to several other bars/restaurants.  We had a great time!

My friends put together a fabulous gift!  

This book is so much fun and I love it.  So many memories.  I have known these girls for over 10 years now and I love to see how our lives have changed and our families have grown.  It is so nice to have a steady group of friends that you can count on and are always up for a good time.  

I loved seeing some pictures of my dad in the book.  He always loved hanging out with my friends near and far and was always joking around with everybody despite language barriers.

Hannah has loved going through this book as well, but some of the earlier pictures have raised lots of questions from her :)

Well, here is to being 40 and enjoying life.