Lucky 7

Yesterday was a momentous day. I turned @%$ years old and my kids kept asking me, Mom, how do you feel? The truth is, I feel good. I've had a difficult year, filled with bouts of grief and sadness, but yesterday was a day to celebrate. I had a birthday. My kids gave me a party and all four of them were home. My sister and her children came over and cooked. Stacy's an awesome personal chef and her kids are amazing cooks, too.

But the sweet part of yesterday was the fact that I fit into my birthday dress! Now that was icing on the cake. I'd bought this dress I don't know how many months ago and had to do a four-story dive just to get into it. But I thought this will be your birthday dress. So I started exercising, walking, hitting the gym and the weight machines and doing DVDs I'm sure nobody owns but me. Let me tell you, I wore that dress and I felt good. Hey, I could even sit down and eat in it too! Now that's awesome.

I got e-cards and emails, text messages and my brother and sisters called. I was blessed. The only sad moment was when I knew I wouldn't hear my mother's voice for the first time in @%$ years, but I closed my eyes and I remembered her voice from every one of the prior years and my heart said, this is good.

Today the dress hangs in my closet, waiting for the next wear, and this morning I took me and my happy birthday self to the chiropractor. Whatever. I needed an adjustment.

Last night we couldn't find any candles for the cake and my kids were all flummoxed as to what to do. We finally dug one up. A 7. Lucky 7. I proudly planted it in the middle of my cake and we lit it up. To the most horrible rendition of Happy Birthday I've ever heard, my family regaled me, as I laughed my head off. I realized right then there is happiness in every day. My niece Kacy did the honors and helped me blow out lucky 7, and then we feasted on yellow cake with blue and white frosting. Delicious. Life is delicious.<

Just Being Me,
Carmen