The Last Birthday Post--I Promise!

I've been trying to write about my birthday all week, but every time I try to form feeling into words, they all seem so utterly inadequate.

For all those weeks when my husband asked, "What do you want to do for your birthday?" and all the times I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Ignore it,"which was really what I wanted to do, and for all the hours I spent truly agonizing over turning 50, I have been duly humbled.

Frankly, I'm ashamed.

When it finally dawned on me that what I wanted most was to spend the weekend in my favorite place with my favorite people, I could never have imagined how RIGHT that decision would turn out to be. For once, putting my foot down (about the party) actually paid off.

My people were all I needed.

They spoiled me, folks. Truly spoiled me.

Here, take a look.

From the swankity-swank of the hotel . . .

to the walks along the beach . . .

to a night at the theater . . .

to the amazing food we encountered all weekend . . .

. . . every minute was perfect.

Our three beauties joined us for dinner on Saturday night.

Wait. Did I say beauties? "Goofballs" is more like it.

Even the restaurant made me feel special!

By the time B and I packed up to go home on Sunday, I told him that I felt like I had been gone for a week, so relaxing was our time in the city. 

The definition of spoiled? Me.

Definitely me.

When I got home this week, I got this wonderful note from a dear friend, and it boosted my spirits even more:

"Well . . . was turning 50 as horrific as you thought? As I approach the next decade marker, I realize that the 50s have been a particularly sweet time of life--marriages of children, grandchildren's arrivals, time to give to others, richness in marriage. All in all, I would say the 50s rock."

See? Spoiled! To have friends like that who take the time to encourage me in that way makes me feel so blessed. 

I think she's right, and I'm ready to experience this sweet time of life, thanks to the love of so many friends and family. You have all cheered me to this milestone, and for that I am so grateful.

May I spend the next 50 years cheering you on as you have cheered me.

Let the Year of Jubilee begin!

P.S. Lest you think I'm crazy to even think I'd be able to spend the next 50 years cheering on my friends, let me remind you that my grandma almost made it to 100 (she was just three months shy). I realized this week that I'm only halfway there--something more to celebrate!