What My 30's Brought Me

Today is my 40th Birthday!!! I am not sad, worried or having a mid-life crisis. I love the life I have and I pray that my 40's are as good to me as my 30's were.

Reflections:

I turned 30 on 12/30/98. What an amazing 10 years it has been. Of course we all know life gives us both ups and downs but I do my best to not dwell on the downs because without them I might not be the person I am today so I prefer to call them life lessons.

Here are some of the high & low lights of the past decade of my life.....

Joe and I bought our first "house" - we closed on it on 1/7/99. 10 years later it is our "home" and already full of so many great memories.

Danielle was born on 10/21/99 and Joseph on 4/7/02.

Five of my Twelve nieces and nephews were born over the past ten years.

Colleen and Amber lived with Joe and I and we were there with them for first steps, words etc.... They moved out on their own and then onto NY and broke my heart - obviously the story has a happy ending as the came back to Charlotte a few years later and Baby Alex was born.

Steve, Regina and the girls move right around the corner from us!!! Talk about a major GREATNESS.

Mine & Joe's entire immediate family now live in Charlotte or Matthews.

I bought my first ever brand new car.

My relationship with Tom (my BFF since I was 12) has grown even stronger, him and Joe get along GREAT and he married Lisa - a wonderful girl and our kids are growing up together.

I got a job that I truly enjoy and have been at for 10 years. I could not have asked for a better boss.

The same job brought Tina into my life. There were many things I would not have made it through without her sitting next too me and holding me up. Plus I would never have laughed this much at work.

My friend Lori and I shared our first pregnancies. It was so nice to have someone going through all the same stuff at pretty much the same time.

I have met amazing people here in Charlotte who fill my life with love and happiness and who I know with all I my heart would do anything for me, Joe, the kids or my mom.

Joe's job at Verizon brought us Daryl and Andre and their boys. They are truly an extension of Joe and I and they are 2 people we can't live without. We have laughed together, cried together and laughed somemore.

God spared my brother-in-law Jimmie after a near fatal car accident. It was a long road but he is here with us and as good as ever.

Some of the people who I love the most in this world lost one or both of their parents and my heart broke with and for them - having been through it I did my best to support them.

I lost my grandmother who most people know meant the world to me. I do remain grateful that I had her for 38 awesome years.

My mother moved in with us - and frankly I could never, ever say enough about her and what she does for us and the kids.

I lost the man (Tom's Dad) who sent me my first dozen roses when I turned 16 and then again when I turned 21. I know if he was still here today my door bell would ring and a dozen white roses would be waiting for me.

I have witnessed God move those closest to me, closer to Him. I have seen 3 people who I hold so dearly give their life to Christ and reaffirm that through baptism. I have seen God in my children daily.

I have seen my sister not give up on finding happiness, she didn't settle, sell-out or give up. I give many thanks to the people who love her and stood by her and held her up and I give thanks and praise to Elevation Church and the people she has met there as well. She has come full circle and realized in her heart she deserves happiness and inner peace and now she has found it.

Joe and I have grown closer and stronger in our relationship.

I have reconnected with several family members through Facebook and it feels great.

Most importantly - I have learned that the material things Joe and I have are not what makes our life so amazing - what makes it amazing are the people in our lives. If I wake up at 40 with nothing - I will still be one of the luckiest, most blessed girls because of the riches my family and friends shower us with.

Stay tuned for what I hope my 40's will bring me......