Happy Birthday!

Today is my birthday. I'm 39!

Yes, I used an exclamation point, and not a sad-face emoticon.

I may be a strange bird, but I've always looked forward to middle-age. My 35th birthday was a particularly happy occasion, as I could remember lying in bed as a pre-teen, fantasizing about how my life might be at 35.

Some people love their high school experience. They cry at graduation. Not me. High school was fine, but basically I was glad for it to be over. I looked forward to college. At college graduation, I was happy to have that degree, but I looked forward to "real life" afterward.

Little did I know it, but "real life" consisted of joyous moments that sometimes were preceded by painful lessons. First came a very negative relationship, which allowed me to discover that I had the fortitude to end the relationship after realizing the futility of it. My marriage to my husband, now going strong twelve years into it, was made all the more pleasurable after recovering from the previous dismal relationship. Then, after giving birth to a healthy and strong baby boy, my next two pregnancies resulted in a miscarriage followed by twins born three months prematurely. The joy of giving birth to two sweet little girls was mitigated by the fact that they had an extremely difficult beginning to their lives. Others in this situation understand the joy and sadness felt simultaneously. The worst night of all was the long drive to the hospital at 2:00 a.m., when we drove in heavy silence, holding hands, not knowing if both of our twins would be living when we arrived. Such was the dire circumstance of one of the twins following her second surgery at the age of two months. Remarkably, she survived and, after eleven surgeries and nine years, both twins are thriving today!

Despite this brief synopsis of challenging moments, I've had the good fortune to enjoy more moments that are full of fun, humor, amazement, and peace, than the above story tells.

So life is full of ups and downs. And they're much more elating and frightening than turning one year older.

39 is just a number. But it's my number. I have a great life--a funny, intelligent, adventurous husband who loves me; three amazing children; a warm home; and friends who care about me. I have everything I need. Gifts are not important on my birthday. All I ask for is a cake to share with my family. I'm glad to be the person I am, and I look forward to discovering the person I will become. My next years are bound to be even better than those that have passed.

On my birthday, I wish everyone a happy day!