Now that I have officially passed that milestone by well over a month, I finally got a present from the mother of a friend of mine.

Wanna talk about some patience.
I gave HER this freekin’ stuffed bird SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO…for HER 40th birthday and she has kept it.
waiting.
and waiting.
for SEVENTEEN Years.

Oh yeah, the buzzard is the one on the left.

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I could totally keep this theme going for a full year now!

Today my family got together to celebrate my birthday. The picture above is of my presents and they were all awesome.

It is a tradition in our family to go around the circle before we bless our food and say one word about the person we are celebrating. No birthday person ever gets through it with out crying. Everything they said was totally cool, but the best was the 13 yr old calling me “The Best” (damn, can’t beat that) and the spouselet calling me “Gorge-a-licious”.

My grandmother also said (and I never really thought about it like this) I was the one who made her “Momaw” because I was (still am) the first grandchild. THAT was huge-my sister joked that she has been trying to catch up ever since.

Ok, enough of that, because I know you all are just dyin’ to know exactly WHAT those gifts could be!

First, I got a gift certificate to a local spa, Diva. I have been waxing my own legs for a while and got out of the habit so, I wanted a professional job to get me back on the right foot (or leg so to speak-heh.) I might also have enough to get a manicure as well-and since I quit getting my fake nails-woo doggie, I could use that too!

Then, I got the second most awesome thing-a sweetgrass basket. I love a sweet grass basket. There is so much history wrapped up into one and they are made in one of my favorite places on earth, by some of the coolest women. But, that is only part of the story. Last time the family was in Kiawah, I read a book called The Spirit of Sweetgrass by Nicole Seitz. And it is a fantastic story about a woman who makes sweetgrass baskets. She makes this one basket with bullrush and love knots and a lid-and that is what my aunt and uncle gave me for my birthday.

I cried.
I even made a bit of noise.
“It even {sob}has{sob}love knots{wail} on it!”
Perfect!

Now, if that wasn’t enough, first with all the awesome “name callin”-then the lex waxin’ and THEN the sweetgrass basket {sob} with the love knots…

It was time for the present from my sister and her family. Now let me just tell you, my sister is good at many a thing…teaching, leading women, doing TONS of service to the church and our community, but her claim to fame (second only to her famous laugh-which is a lot like mine) is her ability to make people cry (usually in a happy/good way).

Today, was no exception.

Her gift was that big clear paint bucket with all the slips of paper inside. She had my parents, and sunny and her kids write all the things that were cool about me and she put them on glittery paper and made them into scrolly confetti things…now that is just awesome. I didn’t read them when I was there because honestly-I done cried enough for one day thankyouverymuch. She said that when I am having a bad day and feeling “old” (because 40 IS ancient you know) I can pull my bucket out and read all those cool things.

I am kinda lookin’ forward to it.

What is the coolest gift you have ever gotten on your birthday?

Ok, Officially, I am forty.

EEP!

I also got the crappiest present from a co-worker ever.
A cold.
He swears he didn’t double dip. He calls it dip and flip (using the other side of the chip)

“Hey its legal”
“Hey it still got my fanny sick!”

Personally, I think this just sucks.
NOT what I had invisioned as my graceful entrance into middle age.

On another note.
Spouselet gave me some great gifts to get the day started.
He saw my cubism meme and got me this fun magnet set so i can turn all my family photos into stuff worthy of Picasso!
A blank jornal (the man knows me)
A bookmark with a beautuful doggie on it
and a very sweet card.

I really want to go to the YMCA (even if I am sick) I think it will help.

I love quotes, especially funny ones. I think this one is perfect for the topic of being “over the hill”-isn’t that a scream. Or is that what they refer to people turning 50 now? maybe it is always a point in the future…who knows.
(Oh my stars, I am already starting to ramble)

“Women are most fascinating between the ages of 35 and 40 after they have won a few races and know how to pace themselves. Since few women ever pass 40, maximum fascination can continue indefinitely.”
Christian Dior quotes

So, here we are nine days until it is official and I do think I may be obsessing a bit.

Cafepress has some awesome shirts that I wish I had thought of a month ago to order to wear…my personal favorite is the one that says “I would rather be 40 than pregnant” truer words have never been spoken. Other good ones are the copyright 1968, In Dog Years, I am Dead and MCMLXVII.

Oh and this is fun…The Perks of Being 40 from Bella Online. I giggled. Outloud.

As previously mentioned, I turn 40 later this month. I realized today that this is a huge milestone for myself and one of my favorite addictions.

Magazines.

I am certianly leaving one demographic and starting another. Some titles are no longer relevant to me (and honestly, havent been for years). Glamour and Cosmo. heh. I honestly stopped reading those puppies when I was in my 20’s…before I was out of college…Woman’s Day, Ladies Home Journal and Family Circle are still “good” I suppose, but something about their recycled articles (read one, you have read them all).

Several of my magazines are not ages specific but interest specific…
Living, Everyday Food, Country Living, Mother Earth News, Journey, Somerset Studio (most of their publications)

I feel like sining that old One thing is not like the other from Sesame Street and see if you can pick out the new one-the one I am now “eligible” for.

I am actually excited-a new magazine that before this month (since it is my birth month) I have felt forbidden, to young to even glance at the pages in line at the grocery. But now- I am ONE of them.
(or will be in 12 days)

Visit the first post here:
On Turning 40 #1

(written on 10/10/2008-but posted on 10/11/2008 because I am out of town at a soccer tournament)

This is the year. Actually, this is the month. (in 15 days)

I turn 40.

Last month when I went to Florida, I went with two of my friends who are 40 this year as well. There were supposed to be 5 of us going, but small kids and fear of flying (or some other excuse) prevented half of them from joining us.

Today, 3 of those women hit it-did i mention 15 days before me? I am the baby of the group. What are the odds of knowing 3 women with the exact same birthday-not just day, but year too! I think that is so cool. Might even take the edge off of hitting another decade…but, I don’t feel any of that “anxiety” that you hear people talk about.

Maybe that is because I never bought into the never tell them how old you are mindset. I might even tell you how much I weigh (but that would cost you SEVERAL drinks with umbrella’s in them)…

where was i?
No, that isn’t the onset of “oldtimers”-that is Adult ADD at its finest!

Anxiety, oh yeah…I don’t think I have any of that. I am not dreading the birthday…I am actually looking forward to it. I think that is because most of my thirties were pure crap. I can not wait to put this decade behind me- it is all up from here sister!

I remember my mom having a really hard time with me turning 30. My being old made her REALLY old in her mind. She swears she doesn’t have that anxiety this time, right now I believe her. That may change if I have to coax her in off a ledge somewhere.