My Birthday Post

Guest Post by Mommy:

Don't worry. For those of you who know that I've been in Disneyland, I promise lots and lots and lots of pictures of our fantastic adventure. This post however is about some thoughts I had while celebrating my special day in Disneyland. First off, I have an amazing family. The one I was born with (and I like to think that I did actually choose in the pre earth life) and the crazy man who married me (and the rest of his family.) Oh and those sweet adorable spunky girls that I managed to create. They all knew I would spend my birthday in Disneyland and they all thought it was great (my Dad maybe thought I was a little nutty since "didn't you just go to Disneyland?" but my brother silenced him for me with a "didn't you just go to Joshua Tree?" which is his Disneyland.) I loved it. And I felt loved. We had a great party at my parents house to co-celebrate my birthday with my Dad the day before we left. We ate cake, opened presents (well I wore most of mine since they had been bought previously), and sat in the jacuzzi. It was very nice.

 And then Pete let me take our little family to Disneyland. He did his best to make my birthday all about me and getting me on my favorite rides, but somehow by about 2 pm I was in a funk. The big rides kept closing down on me (including Space Mountain which I was inside the mountain and had to walk out!) and he had been on a bunch of rides with the girls and I was just getting more and more surly. Then we went over to California Adventure and I stayed with the girls for a bunch of rides in a row and it dawned on me. I was different. I wasn't at Disneyland with me and my buddies. I was at Disneyland with my family and that's why I was cranky. I wanted to spend my day with them. I wanted to watch the girls' faces on each and every ride. We hopped on Mickey's Fun Wheel and rode it around and I just sat in that little cage feeling the love from my daughters. It was a strange feeling to have that epiphany right there but it was true. I was different. I craved their company and their excitement.

 And then of course, I went on reflecting as we went from ride to ride. It's been kind of a big year for me. Last year for my 27th birthday, I just wanted it all to go away. I didn't want to talk about it and I wasn't very happy. My Dad turned 50 that year so I was perfectly content to let it be all about him. I was in a dark place career wise and I things were just not turning out how I planned. Now I find myself on my 28th birthday, very much fulfilled career wise! Surprisingly not how I thought either. I am now a stay at home mom who gets to teach fitness classes which I was doing anyway. I found a way to make money doing what I did anyway! Pete's work has also been very steady and we are fixing up areas in the house and I'm finally feeling like I earned my 28 years and I'm acting like the grown up I want to be. (Let's leave Disneyland out of this!) So I will close this guest post by saying, I AM HAPPY! And I'm pretty much happy everyday. I am blessed and I am grateful. Thank you for all the birthday love!