The big 4-0

  So, I could pretend that this is going to be just another birthday.  When I turned 30 I tried decreasing my years, but Hubby just started adding more on when I tried to do that, so I'm sticking to my age.  Um, well, if I remember that is.  A while back I was looking at Facebook and one of my classmates was celebrating their 40th and I thought, "man, I didn't know they'd been held back a grade" - can you say denial?  Yes, that apparently was the word of the day that day ;) So, the big 4-0 this year it is. And really, we've been so busy as of late that I nearly forgot that my birthday was coming up until Hubby asked me what I wanted to do for the big day. He won't let me forget this one.  I think he may be relishing it a bit as he's a little older.
  I've never been too skiddish about aging.  I always said that I was going to be au natural, no dyes or additives, just me.  God made me who I am when I am. Now this may be that I had a grandma that had beautiful silver hair that fit her perfectly, or it could be that the other grandma had her red hair that didn't start graying until she was in her 60s, but I was contented. I even decided I wanted a gray streak like Bonnie Raitt.  That was until I started getting one, now I feel conflicted.  Yep, a streak down one side of my head, which is kind of cool because I can flip my hair over to the other side and you'd never know... ;)   The gray is kind of pretty when the light hits it, but curly - what in the world?  I guess I always wanted curly hair like my cousin, maybe I'll get it?
  I'll tell you one thing, if you wait for 6 years like we did, you automatically get put into a younger age bracket in people's minds.  Which is kind of fun.  I remember it happening to my folks when I was a kid.  They also waited for 6 years before I was born. I can secretly smile when people say how young we are, but that doesn't change where I am.
  And truly I would not want to go back.  I wish I had the energy I did when I was in my 20s. I wish could have a re-do on some not so great moments, but they've made me who I am. While I'm still a work in progress God used everything and every year to take me where He wanted me, so I am ... contented. 
  Now I may not readily admit my age, especially if it is mistaken for younger.  Or I may even adjust how I say things: like a few years ago when one of my college-aged buddies was asking me how long I'd been doing archaeology - I almost told her 20+ years (which was about how old she was) but told her since I was 12 instead (ha!).  But I'll admit it.  It won't scare me much.  Well, not much... ;)