40

In approximately 24 hours, I'm turning 40.  The funny thing is, I'm really ok with that.  In fact, I'm almost proud of it.

Do I love the fact that shedding baby pounds is a whole lot harder than it was 11 years ago?  Not really.  Am I a huge fan of gray hair?  Not entirely.  But these things come along naturally, and along with them, you get maturity and wisdom.

I do not mean to imply that I know it all or that I have reached a pinnacle of personal development.  Certainly not.  But when I look back at my 20-year-old self, I can definitely say, "you've come a long way, baby!"

So, yes I'm a bit more squishy, achy, and wrinkly than I was then, but I'll gladly accept these effects of aging as a trade off for all the gifts of marriage and motherhood, not to mention that I'm a whole lot smarter now than I was back then.

Here are some of the things I've learned ( these are probably no-brainers to most folks, but I'm a little slow):

-there are always 2 sides to a story.

-there's nothing wrong with drinking a glass of wine every night.

-humor often works better than anger, especially with kids.

-reading books aloud with the kids covers a multitude of parental missteps, especially if done while snuggling on the couch.

-exercise is important for more reasons than just looking good.

-education is about much more than report cards and test scores.

-the saints in heaven really can be great friends.

-it's ok to fake a cheerful disposition.  It's also ok to cry.  It's not so ok to have temper tantrums.

-sleep is vital.

On that note, I realize it's almost midnight and time for bed.

I'm planning to celebrate my birthday all week, so I'll try to document all the fun I intend to have.