Ripening... Not Sad!!!

It's sad to grow old, but nice to ripen. ~Brigitte Bardot

 Today I am exactly 30 years older than I was in this picture...

This morning it hit me... I am officially over the hill headed toward 40!! OMG... thats crazy!! For most of my life I have been the "young one"... I was always the young cousin, or the youngest at the table (I went to dinner with my grandparents a lot) or the young wife, I've always had friends usually older than me... I dont feel as if I deserve the "young one" title anymore... I am stripping myself of that title... I am officially grown up as of TODAY!!! Happy Birthday to me!!!

My son asked me this morning "Mom, are you old enough to be a grandma now?" :-(  
(Please God, not yet! My daughters are too young to have babies)
I told him "NO!!!"
~pause~
"I am only 26!!! You have to be at least 50 to be a grandma!!!"
DEAR GOD I LIED TO MY 8 YEAR OLD!!!

My Great-Grandmother Edna told everyone she was 39 years old... I thought she was 39 when she was 70!! Now thats either because she looked AMAZING at 70, or because she acted like she was young and viberant even at the age of 70... or both!!! I want to be like Grandma E when I grow up!

All I know is this...

Today I am 36 years old and I feel amazing...
I am blessed beyond anything I could have ever imagined...
I burn the candle at both ends, constantly living life to the fullest and always wanting more...
I feel comfortable in my own skin for the first time in my whole life...
I finally understand and appreciate "No Drama" ... 
I am at peace with "never judge others lest ye be judged"
I value my true friendships and realize that I dont need 2 million friends, just real friends...
I have finally started drawing a line in the sand and not allowing everyone to dictate my time...
   (I think my life coach called that "boundries")

I think I've started "ripening" as Brigitte Bardot called it... But!!!!!!! I am NOT sad... I am HAPPY to be turning 36 and ripening...

BRING IT ON 40 ! ! !

Signed,
Birthday Girl