Sweet Seventy! Happy Birthday to Me!

It's awkward to wish yourself a happy birthday, but I sincerely do. I've now celebrated 70 birthdays. Why are folks so ashamed of their age? I thank God everyday for yet another day, and today, for yet another birthday! 70 years on this earth -- perfectly planned to be here for this day and time to continue to fulfill my assignment by my Creator, Master Designer, and Planner.

All you youngsters out there who view 70 as old.....I was you. I remember when my aunt turned 50 and thought how old she was. I know that age is just a number and I will cherish every year that God gives me on this side of heaven -- and best of all, each year gets me one year closer to going home.

I’m so thankful for the love of my mom and dad that brought me into this world and the beautiful man I married that gave me these precious children and grandchildren that have gone way over the top in giving me a birthday to remember this weekend. They've taken "I love you so much" celebrations to a whole new level in my record books. Yesterday we started out at Baguette et Chocolat Artisan French Restaurant for breakfast, then it was to the "postcard" and "I love you so much" walls in downtown Austin. Then we headed to The Escape Game, a live 60-minute adventure where you and your team take on a challenge and you get one hour to uncover clues and complete your mission and escape. So. Much. Fun. Obviously, from these "family" photos, my sweet children know what I treasure most are my "family" photos. They were "on purpose" to make sure that happened and today, they've assured me there will be more! My hopes for Franklin BBQ were met yesterday afternoon, topped with a sweet "Christopher Robin Movie". We definitely packed a punch into this day!

How thankful I have been that God blessed me to live in these days and times on Planet Earth. One of these photos below that sweet Shawntel did for me shows how long I've been alive here on Planet Earth. At the time of this posting: 7 decades, 70 years, 840 months, 3,652 weeks, 25,569 days, 613,632 hours. That’s pretty sobering, especially in consideration of “What have I done with all those years, months, weeks, days and hours?"

Based on my dear husband’s affirmations, I’m pretty sure I was a good, faithful and loving wife and based on my children’s precious actions and comments over the last few days of celebrations, I think that I passed the test of being a good mom and grandmother. And, from so many wonderful friends’ cards, comments, and blessings, I’m overjoyed to know that I was able to grab some hands and hearts in some ways that touched their lives. I like to think that I’ve left some footprints in the sand that might cause others to want to follow them.

Now, I realize that I am into the 3rd Act of my play, and I think seriously about how I can make the most impact in every day I have left. If you follow me at all on my blogs and messages, you’ll know that I do my best to live in the moments and making the most of them, and sharing as much good news as I can in those moments. Could you and I sit down and have a pity party about all the up and downs, ins and outs, twists and turns of our lives? You better believe it. But, every day the past gets cloudier and cloudier because I’m refusing to go there. I’m forgetting those things behind.

Here are my goals for this grand new DECADE!. To refuse to be angry, worried, grumpy, cranky, cynical and the one that no one wants at their party. Who wants to hang around that old gal? To be sure to die living and not living to die. To praise more, celebrate more, forgive faster, forget past mistakes, encourage and cheer others on more, to reach out and touch more, to give warm hugs and high-5’s more, to learn more, to be more thankful each day God gives me. I want my family to go “Wow – she LIVED!” I’m making sure I’m living every moment. I’ll be finished when I am finished. To add a lot more into the dash (-) that’s between my birth date and exit-to-heaven date. I’m so thankful every day that led to this day, but each day added to that number just gets me closer to that exit-to-heaven date…..when I’ll slide into heaven with my arms up in the air, yelling “What a Ride!”