42 Years Old Today!

Today is my 42nd birthday!!!!! With each birthday I feel lucky to be me. I am fortunate to have great friendships, a wonderful family, two children that I adore, a dog that makes me smile and a husband that still makes me as happy as the day I met him.

My life has been fairly mellow compared to many but I thought it would be fun to look at what it has held for me.

I am number four out of six children.
I grew up Catholic.
My godmother was an elderly woman named Agnes who I absolutely loved.
My older siblings were my role models.
My mom volunteered bussed us to a school outside of our neighborhood for elementary school.
I reached my full height by the time I was in third grade.
My grandparents owned a huge garden and treated us kids like real people. To this day I thank them for that experience.
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My first job was at 12 years old. I worked in a Stretch-N-Sew store.
I learned to drive at 14 with my dad. I loved those early Sunday mornings together.
The first time I got drunk I walked into the house without shoes on a snowy night.
I worked at Baskin Robbins and JCPenney through high school.
I don't believe I gave my parents much grief growing up. Really!
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I didn't enjoy high school. I was ready to start working.
I graduated half way through my senior year and starting working.
I graduated with my BS in Education in four years from a small Catholic college.
I am still in touch with one of my professors.
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I went to watch my sister Stacey skydive and ended up going myself and then calling Steve so he could do it too.
My house has been broken into once (we walked in on them) and my car once.
I once ran the Turkey Trot with my sister and came in the top three for my age. I think I was only 23.
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I have been married longer than I have been single.
I had two c-sections. (The birth can still be beautiful!)
I nursed for eight years.
I practice attachment parenting.
With each year I am a parent and wife, I appreciate my mom that much more.
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I worked in a doctor's office through college.
I worked in new homes for about two years. It wasn't my cup of tea but allowed me to make some extra money knowing Steve was home with the kids.
I taught 5th grade for five years and ESL to kids for two years.
I have taught ESL to adults for the last eight years but consider myself a stay at home mom.
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Steve brought flowers to my work once and left them in the car for me. I didn't even know he was there.
When we first started dating, my car broke down and Steve let me take his car. He rode the bus carrying his guitar and amp.
When picking me up, Steve has never once been late.
For our 15th anniversary Steve bought me a necklace and earrings. I lost one of the earrings but I wear the necklace almost daily.
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I am an introvert and need lots of alone time.
I love reading although I consider myself a poor reader.
Being a mother is the thing I am most proud of doing.
I love nights when we are all home snuggled up watching TV together.
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I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2004.
I have been gluten free/dairy free since the end of 2004.
I have experienced remission and plan to experience it again.
I do believe our bodies can heal.
I have been off all medications since February, 2008.
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I am a spiritual, yet not religious person.
I love discussing unschooling, health, children, relationships, etc but don't like confrontations.
I tend to feel I need to "save" the underdog which often causes me to be in confrontations.
I like being me.

Thank you each for being a part of my life. Thanks to my friends and siblings who make me laugh and remind me of who I am. Thanks to my parents for giving me life, for loving me for so many years, and giving me the values as a child that have remained with me to this day.