Thursday, February 19, 2009

BIG DAY Memories

I had a great birthday! I did what I've seen others do, but have never done myself. I took the day off from work and spent the day doing nothing important.

I woke up to find flowers on the dining room table. Nothing yucky like roses - they were beautiful wildflowers. Definitely nicer!

The Asst. Zookeeper didn't have to go to the mine until later in the afternoon, so we decided it would be a good day to go see a house out in Davidsville that we've been eyeing up for the past month. It's a great house - from the outside.

It is a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath, 2 garage home on 2 acres in Davidsville. It also has a detached, 3 car garage on the side of the property that has a second story to it that the Asst. Zookeeper could have used as a wood shop. The house was well maintained from the road. What a disappointment when we went inside.

It was like walking into a Fun House! It had a horrible layout. The bathroom was tiny. There was no dining room. One of the bedrooms was the size of a closet. A second bedroom was in the attic and I could hardly stand up straight. It was awful! Needless to say, we are going to keep looking!

After the house visit, the Asst. Zookeeper headed into the mine, and I went to get my nails done and get a pedicure. It was lovely! The shop was empty and it was quiet. Vegetating was wonderful - there was no rush to leave and run anywhere. After that, I spent the rest of the afternoon with a book. I curled up with the dog and the cats at home, and we read through the rest of the afternoon.

Then the Heathens started to arrive home: Heathen #1 called my cell phone and sang me Happy Birthday. Then Heathen #2 came home and started singing to me. And then I picked Heathen #3 up at daycare and he wanted to take me to Chuck E. Cheese's for dinner!

I spent the evening at swimming lessons with Heathens #2 and #3, while the Asst. Zookeeper took Heathen #1 to cub scouts. Afterward, we had pizza and ice cream for dinner! Actually, the Heathens had pizza and ice cream. I just had ice cream!

Monday, February 16, 2009

My last day of 29

I can't believe it is February - ALREADY!!!! I swear, I just wrote the post in September and then all I've done since then is blink!

Needless to say, I have no idea where the time has flown. And my house is no cleaner. And the laundry is still never caught up. And I still go to bed with a "to do" list left to do.

So. Tomorrow is the BIG DAY. The one that my mother has been talking about for the past year and a half with an evil smirk on her face. I guess it's supposed to bother me that I'm turning 30 tomorrow. The Heathens have been commenting on it, my family has, my friends have. Even the local TV station was counting down to it, until the digital change-over date was altered anyway!

It really is just another birthday. I don't feel old. I don't think 30 IS that old anymore. 15 years ago, 30 was old. Today, 30 is normal. Amazing how perspectives change. I'm sure that at some point, I'll think being 60 is normal.

If the next 30 years are as good overall as the first 30 have been, I'll consider myself lucky. They haven't been an easy 30 years - heaven knows there have been some horrible, crappy days in there. But in the end, I can smile and say that I've survived and I have a good life.

I have a lot to be thankful for in these first 30 years. I have a wonderful family. Not only the one I was born into, but the one I married into as well. Yes, they drive me crazy. Yes, they make me want to scream on occasion. No, I couldn't live as happily without them.

The Asst. Zookeeper has made a world of difference in my life. It'll be 13 years in May since he stepped into the center ring. Almost half of my life. We love to joke about who we would get matched up with if we ever registered at a site like eHarmony. We know it wouldn't be to each other. But however, why ever, whatever - we work. Well.

The Heathens - I can imagine my life without them. How boring that would be. Imagine getting up in the morning and having no one complain first thing. Or drag their feet and making me late leaving the house. Imagine having no one to yell at after bedtime to "BE QUIET!!!!" and go to sleep. Imagine no shoes to trip over. No socks to find randomly around the house. No lollipop sticks abandoned beside the garbage can instead of inside of it. Definitely, not a life for me.

I'm so in love with my life. Bring on the birthday - I'm ready.