Raising Magnolias

Remembering

“Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident….I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27)

I’m not sure where to start; not sure how to put into words the way that I have been blessed over the past days-fleeting and even if I do find the words, they’ll never be enough.

Thank you, so hollow. Thank you, never enough.

But still, thank you!

Thank you for the cards and the notes; for the flowers and surprises; thank you for the sun and the warmth; the  music and books so thoughtful and cards so kind and thank you for remembering.

Because the one I had hoped would remember, forgot. Well, not so much forgot as ignored and that’s what I feared for two, three, even four years and it happened and it’s over and and now we move on. And joy always wins the day.

It wasn’t easy. To celebrate, I mean.  There’s a time to rejoice and a time to mourn but, Mr. Solomon, is there a time when we do both? A both-and?

I believe yes.

They tried to kill the joy. Tried to ruin the trip, ruin the day and crash the celebration.

They tried. To break me down.

And they failed.

From the instant my toes squished soft in the sand and my face warm to the sun; from doorbells ringing and flowers waiting, cards arriving and facebook buzzing; from a birthday morning spent reading and later, exercising with the “old people”, and from a birthday afternoon playing-park with friends and cupcakes and scavenger hunts; from a fake-meeting turned surprise party and a dinner with friends, full of prayers and laughter and tears. From all of this, God shows his grace; shows His face and again, joy wins the day.

Yummy b-day lunch. Pizza, baked beans and french fries. I’m not even kidding.

”

The number of my years, measured by sticks and leaves and rocks.

OK, so I realize that’s a heck-o-la-lot of pictures of yours truly but, you know, it was my birthday! 40 and Fabulous, isn’t that what they say? And I believe that. Except I gotta tell ya that ever since Tuesday there’s been this weird twitch in my hip….

and my knee kinda hurts….

and ever since I ran barefoot on the beach, my ankle hasn’t been quite right….

and I wonder if I’m going to need reading glasses ’cause I already have glasses and how do you wear two pair…..

and…oh never mind. Let’s just stick with 40 and fabulous because I’m forty and my children are, well, fabulous!

Thanks, sweet friends!