Getting older ...

So, I celebrated a birthday this week -- yuk! And one of the ways I celebrated was to pull out the video of my 50th birthday party. Okay, it wasn't like I went hunting for the video. I was actually trying to find a blank video to tape a program for RJ. I found it! I'm not sure if it was good or bad -- I definitely was smaller -- that was depressing! Several who were on the video have gone on to heaven -- that's depressing! And Dex and Grace Martin who decided to sing their very morbid "Happy Birthday" song for the camera -- that was definitely depressing! So, what wasn't depressing? My parents had sent me an orchid corsage - the orchid has special meaning for our family, so that was definitely an upper.

The girls had thrown a 50's bash -- complete with setting up our family room like a 50's cafe' with several ladies in poodle skirts, LP records hanging from the ceiling, bobbie socks and bubble gum .. it was quite the occasion. They really outdid themselves. Lots of people and definitely lots of laughter. I remembered Roxanne's comment after I remarked that I was feeling old now that my oldest was nearing 30 ... "How do you think your mother feels about having a 50 year old?" Touche'!!

It's quite funny that Teri actually set her alarm yesterday morning to see if she could call me 'first' to say "Happy Birthday" .. she probably went back to bed after that!! Actually, Sandi had already written a special birthday message (which can be found on her blog "Just Me" link). And, of course, throughout the day, I heard all kinds of renditions of "Happy Birthday" from my dad to Roxanne's family .. to Shonna's greeting and to Teri's girls calling.

Do I feel older? I have no clue .. I always like what my brother, Joel, tells me when I ask if he's getting older. "It's always a matter of mind over matter ... I don't think about my age!" And Bob usually adds, "If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!" Joel actually turns 50 in a little over a month but he doesn't look it nor act it. Oh, but maybe he does .. he told me on the phone that he had missed his granddaughter's birthday -- He forgot to call her until the day after her birthday and apologized for the oversight. He called me today ... hmmm ... my birthday was yesterday. But, as Sandi shared in her post, we rarely ever celebrate a birthday on the actual date. We've been known to celebrate a month or two ahead or afterwards. Depends on the year -- or maybe whether we actually forgot the day!!

I thought about my mother yesterday morning and knowing that, if she were still alive, she would have made the rounds calling everyone to remind them it was my 'day' ... and we'd all grumble a little that after all these years, we really should remember. But, probably not -- I'm in Atlanta and my brother, Tim, asked me last night ... "Uh, who's birthday is it today? Yours or Mark's?" (Mark's is on the 15th ). Oh, by the way, Mark, "Happy Birthday" in case I forget ... yikes, I am getting old!! Hide the mirror!!!