50 Seems Like a Big Number.....

I have been reflecting back on my life this entire week. I see so many faces …all those I have met along the way.

I have also been thinking about all the experiences I have had and the dreams I have yet to experience. It has kept me busy I can tell you!

Wow! Tomorrow I will celebrating my 50th birthday. Seems like a big number… but really… if you think about it, 50 of anything, in relation to the entire universe, is a tiny number…like a handful of 50 M&Ms or 50 potato chips.

Well, that’s how I look at it and it makes me feel better…not older. Honestly, some days I feel like I am 20 again. Other days I feel much older than 50.

But another birthday is not so much about feelings or experiences. To me, it is about thankfulness…and I have so much to be thankful for.

I am thankful that God gave me a life to live and a family to love.

More than anything I am thankful for my mother Nelly. I miss her so much. I know I will see her again one day and when I do, I am going to fling my arms around her and we can begin again where we left off. I am going to tell her thank you for having me, caring for me, and loving me unconditionally… for wiping away my tears and for believing in me. She named me Maria.

As I continue to reflect on my 50 years on this planet, I can’t imagine where I would be without my true Knight in shining armor.

Jeff is my truest love, my constant companion and friend. Gentle hearted but firm and strong…solid as a rock! Lord knows I needed a strong man to balance my stubborn, persevering and creative spirit.

Love IS Jeff and life is living it with Jeff. We will continue to share the good and the not so good, having money or not having much at all. When I get sick, he takes care of me and when he gets sick I will take care of him. God willing, we will grow old together… until it is time to go home.

And then there are my two boys….such beautiful boys. The sunshine of my life, the continuation of my hopes and dreams, the part of me that will go on and on, James and Scott.

Blessed with two brothers and a sister, I know I will never be alone. They are just a text message away. They are my cheerleaders and my safety vest when the sea of life gets ready to swallow me up.

Then there are those I have never met but who have taken the time to write, drop a note in my inbox, on my blog, or on my Facebook page just to say hello, wish me well, or thank me for posting my latest tutorial or creation. I love waking up in the morning just to see who I will hear from each day! Thank you for letting me share a little bit of my life with you.

So,“Happy Birthday” to me! May God grant me my birthday wish…a long life with my true love, may he keep my children and family safe from harm and may he bless all those I have met along the way…

I have always loved the song Maria from West Side Story. When I think of the words, I think of Jeff who swept me off my feet 29 years ago. I hope you enjoy this version of that song by John Barrowman.

So with God’s help, my journey continues….With Love, Maria