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Today, 39 years ago, is the day I came into this world. (Happy birthday to me!)

I am not a person who feels sad to “age” or get older. I don’t really care what that number does, whether it keeps going up (the evidence shows it does). I don’t think it really means anything other than a human way to mark my time on this earth in this body.

Here’s what’s cool: I am more than this body. I am greater and bigger and grander than my physical appearance would suggest. I am (the energy of my soul is) MUCH older than 39 years old too. That is a tiny number when you’re ageless and timeless. I understand that who I am doesn’t bear too much resemblance to this 39 year old body and so worrying about this body “aging” ?? Not so much.

When there is an understanding within, of oneness with the One Infinite Creator (source, God, the Universe, all of existence, etc.), what can harm me? “AGE?” How can I be sad about another year on this earth? I only see it as an opportunity to rejoice that I’m here experiencing this life. What a gift!

And so, in honor of this 39th year I’ve been blessed with, allow me to tell you a little about who I am (if you are unaware):

1. I am a mom to 7 kids, which seems to be one of the BIG labels that “defines” me these days. I love them. I love being a mom. I ALWAYS wanted this gig and now that I “have” it I am truly grateful. It is greater and more expanding that I thought it would be.
2. I grew up in a family with LOTS of siblings (I have 11 siblings – 4 “full”, 5 “step”, and 2 “half”) and so I have always been surrounded by people. I know how to make LARGE quantities of food!
3. I am a wife and have been for 18 years. I love this “label” too. I am married to someone I love dearly and we do almost everything together. He supports me in all that I desire to do and I appreciate that greatly.
4. I am a writer. I love writing. I love that I just need to sit down at a keyboard or with a pencil or pen in hand and it flows out of me effortlessly. It has been a very excellent fulfilling way to express myself and I’m grateful for it. (I did NOT pick up on this one when I was younger … that would have been cool though, to have more confidence in my ability when I was in high school. oh well.)
5. I went to college for 1 year and HATED it. I failed almost all my classes (except my music classes which I excelled in). I just wasn’t “feeling” it. At the time there was a great deal of guilt, shame, and “bad” associated with it … in fact there are some people who still look at that year with great disdain. I look at it as a growing period and a “refining who I was” period. College was not for me. I knew that almost immediately but was told I had to continue. And SO! I did continue, I just didn’t finish it in the way everyone else thought I should. And I’m still alive and happy and thriving. (miracle of miracles!)
6. I am a musician. I don’t do this much, outside of my home or car, anymore, but I am a singer and a pianist. I LOVE and adore music. I love making music. I love writing music. I love listening to music. Music is an important part of my life and I couldn’t imagine living without it.
7. I am a light giver. What does that mean? It means I like putting greater light into the world. I like inspiring. I like loving. I like helping. I like giving. These things fill me with joy, with greater light of my own, and they EXPAND my soul. I can’t NOT do them. In fact being this – a light giver – is why I exist on this earth I believe.
8. I am a list maker. I love lists. I love checking things OFF of lists. When there’s a task to do, or a job, or an event … LIST TIME! It’s just my thing.
9. I like clothes and shoes. I don’t go crazy, like I did when I was younger, buying new stuff anymore …. I do have 7 kids to feed and all that … but I do love clothes and I really like shoes. I always have. I don’t know what I love about them, I don’t know why it is something I love, I just do. (I got new birthday clothes this weekend … and it made me feel “spiffy.”)
10. I love reading. A LOT. I can learn new things from reading. I can be inspired from reading. I can enter into an alternate reality from reading. I could sit and read all day if that was possible. I just love books.
11. I love trees. I like all growing things really … but trees? There’s something majestic and wise about them. I think they have souls as I do and I feel connected to them. When I am in a forest or even just outside near nature my heart soars and I feel alive and free. (evergreens are my favorite – I’m a Washington State girl at heart)
12. I’m a home-body. I like staying home. I like being at home. I like my home. I like knowing I have nowhere to go so I can just be comfortable and happy in my home. (Home is your heaven on earth! That’s what I was taught growing up and it’s so true.)
13. I love going out too. (I’m continually a paradox. That’s what’s so fun!) I love seeing new places. I love meeting new people. I love trying new food. I love experiencing new things.
14. I love hiking. This goes along with my “tree love.” It fills me with joy. It replenishes the energy of my being and I truly adore every opportunity I can take to be outside and hike and experience the world of nature.
15. I like being creative and making things with my hands. I don’t just like it, I LOVE it. Quilting, sewing, crafting, crocheting, baking, etc. – these things are my jam. (I also love quoting funny movies that no one knows I’m quoting except maybe my husband)
16. I like laughing. I always have. I just think it’s fun.
17. I like being silly with my kids. I love playing with them. I love having fun with them. I love seeing their smiles and hearing the lightness that comes when they’re open and joyful.
18. I love chips and salsa. I could DRINK salsa. And dark chocolate. And roasted vegetables. And caramel brownies. And buttered toast.
19. I have a decorative pumpkin collection. Which is weird … I’m not really a “collection”  type of person, but one year I just decided to buy a few and start telling people I was collecting them. And since my birthday is in October … it snowballed. In a funny good way. And so now when it’s fall I pull them out of plastic bins and put them everywhere and the kids “ooh” and “aah” and then we enjoy them for a couple months and yeah. Pumpkin collection.
20. I know a LOT about having babies. I think having 7 qualifies me to the “expert” level, and over the years I’ve read ALL the books about it. I can answer most questions people have about it. I just love that “creational” season in people’s lives and think it’s miraculous and awe inspiring.
21. I like clean. I like being clean. I like having a clean house. I like clean clothes. Is my house always clean? Nope. I understand there’s life, and so things won’t always be perfect and tidy and sweet smelling and clean … but when they are? I appreciate those times.
22. I like my face. It took me a while to own my unique beauty, but when I finally did, it was relieving. Do I think I’m the most beautiful lovely person ever? Yes. Yes I do. Do I think YOU are the most beautiful lovely person ever? Yep! I do. Each of us is uniquely perfection.
23. I like organization. A perfectly organized linen closet is the BEST! I like my clothes to be folded in their spaces, I like my shoes to be in a row, I like the glasses and cups in the cupboard to be just right. (I may be a teeny bit OCD) I just think it’s nice when things are organized and in rows.
24. I can’t stand vanilla scented anything. Just no on those. And those candles that smell like cake or cookies or something? Gag. One time I was stuck in a truck between 2 teenaged boys for TOO long with a vanilla scented air freshener. It is not a fond memory.
25. I love giving gifts and making people things. I just do.
26. I don’t dance. If my life depended on it? Sure, I could. Do I thank the stars my life DOESN’T depend on it? Yes. I suppose “I don’t dance” is a tiny bit inaccurate … I do if it’s in a silly way with my kids or something. But that’s the extent of it.
27. When I’m in public I’m one of those “weird” people who look everyone in the eye and smile. What can I say? I like smiling. Smiling’s my favorite. (another movie quote for you)
28. I admire shiny, flashy, exuberant, outgoing, sparkly, super fun people. I don’t consider myself to be those things. I am more steady, quiet, thoughtfully pondering, a little introverted, and observing. I am not shy. I love to talk. I’m just not “look at me!!!!!!!!!!!!!” In fact, exclamation points usually look really “crazy like” to me.
29. I am a “get it done” “I don’t care if I get dirty” kind of girl. I like to get the job done. I don’t mind dirty jobs. I don’t mind lifting things. I don’t mind building things. I like getting things accomplished and doing projects.
30. My favorite things to talk about are deep life altering soul searching universe existence wondering types of things. I LIVE for these conversations. I feel alive when I think about and talk about these things. They are definitely my kind of talk. (sports and less “deep meaning” things just don’t do it for me.)

Do you know what I think is MOST interesting? Certainly not all the little details about me, but I love how each of us is so different, so unique, so truly individual. I love that. There is not another soul exactly like me. There are people similar. There are those whose lives and loves resonate and look a little like mine, but each of us is unique in the exact makeup and “layout” of our being.

I love that. I love learning about people and who they are. SO … on this 39th anniversary of the day I was born … this is me. I’m happy to be here.

honorthismoment – #100somethings – 20/100