And many more...

White roses, my favorite flower. Marc gave them to me a week ago yesterday, and they look so lovely especially now that they are all open. Hmmm... now why would he have given me roses? It couldn't possibly be because I had a birthday. THAT birthday.

Yes, I turned 40 without so much as a peep out of me here at the blog. I've made kind of a big to-do out of my birthday the last couple of years, with a dorky things-you-didn't-know-about-me list and a give-away. So, was I too embarrassed about turning 40 to announce the momentous occasion?

No, it wasn't embarrassment. I was just too busy. Granted, this busyness was mostly my own doing. If I were going to make another things-about-me list I might include the following:

1. I have an addiction.

2. This addiction rears its ugly head when I'm scheduled to entertain.

3. About two weeks before the event, I succumb to temptation and find myself in Sherwin Williams, convincing myself I can finish this paint project and still have time to do all the other preparations, plus my regular housekeeping and homeschooling responsibilities.

4. Marc just shakes his head, knowing that he's going to eat too much fast food and his wife is going to have a meltdown two days before the event.

5. He loves me anyway. And even brings me roses.

I belong to our neighborhood Bunco group, even though I haven't attended in over a year. Our Wednesday nights were just too packed with ballet, swim, and Catechism class at church. But every member gets to host Bunco once every two years, and this month I was scheduled to host. So a couple of weeks ago, just as I was starting to recover from the Texas trip and settle into our fall schedule, I felt the paint brush calling again. I finally finished painting the kitchen walls from last year's pre-Thanksgiving paint marathon. I painted two book cases and a small hutch. I bought a round table at a garage sale and painted that. And I started to paint the dining room, but didn't get that done. Funny how Marc scheduled a business trip so he would leave two days before my Bunco party and get back the night after -- smart man! Although I was still setting up food as the guests arrived, the night turned out fine and we all had a wonderful time. And I got three Buncos for the night! If you're not familiar with the game, that means I did well. : )

So if you were to ask what it feels like to be 40, I'm not sure I can really answer. I think I added at least 5 years to my life in the last week, so I never really knew what 40 felt like. But I'll tell you, 45 feels just the same as 39 did. ; )

What it comes down to is that I'm grateful for every day that God gives me and for His many blessings (a patient, loving husband, for example) no matter how old I get. Life can be crazy, especially when I make it so; but God is good. Lord willing, I will have many more days on this earth. Many more opportunities to drive my husband crazy. Many more days to smell the roses. Many more days to experience His grace. Many more days to sing His praise.

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,

your justice like the great deep.

O Lord, you preserve both man and beast,

How priceless is your unfailing love!

Both high and low among men

find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They feast on the abundance of your house;

you give them drink from your river of delights.

For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light we see light.

Psalm 36: 5-9