Well, Happy Birthday to me! At this moment, I’m four times my daughter’s age! I’m 56 years away from 100!
And I’m still not the best at math because I had to backspace on both of those calculations when I got them wrong the first time.
I’ll admit I’m fully in my mid-forties now, but I’m not quite ready to call myself middle aged.
Things I’m loving about my forties:
The busy-ness. Some days I lament the craziness of our family’s schedule (which could be infinitely crazier), but honestly I love it.
My teenage and early adult years were so incredibly fun for me, going going going all the time. Meeting new people, traveling to different places for speech competitions, football games, and whatever-fun-came-along.
I’m now re-experiencing that times three as my kids develop these things called “their own lives.” I get to meet new people and travel to different places for football and basketball games and speech competitions and whatever-fun-comes-along.
It’s honestly a blast.
Not that I haven’t struggled with it here and there, wishing I could be the one to decide which things were interesting and worth our travel time and energy. But alas, the most positive decision I’ve made at this stage of motherhood (my kids are now 11, 14, and 16) is to go with the flow.
To enjoy each opportunity to drive to a basketball game an hour away on a Thursday night.
To relish the adventure of finding a great barbecue place in a small town on the way to watch my kid march in the band (even when he’s literally just marching because he forgot his tuba’s mouthpiece and can’t play . . . ).
To spend Saturday night practicing hair-styling techniques on the girl who once threw up from crying so hard because she couldn’t bear to have a brush go through her hair.
To spend an hour every morning and two every afternoon of our family vacation at the lake riding along on country roads while my fourteen year old got “his turn” at learning to drive.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned at this point in my life, it’s to enjoy each day for what it is. To live the life I have at this moment.
Transfer those thoughts to your stuff, and you’ll learn what I’ve learned about clutter.
Life is crazy enough in the moment. I don’t need stuff from another phase (past or future) making it harder to enjoy this moment.
Life isn’t guaranteed. We’ve learned this the hard way over the past year. Each day of the next year is one I want to live well. If any thing makes my days more difficult to live well, it needs to go.
OK. Enough rambling from this birthday girl/mid-forties-woman.
A few things you should totally grab on my birthday.
I have a few “gifts” for you today. Think of them as party favors, even though they’ve been available for a while and will be available for a while longer.
I just want to remind you because I always feel bad when people miss out on these kinds of things.
My first book, How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind is 1.99 in e-book form through the end of this month. NOTE: the prices mentioned were current at time this post was published. They may have changed. Here it is for Kindle and Nook, and it’s also available (in the U.S.) for that price on other digital book platforms. If you don’t have an ereader, I explain in this video how to get a free ereader app on your phone so you can take advantage of deals like these.
Decluttering at the Speed of Life – it’s now available at your favorite book seller along with my first book – For detailed guides, check out my books:How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind and Decluttering at the Speed of Life.
Pre-ordering my book would be the best birthday gift ever, if you’re in a birthday-gift-giving mood. And you get a gift when you give that gift!
Best. Party favors. Ever.
I mean, except that they’re not totally free. But you’d bring a gift to a real party, right? So let’s call it even.
--Nony
Happy birthday Dana!
Happy birthday Dana – and wishes for many more! I’m turning 60 on Wednesday and I can’t wait for the next decade – it’s going to be a blast!
Many blessings to you Dana, today and always!! Thanks for being a blessing to all of us!!
Happy Birthday and MANY Happy Ruturns to you!
Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday Dana, happy birthday to you.
Happy Birthday! Enjoy your day and the rest of the year!
Happy Birthday
Happy birthday, Dana! I join you at 44 in just a few months. Similarities include a love of the theater…4 of my 5 kiddos just received roles tonight in two new plays for the semester. My true middle child (11 yr old dd w/an older and younger sister AND an older and younger brother) just got cast as Cruella Deville in the junior production. Oh my! And my oldest, my 15 yr old daughter is in her first weeks of learning to drive. That’s the same daughter who loves to read aloud your first book to me so we can laugh (again) together. Getting control of the house doesn’t seem impossible anymore. No fun, but not impossible. 😉 Thanks! We both pray you had a wonderful birthday!
Happy Birthday! And you nailed this post! I am 52 and still in shock. My kids are 15 and 12, and if it weren’t for them, I think I’d be a hermit! Ha Ha! The band life is a totally new thing for me, but it’s definitely fun seeing things thru my kids eyes. Between that, girl and boy scouts, etc, etc, life is always interesting. Enjoying quiet time with my coffee while they are both finally back to school after 2+ weeks of sickness, so I’ll take the calm while I can, but wouldn’t trade my life right now for anything.
Have a great day!
Happy Birthday Dana!! 🙂 x
Happy Birthday! I’m just six months behind you…and a few mothering years ahead of you (my oldest is almost 22 years old!). Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom on enjoying the everyday. It’s so easy to wish these teenage years away or to look back longingly at those preschool years when they just had to do whatever we said, no questions asked! LOL How quickly we forget that those days had their struggles, too, and it’s much better to embrace and enjoy today for what it is! I hope you had a lovely birthday!
First of all HBD. I am new to your website but believe you have really helped me getting my house in order. I love nothing on my counters and less is great on everything. I have a few closets to tackle.
Happy Birthday Dana. Thanks for being brave and honest enough to start this blog. It has changed my world to know I’m not the only one to think the way I do. I’m currently in day 16 if 28 days and trying the laundry in a day (probably more like 5 by the time I’m done). Didn’t know that I had that much laundry. 🙂 I’m going to keep at it. I’ll wait until week 3 to judge if it’s for me. Again thanks for your honesty and bravery.
Happy birthday!
Belated HAPPY BDay, Dana !
Happy belated birthday, Dana! I’m late catching up on my emails because I’m taking my days as they come at Disney world this week with my precious teens. 🙂 I always enjoy your insights. And I think you’re dead-on with this post. Thanks for sharing your gifts with the world.
Happy Birthday to my favorite blogger :+)