A Birthday and Some Gratitude

I turn 35 today. Half way to 70 is the big joke around here. I can no longer deny that if I am not "middle aged" now, I am certainly on my way. I am happy today. Not just because it is my birthday but because life just seems pretty swell all the way around. I've had a fair share of bumpy years so I will gladly embrace this feeling.

In this vein, I want to list some of which I a grateful for:

My kids are happy, healthy and thriving.

Rob loves his job (most of the time) and is succeeding in ways we never imagined. He is being groomed at work for bigger things to come and just got managements approval to change 50% of his job to something he found lacking in the company. Great things are coming his way.

The kitchen reno is almost done. After a year long break, the details are being tended to and I must say the final picture is stunning!

I feel healthier than I have in years. I am down about 20lbs and counting. I need to exercise even more and am working on this around hubby's more hectic schedule.

I have a lot of great people in my life. Homeschoolers, neighbours, old friends and new...I have a lot of support and people to turn to when I need it. Friends are truly what keep you going!

Homeschooling is about 90% of what I imagined it to be way back in the early days of deciding to head down this road. In the last three (official) years of homeschooling the kids are learning what I had hoped they would learn and surpassed in some areas. I imagined time for family dinners and lounging on the bed reading great books. I imagined the kids taking music lessons, art classes and hanging with their friends. All of this is happening just like I had hoped. We are living the life we had hoped to create, which is awesome!

Life is good right now. Everyone has their share of bumps along the road but I am glad I can see the good times for what they are and just be happy.