Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Happy Birthday To Me
I am 44 years old today. Wow. I can't believe that happened so soon. I remember being a child and adding up how old I would be in the year 2000 - 38, turning 39 before the year was up. My impression was that my life would just about be over by then, to be that old. But what I didn't know is that my life would just be beginning at 40 in so many ways.
I dreaded turning 40. I dreaded it openly and actively from the time I was 38. But then when it happened, it was the most freeing thing that had ever happened to me in my life. There's something about being in my 40's that freed me from the expectations of the young. Forty began a time when I could be myself. It's difficult to explain, but it really happened.
And now I'm in my mid-40's. All of a sudden, turning 40 is a thing of my past and I'm giving the occasional thought to turning 50. It's not nearly so scary anymore.
When I turned 30, I was very depressed. Andrew and I had adopted one child, but I wanted a big family. I had wanted to have it when I was young, but things had not worked out that way. I was talking with a nun in California about a set of triplets that we had hoped to adopt. She had just told me that they had died in the cholera epidemic in Peru. She said that I was still young and that things would work out. "Life doesn't begin until you turn 40 anyway," she said. I thought she was very unsympathetic to my feeling that life was running out and that I wasn't where I had wanted to be by then.
As it turned out, we adopted a baby boy shortly thereafter, and another girl when I was 33, and our final child, our daughter Anna who came with me to Nationals, when I was 35. It was a few years later than I had hoped, but we managed to get it all done.
The nun was right about something else, too. Life starts over at 40 in a very wonderful way.
So now I've been enjoying my life-past-40 for 4 years. I find that I think much harder about who I am, who I want to be, and what I want to accomplish in this life. I am less concerned with making money and more concerned with living life. I care less about other people's view of my status and levels of success, and more about friendship and doing the right thing. I don't worry about how unlike a fashion model I am and spend more time thinking about the health of my heart and the nutritional value of my diet (that last one is on hold, however, until after Christmas).
I value the simple things in life so much more than I ever did when I was young. I like the way my daughter's Chihuahua curls up beside me. I love to hear my children laughing because they heard my husband laughing in the next room. I enjoy the view of the mountains from my front door. I love the simple traditions our family has established - like having Dad's cheese dip on Christmas Eve. I enjoy knowing that I have now spent one-half of my life with Andrew.
Now don't feel that you must send happy birthday wishes because I am crowing about it being my birthday. Andrew and I aren't really big on celebrating that sort of thing. Besides, my friend Dani Cole surprised me at Convention with birthday treats. And my friend Doug from Atlanta actually remembered that today was my birthday and sent an email. Andrew doesn't usually give me gifts (and vice versa), but he's cooking a favorite meal and slaved over a hot grocery store checkout counter to get me a frozen key lime pie. So I'm good.
Now you are probably wondering when I'm going to get around to writing about rabbits. Well, I'm not. But I can take a little liberty today. After all, it IS my birthday.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops Of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun ¶ 10:02 AM
I dreaded turning 40. I dreaded it openly and actively from the time I was 38. But then when it happened, it was the most freeing thing that had ever happened to me in my life. There's something about being in my 40's that freed me from the expectations of the young. Forty began a time when I could be myself. It's difficult to explain, but it really happened.
And now I'm in my mid-40's. All of a sudden, turning 40 is a thing of my past and I'm giving the occasional thought to turning 50. It's not nearly so scary anymore.
When I turned 30, I was very depressed. Andrew and I had adopted one child, but I wanted a big family. I had wanted to have it when I was young, but things had not worked out that way. I was talking with a nun in California about a set of triplets that we had hoped to adopt. She had just told me that they had died in the cholera epidemic in Peru. She said that I was still young and that things would work out. "Life doesn't begin until you turn 40 anyway," she said. I thought she was very unsympathetic to my feeling that life was running out and that I wasn't where I had wanted to be by then.
As it turned out, we adopted a baby boy shortly thereafter, and another girl when I was 33, and our final child, our daughter Anna who came with me to Nationals, when I was 35. It was a few years later than I had hoped, but we managed to get it all done.
The nun was right about something else, too. Life starts over at 40 in a very wonderful way.
So now I've been enjoying my life-past-40 for 4 years. I find that I think much harder about who I am, who I want to be, and what I want to accomplish in this life. I am less concerned with making money and more concerned with living life. I care less about other people's view of my status and levels of success, and more about friendship and doing the right thing. I don't worry about how unlike a fashion model I am and spend more time thinking about the health of my heart and the nutritional value of my diet (that last one is on hold, however, until after Christmas).
I value the simple things in life so much more than I ever did when I was young. I like the way my daughter's Chihuahua curls up beside me. I love to hear my children laughing because they heard my husband laughing in the next room. I enjoy the view of the mountains from my front door. I love the simple traditions our family has established - like having Dad's cheese dip on Christmas Eve. I enjoy knowing that I have now spent one-half of my life with Andrew.
Now don't feel that you must send happy birthday wishes because I am crowing about it being my birthday. Andrew and I aren't really big on celebrating that sort of thing. Besides, my friend Dani Cole surprised me at Convention with birthday treats. And my friend Doug from Atlanta actually remembered that today was my birthday and sent an email. Andrew doesn't usually give me gifts (and vice versa), but he's cooking a favorite meal and slaved over a hot grocery store checkout counter to get me a frozen key lime pie. So I'm good.
Now you are probably wondering when I'm going to get around to writing about rabbits. Well, I'm not. But I can take a little liberty today. After all, it IS my birthday.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops Of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun ¶ 10:02 AM
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I hope you have an awesome Birthday, I am soo glad I took the time to get to know you at the NC convention in March the year before last, I have found you to be a true friend, and one I can't imagine living without! Love ya!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURIE !!
Your enthusiasm and involvement makes this hobby more enjoyable.
Thanks for all you do for us.
We love you!!!
Roman
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Your enthusiasm and involvement makes this hobby more enjoyable.
Thanks for all you do for us.
We love you!!!
Roman
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: 9:05 PM
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