Turning 51

Tomorrow is my 51st birthday. 51 seems to be a strange age. It always seem 'old' to be in your 50's but now I am here and I don't feel 'old' inside! maybe a little tired and maybe a little achey in the joints somedays. Definitely a few hot flashes and mood swings or emotional drama (like bursting into tears for no reason). But I haven't had a period for over a year, so I must be in menopause and there's a sense of freedom about that in away. maybe just being yourself and trying to just be real anymore and not worry so much about what people think.
Yesterday some of my girlfriends from work took me to breakfast for my birthday before work and I got so many lovely gifts....outdoor potted plants, a beautiful turquoise bibbed style necklace, notecards, new pink Aerosole slippers, a notebook & pen, a Borders gift card, a Nordstrom gift card, pretty votive candle holders and candles, balloons, chocolate, a gift for a manicure...wow, it was quite an extravaganza! I felt very loved and blessed! One sad downside to the day was though that a girl who had worked at our office for almost 4 years got let go the day before....a long story, but she still came to the breakfast and we girls were all glad she was brave enough to still come....I don't know if I would have had I been in her shoes just for what all happened (basically she was blindsided she felt about being let go, but there are of course two sides to the story). My mom called last night and she and my stepdad want to take Tim and me to lunch Sunday, and my brother also wants to take me to lunch today. I have the day off today as we get our birthdays off from work or if it's on the weekend, you get the Saturday off.
Some goals for this new age of 51:

Lose 10 lbs this year and keep it off. I have already started a few weeks ago, just watching my portions, trying not to eat junk, etc. and have lost a few pounds. My summer skirts and capris were getting too tight and I am not buying new and bigger sizes so it's discipline time for me!

Read my Bible daily and spend time with God. Not legalistically, but for life. The day goes a lot better when I do. I want to fall more in love with Jesus every day. Follow after the proverb that says "when she speaks her words are wise, and kindness is the rule for everything she says".

Try to stay on top of keeping my upstairs organized and clothes put away, etc. I have two spare rooms upstairs and three closets where I keep my clothes, accessories, etc..(two dressers too) and I am tired of being too cluttery and not organized with my things. I am sure I need to go through and purge some, I did that a few months back and probably need to again.

Try to live more like a French woman. I know that's a generalization, but I have been reading a lot about the French in their clothing, wardrobe, skin care, eating habits, etc...and have been fascinated. There are a lot of books out there about it, and lots of internet articles. What I like is that they may not have a lot of clothes, but what they do have is nice and quality. They take good care of their skin and have facials, etc. And they walk a lot. And walking more is something I really need to step up and do.

Last weekend Tim and I got to see Jars of Clay at a weekend festival event near our house, for teens. We got free passes from a friend at work's daughter, as she is dating the bass player. She lives in Dallas and he lives in Nashville, and they met a few years back in college. They were here visiting for a few days and we got to meet him. It was really fun, and Jars of Clay live were really good. I bought their new CD this week and also the one from a few years ago that has the song "Dead Man, Carry Me" on it, which I love. I asked Gabe, the bass player, if they were going to play that song, and he said they were...he also said that earlier in the day, a local band at the festival was playing it too, and it was kind of fun for the Jars of Clay band members to hear this little garage band playing one of their songs!