Blessed Be

I've started typing this blog on the afternoon of my birthday. It's my hope to publish it either later tonight or early tomorrow. (Sidenote, that didn't happen, did it? The day was awesome and I was too sleepy to finish writing. Instead, it's being posted a few days after the fact. Okay, that AND I was inspired to create a Pile It On kind of layout, thanks to Pages In Time and I needed to put that together, too.) In approximately two hours, I will officially be 34 years old. Woohoo, right? It's certainly not a milestone birthday. It's not even on the fives when counting. It is, however, a special year already. I can tell.

'Round about three or four years ago, I was reading the blog of a very good friend. She was writing about her own birthday and how happy she was. At the time, and even up until recently, I was so NOT about celebrating my own birthday; and noted as much in my comment. Bless her heart, she reamed me out for setting a bad example for my son. At the time, I blew it off, but I suspect it stuck with me deeper down. Don't misunderstand. I'd still share in the family/birthday dinner. I'd still enjoy the cake. I'd even smile as I unwrapped a present. I just wouldn't get excited about the monumental day. I took the gift of life -- especially that very first day of life -- for granted. I just wanted the day to pass. I didn't even really want the gifts I'd gotten because I was pretty sure I didn't deserve them. They've always been outstanding treats; just couldn't figure out why I was being honored with them.

So why was this particular birthday different? Why did I wake and start singing (mentally) "Happy Birthday To Me! I'm older than 33! I gave birth to a monkey and he slept later than me!" Why did I, on the night before, actually say, "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" when my mom confessed she couldn't wait any longer to give me my present? Why did I say, "By all means, keep the boy happy!" when my husband confessed mid-afternoon that our son insisted on getting me a present, wrapping it and yelling "Surprise!" at me?

My best guess is that I'm finally getting a part of the mystical "it" that explains life.... Only part, mind you. In the past year, I have noticed and remarked on the blessings of my life and actually being blessed in general more than I had in the 30-ish years that preceded them. I've said "Thank you" more often (though still not often enough); both to the people who have blessed me AND to the clouds and blue skies up above. I have accepted more often that there is a reason for some of the less joyful moments to happen and that I just might learn that reason soon enough. I'm beginning to truly believe (rather than pay lip service) that every single day is a tremendous gift. That there is beauty everywhere to adore, cherish and be grateful for.... That the color purple is an amazing thing.

Finally, being born is a big deal; and I'm so grateful that I was.... Even if it means that I need to get my keester off this couch and go get the laundry out of the dryer now because nobody else will.



As I mentioned above, this page was inspired by the Pile It On Challenge at Pages In Time. My goal was to incorporate four separate ideas into one page, plus a button. I'm thinking I need to come back and add detail photos, too.

For Lacee's Shabby Chic: I tried to keep pink, brown and white as the main colors by painting a brown border on white paper, then sanding it down, inking the white lace (flower) with pink ink, glimmer misting (a coffee color) the pink paper flowers and using white pearls as their stems...loads of distressing here.

For Barbera's Pearl: Again, the pearl stems on the flowers below.

Denise's Distressing: sanding the paint, roughing up the edges of the patterened paper

Lisa's Go Green: The button in the center of the lace flower was about to fall off of a jacket I was inspecting last week; so I cut it off (no longer a fan of the jacket as-is anyhow) and repurposed it. I also backed my journal spot with some cardboard from a delivery box. The journal spot itself (while I don't think it counts as recycling) is a bit of pink paper that I used as a crafting mat while painting the white paper, inking the pink strip behind the spot and misting the paper flowers. Since I'm not a regular user of pink, and I don't have a crafting mat, this often happens.

TFL! I'm starving and in need of a real breakfast.