It's your birthday, shake your boot-tahy!

My birthday is coming! My birthday is coming! Yeah!

That's right folks. I'm gonna be, literally, in my mid-thirties. The big Three-Five! But, at heart, I'm turning twenty-five! And in my 35 years of life, here are just some highlights of events, jobs, etc. that have happened and been acheived......

1) Had 3 beautiful children
2) 2 husbands
3) 2 divorces
4) more than 10 jobs
5) less than 3 mentors
6) travelled to/through most of the U.S.
7) performed in 3 plays
8) attended more than 20 wedding receptions
9) had at least a dozen best friends
10) loved more than I lost
11) figured out who I am
12) forgave most who've hurt me
13) performed at 3 state competitions for 1st soprano solos, recieving a "I" rating at all (which is the highest rating you can get)
14) Had 2 puppies, 1 bird, and 2 kitties in my whole life...... still have the 2 kitties
15) Wrote over 100 stories
16) Wrote over 500 poems
17) Sang on tour through a dozen small towns in KS & MO
18) Drank at least my weight in gold
19) Stayed clean and sober for more than 10 years
20) Learned to cook
21) Raised a smart, funny, caring, and eccentric child
22) learned to make cream puffs
23) stripped and rebuilt a small engine (a few times!)
24) got my ears pierced at age 18
25) got my navel pierced at age 30
26) took a college course
27) found a career that I'm good at! that I love!
28) figured out that even the classiest people have a little bit of white trash in them too (it's true!)
29) money does matter
30) consequences aren't always as bad as you think they'll be
31) friends are always a phone call away, no matter how far away they move (Love ya Nik!)
32) a stop sign is NOT a suggestion! LOL
33) I've shared the best conversations with strangers, and the worst/hardest with close friends
34) tasted a sardine (groooooooooosssssssssss)
35) I've had 2 elective surgeries (tubal ligation and prosthetic stapes)
36) thought about suicide ONCE, but...... see #30
37) gave 2 different couples their first child
38) learned to french braid my own hair
39) found out that I have a voice and a right to be heard
40) discovered that I have the power NOT to explode when I'm pissed (a recently used talent!)

So, my b-day is August 16th. I'm actually looking forward to it!