It’s a perfect day to celebrate life!

Isn’t ‘life’ a funny thing?

Is it possible that at any age we have arrived at a place where we have it figured out?

I can’t seem to get myself to write the numbers here, in black and white, that reveal my new age today.  When I think of those numbers I shake my head…I can’t believe it…I’m beyond middle age…When I was young I looked at ladies like me and thought that they were really old!

And yet, I will say that I love where I am in life.

There isn’t a day or a year where I wish to return.

Each year has offered more…has taken me to a better life…this life.

I’m not even sure that there was a time in my life where I felt better than I do today {or if I did, I just didn’t know how much I should appreciate it}.

There are aspects of those early years that I miss…I miss the perky, thinner version of me {that just had to come first}…I miss holding my babies…I miss the places where we lived that gave us friends that we no longer get to see…I miss my grandparents…

I love that everything in my previous 47 years brought me right to where I am today {there! that was a gently way of saying it}!

The current picture of me that you see above was included in a post that Amber wrote yesterday {great post, btw…check it out}.  My first response was that of shock that she would post a picture of me like that….no make-up…hair not done…etc.  This was a work day.  We were getting ready for the workshop the next day.  In fact, she was suppose to be taking shots of the bucket of milk that I was holding.   I believe my instructions were, ‘not my face!”

I love the little lessons that life sends our way in the form of surprises. 

One thing that I have learned in my life is that I want to be real…in every possible way!

Seeing that photo reminded me of that.  That picture is raw, real, natural…all of the things that I want to be each day. 

No cover-up!

I had to put the two photos side-by-side because there is simply no mistaking that they are the same girl.  I love that little girl ~ she knew how to love life… and I also love the person she has become.  {wow! those are hard words to say…it feels bold…but the tears streaming down my face right now makes it feel less so…}

photo by: Tres Birds Photography

I will still always prefer the pictures of myself where my my chin looks like one single chin and my make-up and hair are nicely done…where the lines around my eyes are softened…

And this will be just another wonderful day to celebrate life!

photo by: Tres Birds Photography

The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.
-Madeleine L’Engle

I would love to send one of you a gift! 

A bar of my hand-made soap…made from fresh goat milk! …and a CELEBRATE charm…{like the one I’m wearing in the picture above…it is personally, my favorite charm}

Leave a comment, answering this question…What is your favorite part of your life?  What brings a smile to your face on a regular basis?  What makes you celebrate life?