Over-the-hill…NOT! I’m still climbing it, believe me.

Ok, so all year, I’ve dreaded the big 50.  I guess I thought it would be a big deal and I would suddenly turn into a bonafide member of the old and decrepit club.  Pshaw!  It was quite a birthday but I’m still standing tall and I feel as good as ever.  Still have my hearing, my teeth and my eyesight within the boundaries of what it always has been.

Last Friday, Amy, Amber, and I went to Tyler for our usual errand running day.  They kept hurrying me all day.  I wanted to go get riding boots for my lesson on Saturday.  They insisted I put it off.  I wanted to stop in at the fabric store.  They thought I should wait for another day.   All my errands were getting put off and I was aggravated.  I should have stayed home!!!  We ran all theirs, of course.  Amy wanted to come home and celebrate her last day of work with a bit of a dress-up dinner date with just the four of us.  I should have had an inkling then because that child hates to dress up.  She wanted to leave at 6:30 so she called her dad and made “arrangements” with him.

At home, she insisted I get dressed up, wear makeup and heels.  Hey, that was great for the cruise, but Jacksonville does not have any place for which evening wear is applicable.  I mean, come on, Chili’s is our upscale restaurant.

We get to the restaurant and I remark that they are busy tonight.  We get inside and the dining room is empty.  That didn’t register either.  A car like Polly’s is by the front door but she doesn’t drive at night and there is another one like it in town.  I’m still clueless.  Once we got in the front door, instead of waiting to be seated, my husband takes me by the arm and says, “Let’s go in here.”  I’m used to the normal restaurant foyer conversation. 

Note the apron!

“How many?” 

“Four.”

“Smoking or non?” 

 ”Non.”

“Booth or table.”

“Booth”

I didn’t get any of that.  I got shoved into a back room loaded with people.  I was mad about being pushed, it didn’t dawn on me that this room was full of all my friends, old and new, and they were yelling, “Surprise!”  When I realized what was happening, I was laughing and crying too.  They got me, but good.  40 of my closest friends had come to dinner to help me over the hill.

The kids put together a cruise theme.  They took the pictures of each of our friends against a special background and Jason took it all home and made special plates for the fronts of each photo.  The night was special…so special.  It was my first birthday party, ever.  I loved every minute of it.  I had so much fun and I love my kids and my husband for doing it.  Instead of black balloons and coffins, there were bright streamers, pictures of island paradise, life preservers, towel animals, pictures of our cruise, a powerpoint, and the photo corner complete with a ship’s railing and ocean background.  Nifty Fifty signs ruled the day. 

To my friends.  If you didn’t get to come, I missed you.  If you were there, thanks so much for coming.  To my family, I love you and thank you so much.  You made my day so very special.