Forty

Well, this is it.

I guess.

I'm forty. 40.

Barbie Mom.

Turns out, not a big deal. Just a number. I am not, in fact, over any hill.

I'm a bicentennial baby. Born in Spokane. Not a big illustrious start.

I imagine that my birth was a bit of a shit show... Starting with just the car ride. Two hours from our house to the hospital. Our house on the Snake River, in the middle of an alfalfa farm. JPC Farms. The trip on gravel roads to the highway. My dad rushing; I'd like to hope.

My mom wasn't actually in labor that day. But, it was so far back home, they induced her. And, out I came. A big ol' Taurus of a baby. A girl. The third. Boy, girl, girl.

Third kids are different. Especially when born after all the characters are collected. My parents weren't trying to have a boy or a girl. Not trying "one more time" for a particular sex. They already had them. Blonde, blue eyed ones.

Why add to the collection?

Well, I'm not sure. But, at the same time I'm thankful that they did.

Ken Doll Dad.

Or else, I'd be someone else. And, not nearly as adorable. My parents literally looked like Barbie and Ken. I'm adorable but yet somehow the least attractive. That's how attractive my family is. I'm the ugly one.

Over the years, I've done some living. Honestly, probably saw more by age twelve than most people see their whole lives. Barbie Mom and Ken Doll Dad divorced, the moves, the crazy, the lessons learned. The never agains.

Barbie + Ken > Skipper

But, here I am. On the other side of all of that. With a family of my own. I'm married with children. I'm not in jail. I haven't even been arrested. Which, is shocking to a lot of people.

Some of it, in addition to my family, is due to my friends. My pals. My people. My appreciation grows as I try to hurdle through the challenges of being a grown up. Especially in years like this when there is much joy mixed with much sadness.

Friends who have been there to mend the heart that was broken, encourage me to take on something new, like tap dancing on Friday nights or sweet potatoes. Friends to cheer me on, sit with me for inking, make me laugh until I cry, finish my sentences - and make those sentences funnier - teach me how to install a car seat. And, most importantly, make sure I wake up in the right place.

I'm so fortunate. So lucky. So everything.

In good news, I plan on living another 100 years. So, plan on attending more parties. Because, we're friends. We're pals.

We're in this show together until the end.

And, so, here's my birthday candle wish. I'm going to tell - I don't think that will affect the outcome - I wish for you to all have what I have. Laughing, silliness, friends and love. Because, I have a feeling that this next 100 years is going to go by really, really fast.