me, larry & stella
mo & stella
front row - chip, alexander, travis
back row - stella & larry
I'm 52 today. Shocking, I know. How did this happen? What happened to the skinny little girl that loved to run barefoot? Well, I'm all grown up now and I don't mind getting older. I actually kind of like it. I'm okay with the wrinkles and changing body type. When I was a young mom with little boys to raise, I was always worried that something bad would happen to me, then who would teach my sons that which only I could teach them. Well that worry is gone. My sons are all grown and capable young men. They are a mothers dream come true. And I also have a beautiful, smart and funny daughter-in-law who has given me all the beauty that is Stella, my 3 year old grand daughter. Don't even get me started on my husband, Larry. He deserves a medal of some sort for putting up with all my crazy ideas. He is simply the best. Way better than I deserve. So as I write this I realize that getting old is not to be feared. There are so many gifts that can only come from getting older. Love deepens. Love heals everything. Love is all there is.
You are an inspiration: so many women make those coming after them feel nothing but fear about the future, that it holds nothing but loss after loss.
ReplyDeleteI wish you a very, very happy birthday and New Year.
Your words at 52, embody charm and pure grace, elegance and contentment, how refreshing. I would love to read more, keep posting!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!
I will become a grammy next June and at 54 I am over the moon about it!
Happy birthday to you! Love your attitude about ageing. I'm very lucky to have some close friends who feel the same. I'm a few years behind them so when my nest emptied this year and a whole new phase of my life began, I thought I'd know what to expect. I was wrong. It sure helped to have them to talk me through it and I believe I'm past the sad, "what do I do now?" part (although that feeling could reappear when she moves from down the street to up the coast next fall) and I'm really looking forward to 2010... feels like it's wide open with possibilities... even to my birthday in May (the last of my 40's!). Happy b'day again and Happy New Year too to you and that cute family of yours!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! You have a lovely family and it looks like you know it! It is so refreshing to hear someone happy and content with what they have!
ReplyDeleteMichelle
Happy Happy Birthday Janet! And of course you don't mind getting older...you're Gorgeous!!! What a handsome family you have- I know you are proud of them. Your lovely post made me smile and brought a tear to my eye.
ReplyDeleteLove does change everything!!
Wishing you a beautiful day filled with much love and joy!
joan
Yeah right...If you're 52, then I'm 34! oh wait...
ReplyDeleteoh well... why does my nose look so huge in that picture? must be all the fibbing I do about my age... Happy Birthday!! Love, Mo
Btw, the Christmas pics of the house are gorgeous...God, how you must cringe when you walk into our house - I need your help on my 2010 "Project: Remove 1800 items from your home"
Happy, Happy Birthday! I often think the same thing - how did I get here? (I'm 57) Your family is just beautiful and your granddaughter is adorable. And you look fabulous!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Claudia
Happy Birthday and New Year too... so looking forward to seeing more from you in 2010.... You have a great family there and your words are very inspiring too... I am 51 next month and I have to admit that at times I have had a hard time coming to terms with being 50 plus this last year.. (maybe I should 'bookmark' this post and keep returning to it.
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Thanks for sharing pics of you & your loved ones.
ReplyDeleteTotal agreement about aging. 45 & 25 gallon plants were installed by 4 huge men in my garden Monday. First time ever.
Before, it's always been me digging & 1, 3, or 5 gallons. Age 49 has its priviledges.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
Hi Janet, Happy Birthday and congratulations for your beautiful family. Your words are so sweet... Kisses, Ana
ReplyDeleteHAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Happy birthday.
ReplyDeleteI found your blog through Claudia's.
I recently bought a house, in Moreno Valley :-) I am English and I fell in love with the 'potentially' beautiful cottage garden here.
I haven't the first clue about gardening so any blog with cottage and garden in the title has me running to take a peek.
Your garden is gorgeous and has given me hope that I too can have a beautiful English style garden here in So Cal.
All I have to do is learn how to do it :-)
I made miniature dollhouse flowers and that is my main blog but I also started one for the house. You can see piccies of our garden there if you are interested.
Jayne
Happy Birthday, Janet! This is a wonderful and inspiring post. I had a birthday recently and am trying to embrace the same attitude, but you put it so beautifully! Best wishes to you and your family for the new year. Thank you too, for all your very kind comments on my blog this year. Deborah
ReplyDeleteDearest Janet, The happiest birthday wishes are being sent your way. You are a beautiful woman of such elegance and grace and your sons exude all that you are in warmth and kindness. I wish for you a Happy New Year filled with even more and more love. A big warm birthday hug for you xoxoxo Love your friend, Trina
ReplyDeleteDear Janet
ReplyDeleteThankyou so much for visiting my blog and posting a comment- it's only 3 weeks old so it's a baby blog/work in progress. I hope you looked at some of my garden posts. Can I just say I LOVE your garden and house- it reminds me of Bunny Williams's style in An Affair with a House.My cottage style garden is tiny and a bit scrappy due to Old Testament Style weather conditions, but I love it and soldier on. Thankyou for contacting me, Kirstin x
wow ma, what a nice post.....jeez! although i have to say, it does make me feel a tad bit guilty since as i write this, your gift sits on the desk here still unmailed! (dont worry! it is consumable!)......maybe stella can hand deliver it soon.....anyway, hope you had a happy birthday and a happier new year. -1
ReplyDeleteMy dear Janet, happy, happy, happy birthday to you my friend!!!!!! I totally agree with you, it´s wonderful getting older and LOVE your words ""there are so many gifts that can only come from getting older"", how true it is!!! Bet you had a wonderful time with Stella... how not, she is so, so lovely!!!
ReplyDeleteCome to visit, you are going to have a surprise.. I´m 52 like you too!!!
Have a very happy 2010 and enjoy life and love.
Muchos cariños,
Maria Cecilia
What a beautiful post and a beautiful family and a beautiful YOU! You look great for 52 (or any age for that matter!). Age is a very funny thing - we live in a society obsessed with all the wrong things that can make us lament our age. I have thought since my 20's that we value youth mistakenly (and also beauty), giving credit for something that is not an accomplishement and has nothing to do with a person's value - I think I was born in the wrong culture!! So Happy Birthday and glad you are happy in your skin - you are perfect in every way and I am happy you realize that all that matters is family and love and being togetherness and kindness and consciousness. I wish that we would all be so aware of what matters! Happy New Year and you have a lovely family there!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Janet!
ReplyDeleteI turned 56 a few days before your birthday,and agree totally with you about looking forward to getting older.
You absolutely DO NOT look your age. :)
Happy Birthday, Janet!
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful family. :-)
And I agree with Sling, you don't look anywhere near 52--in fact, when I saw the first photo, I thought Stella was your daughter!
I just found your blog, but I love it, I love your cottage, and I love that I share the same birthday as you! Thanks for brightening my day today.
ReplyDeleteErin