45

A birthday present to myself

I've just realized after way too long that I may have been copying Adele with my birthday blog post titles. Oh well.

Another year has come and gone and I'm back here at the blog to reflect a bit. I've really come to appreciate having these posts to look back on, because who can remember what 32 was like exactly? And Max was excited about cake? That's totally not who he is 13 years later.

Some highlights from the last year:

- I attended over 30 live shows and concerts, plus all of my kids' concerts and events 
- I survived 7 weeks of trial empty-nesting, with trips to NYC and to see my family in Ohio, and with separate sessions of my best friend from high school and my Dad visiting me here in Boston
- I drove 600 miles all by myself
- I got Hannah through her senior year, the college process, and successfully launched without breaking my heart in the process
- I got Max off to a really amazing start of high school and saw his photo in the Museum of Fine Arts
- I attended weekly sessions with my personal trainer for a solid year and have gotten regular massages
- Nothing new, but I've worked really hard, put myself out there, handled a lot and got amazing feedback on my presentation skills
- And recently, I threw a party, just because I could

I feel like I generally said yes this year - and sometimes that yes was to a much needed nap - and said no when that was the right answer for me too. I guess I'm starting to feel less like the youngest person in the room, especially when I was telling the youngin's at work a story and realized it was 15 years old. I still think too much about my hair, even if I don't bother to blow it out that often anymore. I've got great friends and I still feel pretty lucky every day. 

Here's to the second half of my forties. I can't wait.