Just Another Birthday

Another year, another birthday.  This past year has been so wonderful and with many great things to come this next year I was not dreading my birthday at all.  In fact, I have never given any weight to the number birthday even when it was a "big one" like 21 or 30.  In my mind, 33 would be no different. 

Neil took me out on Saturday night because that's when our babysitter was free and I didn't mind celebrating two days early.  The night started out with us test driving a mini van... something that was on my "I will never" list would not be a welcome change to our current ride.  After the drive, we headed to Hopa on Pearl Street Mall for some sushi.  While sitting at the sushi bar and chatting while waiting for our food, I said to Neil,
"If you had told me 10 years ago on my 23rd birthday that for my 33rd birthday I would be happily test driving a mini van and eating sushi..."
Neil: "Ha, you mean your 24th birthday"
Andy: "What do you mean?"
Neil: "10 years ago was your 24th birthday.  You are turning 34."
Andy: "Haha, very funny.  I'm turning 33."
Neil: "You were born in '78, right?"

At that moment I knew he was right.  I have never been so blind sighted in my life.  I had absolutely no idea that I was turning 34!!  I did what any reasonable adult would do in the moment;  I cried.  However, as I started to cry, and I mean real tears down my cheeks, I had an outer body experience and could see how funny this would be if I was watching this happen to someone else.  So now I am crying tears of shock and laughing at the same time.  Neil didn't know what to do.  He ordered me a birthday cocktail and things calmed down a bit.  We went ahead and had an amazing dinner with some of the best desserts I have EVER had!

It turned out that my babysitter was also free on my birthday, so Neil took me out for a nice dinner on Monday as well.  After two days to come to grips with my age, I was able to sit back, relax, and enjoy a glass of champagne that just happened to be the special of the night... did they know it was my birthday?!

It wasn't the actual number of my age that bothered me, it was that I felt I had lost a year, which in fact I had not.  Life is going just as it was supposed to and is sweeter than I ever imagined it could be, so does the magical number 34 actually bother me, no.  Was the surprise of a number bigger than I was expecting  a shock, yes.  Maybe this past year was just so sweet that I wanted to live it all over again, or maybe I just feel younger than my age.  Either way, bring on 34!  I can't wait to see all the fabulous blessings this year has to offer. 

Me being sad after finding out I was turning 34