Thirty-five

It's no secret to anyone that I have not been particularly excited about turning 35. I've never had a problem with a birthday before, not even turning 30 which is a big deal to some people. For some crazy reason, 35 sounds so much more mature than 34. A few days ago I was reading the newspaper and it listed someone's age as 35, and I subconsciously thought "crusty!" until I raised my head and remembered that in a few days, 35 would be me.

Today it is.

And I suppose that there are other reasons that are making me feel a bit crusty. I'm caught up in the whirlwind of caring for Stella's needs and overseeing her therapy, which is a lot to handle. And having a baby this year, whom I now chase around the house endlessly, is enough to make me feel weary. Though I know once I get out of this 35-funk that my young children will breathe new life into me and keep me young.

I've been blessed to have an interesting life so far, and even though I've faced hard times, I've always had people in my corner. I know this will continue as I get older. In my twenties, I spent a lot of time feeling sorry for myself, but now that I have two cute kiddos, I have experienced a love that is greater than myself, and that has made me happy.

I scanned in some pictures as a tribute to 35 years of Karmel ...


Like Stella in pigtails, only not as cute



My friend Sheila and I at my Grandma's house. I think we are 14 here. Sheila, who lives in Texas now, recently called me after many years, and we've had fun emailing and chatting on the phone. She has three kids of her own, who are in middle school and grade school, she she is well past the diaper-changing stage of life that I find myself in.



My grandma gave me a car just before I turned 16. The car was named Herbie because it talked. Whenever my friends got in, the car would say "A door is ajar." And then I always had to hear ... "a door is a door, a jar is a jar..." (Hardy-har) . Here I am on the day I picked it up.


I never was any good at getting my hair to do "the claw" thing that everyone was doing. It always collapsed. I should've given this style up well before my high school graduation.



My best friend Shannon Heide in our deluxe apartment in the "student ghetto" during our KU years. Would you believe we survived summers in this place, on the second floor of this old house, with no air conditioning. And we didn't complain all that much!


Here I am on my 21st birthday party that Shannon threw for me. I had one too many jello shots. Yes, that's someone's foot on my back!



A few days before I gave birth to Stella.


And here's me with my precious girl at Glen Haven Beach!


And here I am with my adorable boy in our backyard!

I have a busy day today. Hopefully John and I will make it out to dinner tonight. The kids haven't been sleeping well, but I am holding my own because Friday my mom comes on the Amtrak! I'm so excited to put her in charge of those rugrats!

Have a great day everyone. It's a beautiful day here, and it's usually dreary on my birthday. I think it's a good omen!