Happy Birthday to me

last night i wrote this out to my very good friends and i wanted to post this on this message board also..i have edited a few things out of it but here it goes!.... wow I cant believe that it is my 51 St birthday tomorrow ...to be honest with you I didn't think I was going to live past 35 years old..you know there is something special about being in your 50's..you get to a point in life were you only care deeply about your family, a handful of good close friends and the rest of the world can stay in their own corner of the universe. I look in the mirror and start to see these tiny little lines I try to refer to them as laugh lines and sun damage..my teeth I have all except one and the reason why I didn't save that tooth was it cracked a week before flying to Italy and I just didn't want to deal with a root canal before flying.. stretch marks oh yea I have them like road maps on art..I have surgical scars on my belly and I look at those scars like milestones in my life.. giving birth, hysterectomy. gastric surgery. gall bladder removal.. hey I'm 51 my body is not supposed to be perfect is it? I'm not Joan Collins.. I try not to be high maintence in my life..I rarely put makeup on unless I look like **** in the morning or going to a wake or wedding.. I do the eyes though to open them up..I use vivea everyday my skin looks great for someone in their 50's so no complaints.. for the first time in a long time I am comfortable in my body my mind well that's another thing..I am blessed to have my life, my family as much as my kids and hubby drive me nuts and friends I wouldn't trade them for a wrinkle free face and firm body..so many people my age are sick with diseases or just plain miserable...my life aint perfect believe me it not all hunky dory peachy keen ..I wish I was in a better place financially but in time with the help of god I will be again..ya know its funny at one time i was on top of the world living and at one time i wasn't so like a cycle in life im down but I know I'm going to be ok again ..when who knows but it will happen dam it!.. Has my heart ever been broken? oh hell yes and what's that saying what makes you weep will make you stronger? Watching and caring for a disabled parent who ends up dying because there is no cure for her that a heart breaker..having your father turn on you after her death breaks your heart.. having your kids go thru drug addiction , having a niece who's a alcoholic and how it hurts my sister to see her like this breaks my heart..but what's that saying what doesn't kill you will make you strong.. I don't like the situation I have tried to help my kids but you can lead the horse to water but cant force the thing to drink..I have accepted this addiction thing and just hope and pray for the best.. well as that clock gets turning closer to midnight and I hit the big 51 I like to reverse it and say im 15 now..I have led and lived a wonderful life .. hopefully these little setbacks will become steeping stones in my life.. ok on a light side here we go chicken------------salmonella pork---------------trichinoses beef---------------mad cow disease fish and only ocean fish..I hate fresh water fi**** has to come out of ocean--------mercury milk and dairy-----hormones artificial sweeteners--------rats get cancer laying in the sun using tanning beds and booths---------skin cancer smoking..-well you know! so far I have beat the odds and that's not such a bad thing..................... list of what I want to do in my 51 year fly a kite learn to speak Italian more fluent splash in the ocean run 5 minutes without being out of breath eat a pineapple sundae go on a boat ride take a day trip to new York city see at least 2 musicals go to a concert defitnly go to Aruba again and relax and rest for a week if I hit the lottery I would love to go to Sicily for a month rent a apartment and enjoy that region of Italy go on tours rest on beach not rush rush rush rush..I hate rushing . well here's to me! happy 51st birthday! may life be kinder and better to me this year ++++++++++++ pass that wine with the provolone cheese+++++++++++++++++++++ hahahahaa remember life's a ride enjoy it! LOVE YAS JoAnn:

Happy birthday! tee

Congratulations for making this far. As a 52.5 year old, I can assure you that making it this far is worth any bumps, bruises, wrinkles, scars, etc we have come to experience. Ask this: If given a chance to choose, would James Dean have picked getting old or eating a phone pole with his Porsche? (cue the Jeopardy music) Nowhere Man/PH/Jay

Happy Birthday Joann!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY God bless you and may all your wishes come true!! & {{{HUGS}}} & MM

A VERY VERY Happy Birthday to you JoAnn!! Karyn