It really IS a Happy Birthday!!!!

For something I was really wishing would come and go unnoticed - I've had a very nice birthday. I was SO down yesterday - just really dreading it. Feeling like a real jerk. Where had my "youth" gone??? I have never felt this way before - with 3 MUCH (God, I hope they're reading this) ;-) older siblings - age has never gotten to me - I was always looking FORWARD to growing "up". But this birthday has kind of punched me in the gut. I feel like I've been marking time the last 10 years - like I've not accomplished anything. But as I look back I see I HAVE accomplished a LOT. I am the wife of B - for now almost 16 years - THAT's something - esp if you *know* B. :-) I have given birth to 2 VERY rambunctious children. I have become an advocate, expert in the world of Special Needs, a speech therapist, O.T., and psychologist. No, I don't have the degrees - I have the war stripes. I have made a home that is compliant to help a daughter with special needs succeed in her role of child right now. I have pushed my son when he needed it and laid back when he needed that. I have listened to him and had to explain that forever he would never be "normal". I have returned to the work force. I HAVE done a LOT. Just nothing that really makes the news. And you know, that's a GOOD thing. I had to think today - as I read about Tim Schuster. He made the papers - because he was murdered. I guess it's not so bad being "unknown". :-) And there's still time to win a Nobel Prize. Most of those people are in their 50s aren't they?? :-)