My B. I. G. 4 0

When it comes to birthdays I always find myself reflecting on life. With the kids I think of their births and how God’s hand was on them. Our oldest, Alex was truly a miracle that continued with Delisa and Noah. My body would fight to reject every baby as they were being formed. ( I had two miscarriages before having Alex) With my husband I reflect on what a really good guy, a Goldy man he is and how fortunate I am to be his wife. 

For my birthdays it kinda falls within New Year resolutions so I would find myself hopeful of good year ahead. I’ve had some unfortunate events happen through my birthdays so for some years I just wanted it to pass quickly  but not even because of me turning older. But then I started to care about my age and would try to stop the clock. It practically worked when I turned 32 four years in a row!! When I turned 37 I kept having to double check the calculator because not even I could believe I wasn’t 32 again. Sigh

So then I knew it was time to face the truth. Truth that I was right at the door of 40. The black uphill people find funny when it’s not them having to climb it. The one where somehow with something opposite of fairy dust you turn frumpy and grumpy all at once. The mom jeans seem to be the uniform, which let me admit that I get it. I totally get needing a little extra waist coverage. Low hip jeans don’t even get a try on in the dressing room! 

For years I kept 40 in mind. I wanted to make sure I was ready for it. I would work out and diet to loose the extra baby weight but also so I could be ready for 40. Pause … The “extra 10 lbs” from pregnancy when really I loved to eat and fellowship with good food.  Unpause… I would attempt to run a mile in the name of being 40.  My focus in my 30’s was to be the opposite of what I thought 40 was suppose to be. 

Then two things happened. My husband and I really did some lifestyle changes to how we ate and what we wanted our health to be. I learned about “clean eating” and how food could heal our bodies. We saw food as a way to be parents that would keep us young so we could keep up with our kids. We saw food as nutrition that could keep us from being sick. We began this way of living that lead me to see workoing out as becoming strong and not skinny. 

Second my husband turned 40. In that year he hashtagged everything with #strongerinmy40s. He embraced and did like 5  races that year. By the end of the year we both were training for a half marathon. I was inspired to approach my 40’s like he did. I turned 39 and freaked out a bit. 

As we stood with my dad during his fight with brain cancer I realized how young he really was. With his good health and fitness he could have easily been strong for another 15-20 years. He was barely 62! So why was feeling like 40 would make me old? Society maybe. Or those who are younger and are scared themselves of the unknown. Whatever it was I knew that 40 was more of brink into this next set of years where I would be strong. Fit and strong. Full of life. Confident that I would never have to deal with the petty issues of my 20’s. Ha! 

So I as I reflect on my B. I. G. 4 0 let me say that I do it proudly knowing that life is just beginning. I’m stepping into plans that God has had for me at this young age of 40. Yes, I still have a bit of weariness but I’ll use it as adrenal to push into my my next set of miles.  Being 40 is not a bad thing so I feel like my mission is to make my 40th year an inspiration to know that age is just a number. 🎉