Well, folks, today is my birthday.  I have already informed most people that I know that I am having no aging ceremony today.  I do not like the number assigned to me this year, so I choose not to accept it.  The food and drinks and well wishing, yeah, I can tolerate that, but, not that horrible number that has been chose to represent me for the next 365 days.

I choose 27. A good year.  Both kids in school.  Still had quality time with them on weekends and evenings (well mostly quality) but wow, the great rush of independence that flowed through me each day as I watched their sweet little selves make their way onto a school bus.  That beautiful bus would take them away for about 5 hours.  5 hours in which I could do anything I wanted.

I had lots of books, I could go anywhere or do anything.  And the reality when I came down out of the clouds.  Well, that was good too.  I loved spending time with my kids.  I just needed that small break each day to let me know that they did not define me 100%.