40, 4T, For tea, Fort E, Four-Tee, Fourty?

They say there are five stages of grief:

Denial (This can't be happening, it's not real)

Anger (Lashing out, "How can this happen!")

Bargaining (Please just give me some more time, I'll be better, I promise!)

Depression (Why God, Why Me?)

Acceptance (I can get through this, sniff sniff)

Well, I've made it through the five stages, I can now move on with my life. I thought I would make a list of 40 things that I think are pretty great about being 40:

1. I definitely don't look my age. For these genes I am grateful.

2. I can't believe I have lived for 40 years! I just graduated high school for crying out loud!

3. My husband thinks I'm still pretty darn cute.

4. I like the person I am becoming. Yeah I know it's been a long time coming.

5. I wake up every morning, pinch myself, and exclaim, "I'm still here!"

6. Everything still works.

7. I'm a pretty darn good cook, if I do say so myself.

8. I've got three great kids!

9. Yes, they're real, and they're spectacular.

10. I have an awesome house (and one I'm still trying to get sold!)

11. I have a great son, Mark, who is now annoying me, "Are you done yet, Mom?"

12. I can eat dessert in place of a meal if I want and I don't get in trouble.

13. I'm much more confident than I was in my 20's. (yeah, where did those go?)

14. I am not a slave to the latest fashion.

15. 40 is the new 25, right?

16. I can still kick butt on my speed walks. (4.5 mph thank you very much)

17. Billy Blanks still kicks my butt.

18. No one is calling me honey or sweetie pie yet.

19. I'm still too young to get carded for the senior discount.

20. The gals at work still call me "kid".

21. Oh my, this is harder than I thought.

22. I still have really good eyesight, (only I've heard that it changes some time after 40)

23. I have some really great friends who are supportive and trustworthy.

24. If I died tomorrow, there would probably be a lot of people at my funeral.

25. It has gotten a lot easier to say no. (Disclaimer: Only when necessary)

26. I still can't sit still when a bumpin' tune comes on the radio.

27. My husband is still too young for me to call him "Old man". (Uh yah, he don't like it.)

28. My kids keep me young. They make me laugh and laugh at me.

29. I do not have to eat lima beans or brussels sprouts.

30. If you think about it, half of my life might not yet be over.

31. I will never have to dye my hair. Again, good genes in this area too.

32. A certain comfortability with my nose. I'm too chicken that some MD would make it worse.

33. Living in the moment. Don't look too far ahead, you'll miss right now.

34. Recognizing that I am not perfect, and it's okay.

35. Stay with me, we're almost there.

36. Life is hard.

37. Simple things like a perfect sunrise can make you happy to be alive.

38. Knowing that I don't know everything.

39. Having a husband who thinks I am perfect. (Poor delusional man)

40. I am only beginning my fourties. I have a decade before I have to worry about fifty.

You can all wake up now. I don't think I'll attempt this sort of list again. I hope I haven't bored you to tears, but, it really isn't bad. Check me at 45.