While everyday is a good day to tell the people in our lives how important they are to us, special days like birthdays are a great opportunity to say those things. JP, you are a wonderful person, friend, mom, wife (and a zillion other things). I am so thankful for you and so excited that I get to do life with you. Happy Birthday babe!
I nearly forgot (until Kinsley and Keaton quickly reminded me when I saw them) of a little surprise we have for Garth for his birthday. Our day and schedules were a bit crazy, so we really didn’t get to do an adequate birthday celebration … Garth opened his gifts, but Tuesday night we’re going to have a birthday dinner and cupcakes and really celebrate!
Our original plan was to have this posted on Garth’s birthday, but since we’re extending the celebration, it’s fitting to post this here. Garth has grown up, but he still loves to sing songs about Jesus … I’m not sure how old he is in this song, but I hope you’ll enjoy listening! Click here to listen. (”Thank you” to Duane Shinn for providing the material, and “thank you” to Kinsley and Keaton Shinn for keeping our little secret for almost two weeks! Garth - now you know why they were giggling randomly two weeks ago!)
Happy Birthday, Garth! Today we’re celebrating his 38th birthday (so now we’re the same age and he’s not engaged to an older woman any longer!)
I’m not sure what the make up readership of “The Shinn Digs” is at this point (mostly old readers of Java Jesus Jen, or if we’ve got some new readers since it’s now a “Shinn Family” blog!) but at any rate, I thought it would be fun to appreciate Garth today! Feel free to fill the comments section with things you appreciate about Garth and ways you’re thankful for him!
As a side note, I had no idea of this piece of trivia … Garth shares the same birthday (8 years apart) with his older brother, Kurt!
Well, it came and went … my 37th birthday. Holy Crap! When did that happen? 37 sounds so … OLD!!! Ridiculously old, really. I don’t feel 37. I don’t act 37. Most people tell me I don’t look 37. But, upon close examination of my birth certificate and social security card, I am, in fact, 37. I suppose it’s time to do a bit of reflecting on how a 37 year old should feel, act, and look …
First of all, I go through this phase every once in a while … G will laugh … am I mature enough? Friday (note … this was the the day before my 37th birthday) I went to Costco with Rebecca and Brita to get food for dinner that night (I hosted the Westmont Women’s soccer team before they left for Africa on Saturday) and some last minute items they needed for their Africa trip. As we finished our shopping spree and I was returning the cart to the appropriate place in the parking lot, I did it … I jumped on the cart and rode it down the parking lot. Do 37 year olds do this? Probably not, but I was only 36 that day, so I guess it was OK. But I did wonder about it as I did it.
Or how about this … for my birthday, G and Jen treated me to a movie. We saw The Barnyard. That’s right … an animation movie about talking animals. I laughed out loud many times. Do 37 year olds do this?
Or, the best example yet … Thursday night I was looking at Calamity’s sister’s MySpace account … she has some sweet pictures taken while jumping on the bed … they’re in mid air, and they are posing, making it look like they are floating in the air. I thought that was the coolest thing ever, and instantly began thinking of how to re-create those photos for myself! I carefully considered all the beds in the house … Kirsten, April and I all have brand new beds, and Rebecca’s is seriously unstable, so they were all ruled out. Then my mind began thinking outside the box (it does happen occaisionally!) The swimming pool! I could put the camera on my tripod beside the pool, and put it on the timer. This will require many practice attempts, and probably the action mode (so it takes 3 photos instantly), but I have nothing better to do on this, the day after my birthday. So, this is my plan … Do 37 year olds do this?
Probably not … but, as I’ve realized for many years now, I’m not normal. I’m simply not. For some reason there is a bit of Peter Pan in me … I’ll never grow up. I’ll probably never "act my age." I don’t even really want to, though there are times I think it’s not a bad idea. I’ll post some pics of my pool side immature behavior at the end of the day … til then, wait in anticipation, laughing at the thought of my day ahead … the day after my 37th birthday!
The Results:
Let me first say … I can do better than this. This was my first attempt, but I think I can do alot better. Perhaps some stretching, and possibly holding back on the chips for a week or so, and I’ll be able to attempt some more difficult poses. However, for our first day, these will do! The camera battery ran out before J-Rob got an attempt, so we’ll work on another photo shoot later in the week!
All photographs courtesy of Genevieve Wilkinson Swim Posing Photography.
My friend’s dad is dying. It’s been obvious for a while, but the reality is setting in. I spoke with her for a long time yesterday … she’s miles away in Tennessee, so listening on the phone is about all I can do in the way of support right now. It’s strange, really … strange to think I’m now old enough that this scenario will repeat itself many times over. I’m 36 years old, and I’m guessing over the next 10 years there will be many friends who will lose one or both parents … and there will be that time I have to walk through that myself …
When I was listening to Julie talk about end-of-life decisions they have been confronted with, such as life support, DNR wishes (do not resuscitate), and hospice care, I nearly wanted to hang up the phone … not because I didn’t want to share in this with her, because I do, but because I wanted to protest being at this place in life … being, if you will, middle aged and understanding this is a reality and the cycle of life will continue despite every protest I make.
Death is something we so rarely think about … at least something I so rarely think about. Well, maybe I’m actually thinking of the dying process … when someone who is so sick they will not recover begins to slip into death. I guess when I think about it, most of the deaths I’ve been confronted with were due to accidents or tragedies, or they were "normal" … for example, it seemed basically normal when my Grandparents died. I mean, it wasn’t a pleasant thing to go through, but from the time I was a baby, my Grandparents were old … they are supposed to die. But now, my friends parents? Or, even, as I shudder to think … my friends themselves …
I’m not ready to be old. I don’t know if anyone reads this blog, but if you do and you know me, you’re probably thinking, "Jen, you’re not old." Maybe I’m not old in the fact that my life expectancy is probably 78 (I just looked at that a couple of days ago when I did my annual financial outlook … I’m on track to retire at 62, in case you’re wondering!) so I still have 42 years of life in me … but I’m old when I think of all those close to me who, with every passing day, are closer to dealing with death … someone they love or even their own. My friend’s dad is dying …
