As I wake up the day after my birthday I am reflecting on the senses from the past few days…captured via my iPhone. The last few days celebrating have been amazing and so special. Words alone cannot express how grateful I feel.

Many have said I know how to celebrate a birthday and there is a reason for that. For years I dreaded birthdays for a few reasons; it was just another day of the week, I was a mom, too busy, I hated turning another year older, etc. but things are different now. I made them different. I realize as I age, if you don't ask for things in life or go for them you don't get them.

How I choose to spend this one day (ok month in my case) is with friends and family! It is an excuse for me to gather those around me who I care about and celebrate! I am lucky…my birthday falls on the weekend of Cinco de Mayo, National Scrapbook Day and the Kentucky Derby so I have other "excuses" to use on my peeps! They don't even realize how I am fooling them into getting together!

Life goes so fast. We are busy but life is too precious not to live it every day. That is Tracy in her 40's and I love the 40's! Sure I have those days before when I wonder if I am doing what I am supposed to be doing…is this what life is about, etc. but I genuinely love my 40's!

My girlfriends gathered Thursday for a Mimosa breakfast where we laughed and started our day out so right!  I made it Muffin Friday for the carpool kids on Friday so we could smile and celebrate!  Lunch with Colleen who I moved in with 20 years ago when I moved to California! Best friends for life.  Micky's basketball game (sure I did not want to go as it was Friday, my birthday, inconvenient) but it is her thing and she loves it! Great game and I got a serenade from the girls of Happy Birthday! So worth it! And dinner with the kids and special friends! It was exactly how I wanted to spend the time. It was late and not convenient but they did it (see I used the birthday excuse on them!). To me this day is about slowing down life and being with those I care about! I can let my hair down, be me and just smile the whole day….that is what I did!

And the sea of text messages, phone calls, special mail and Facebook messages came in ALL DAY (and still) it made me feels so great. You go through life sometimes and forget the connections you have made. I believe that those who pass through your life leave an impression on your soul…some big, some small. But we are all connected in some way. As the messages came in I literally thought of how and when our paths crossed. The dear messages meant so much to me and I literally could not thank everyone individually! So thank you….

Now you get it…simple reasoning why this day means so much to me. It is an excuse to gather those I adore so much close to me! Why one day…a whole month is needed! I wish it could be everyone!!

As I wake up this Cinco de Tracy (yes it has been formally renamed) I am thankful and my heart is full. I can pick 5 pictures to post from my iPhone and here they are….the sights, sounds, and smells of my birthday!

Happy Cinco de Tracy, National Scrapbook Day, and Kentucky Derby Weekend! Now I must prepare for my Cinco de Tracy BBQ! Getting those mustaches and sombreros ready to celebrate with my friends!

Tracy
Up-dated from my iPhone

Sights, sounds and smell of a Birthday

Sights, sounds and smell of a Birthday

Sights, sounds and smell of a Birthday

Sights, sounds and smell of a Birthday

Sights, sounds and smell of a Birthday