Another Birthday

As I celebrate another birthday I have come to the realization that:

1. I am getting old and

2. Not much is going to top my 40^th celebration.

My friends here in Abu Dhabi were privy to my 40th celebrations, but there are many others who were not. So, I thought I would take you down memory lane.

The only thing that I asked for on my 40^th was a party (at which I would get extremely inebriated) and that if there was some kind of surprise that I be presentable when it happened. I still have flashbacks of my surprise on my 30^th where I showed up without makeup or my hair done to a party full of everyone I knew.

So, the week before my 40^th I made sure I was made up at every possible moment just in case such a surprise was to come upon me again. I had told Steve I wanted to go to a nice Chinese restaurant the night of my birthday because they were having a Chinese New Year’s celebration. A few days later he informed me that he had made reservations for dinner and had gotten a sitter. I immediately became suspicious because Steve does not make reservations and he has NEVER arranged for a sitter. I knew that there would be a surprise waiting for me at the restaurant. This was confirmed when Steve became extremely agitated when the sitter was 15 minutes late. That night I made every effort to make myself look beautiful for all the pictures that were to be taken.

Sure enough…..when we got to the restaurant several of our friends were there shouting surprise to me and I acted shocked that they would all be there. We had an amazing dinner and then went to a nearby bar for some drinks. I was a little disappointed with my fellow partiers however when they didn’t show much enthusiasm and we went home fairly early (and I was not nearly drunk enough).

The next day my girlfriends and I had made plans to go to brunch and then spend a few hours at the spa for my birthday. So, at noon I was at one of the local hotels (nicely made up again) partaking in a lovely buffet and unlimited sparkling wine. I think there were a couple of margaritas in there as well. I thought I would take advantage since I didn’t the night before.

Needless to say I was feeling fine when we went off to the spa and I enjoyed several different treatments including a facial (no more makeup) and a full body massage (hair oily and a mess). All my friends tried to get me to get my hair done before we left, but everyone else was done and I didn’t want to hold them all up. As I was waiting for my toes to dry (at least they looked good), my friend Jess suggested that we all get some kind of take out for dinner at her house that night. I readily agreed since I was feeling very relaxed at this point and had no desire to cook. I called Steve and told him to pack up the girls and meet us at Jess’s house for dinner.

Looking back if I weren’t so intoxicated I might have noticed the whispered exchanges between my friends and the frantic texting going on all around me. Later Jess told me she was breaking into a cold sweat every five minutes all day long. But, I had no idea and was totally oblivious to everything that was going on around me.

When we got to Jess’s house I was confronted by about 20 Angies (they were all holding up masks made from a picture of me) screaming and drenching me in silly spray. This was very disconcerting to me (especially considering the amount of alcohol that I had consumed that day). It took me a full five minutes before I realized what the heck was going on. They had managed to take me totally by surprise (and yes without makeup and my hair done…..although Steve did bring my makeup bag with him this time).

The party went on into the wee hours and I consumed more alcohol than was wise (including most of a bottle of Patron). I had an incredible time and I won’t be likely to forget that celebration (although there are snippets of the night that are missing from my memory). I was reminded for the next two days of how much I had celebrated because that’s how long the hangover lasted. I can’t adequately thank my friends for such an amazing surprise and party…..but just know that paybacks are hell. J

This year was very low key which was fine by me. I told most of my friends and Steve that I did enough celebrating last year to last me through a few more. I helped a good friend enter her 3^rd decade on my birthday this year and although I remember my 30^th fondly….I can honestly say that I would never go back there. Being 41 is just fine with me. I have an amazing life with an amazing family and I am surrounded by amazing friends (wherever I go).

In conclusion I have decided that:

1. Getting older is just fine with me. AND

2. I am not going anywhere without makeup for a month before and after my 50^th!

Thank You!

So, it’s been a REALLY long time and I apologize for that. I had a good excuse. Working on my Masters required that I write an average of 2 to 4 papers a week and I just did not have the energy to write anything else after that. I was afraid that my brain might literally explode if I did! Most of you know that I finished my Masters coursework in December. So, after taking a month off, I have decided that my brain has recovered and I can finally write something again.

Before I can continue with my blog, I have several people I have to thank. There is no way that I could have completed my studies without the help and support of most of you.

First and foremost I need to thank my family for all of their support. There is no way that I could have done this without them. Steve, thanks for putting up with my rants, hectic schedule, insomnia, and frequent panic attacks. Thanks for giving me this opportunity by enabling me to become a “kept woman” (his words). Caitlin and Ashli, thank you for putting up with Mommy’s preoccupations and time constraints. I promise that all the time I couldn’t devote to you while I was studying will be re-paid tenfold. Completing this program will do nothing but benefit us as a family in the long run. Thanks for being my 3 rocks while I was doing it.

There are several people around me here in Abu Dhabi who have been very instrumental in helping me complete my studies. Rhonda, Robyn, Jill, and Jessica thank you for all the times I needed the girls picked up from school/activities, for taking them so I could have a few more minutes to work on my assignments, for inviting us to eat when I didn’t have time to cook and for your words of encouragement.

During my studies I had to do a conclusive practicum where I worked/taught Emerati nursing students within a local university. I would like to say thank you to Michael, my preceptor and mentor during this intensive immersion experience. I learned so much under your guidance. Thank you for taking me on as a student and for giving me insight into the world of higher education. I would also like to thank the students that I worked with. You are all beautiful, nurturing, intelligent women. Keep up all of your good work. Remember that you are truly pioneers and you have the power to shape the nursing profession within the UAE. Thank you for letting me participate in your journeys.

I also need to say something to my fellow students and most of my instructors (there were a few that I did not enjoy) within my Masters program. Although I never met any of you face to face, I gained so much from our relationships. I look forward to “meeting” some of you in the future. Good luck in your journeys as educators.

Finally, I need to thank my large group of international family and friends for all of your support (a special shout out goes to those of you who have or are going through the same kind of program). Your kind words on Face Book, within emails, through skype, and on the phone really made this possible.

So, thank you, shukran, gracias, dankie, merci, efharisto, danke, arigato, dank u, spasibo, danyawaad, tack, khawp khun makh, shukriya, and salamat!!!!!!!!!