Thankful for 52 years

 I had a birthday this month and I am now 52 years old!

Rose and I are wearing our matching turtle shirts from St. Croix. She was THRILLED to pose with me, obviously!

I really like being in my 50's. I have no doubt that if I live long enough, I will be far wiser at 80 than I am right now, but I know I am far, far wiser than I was at 25.  So that is good!

I am also incredibly grateful for my comparatively good health.  One does not carry 9 children to term, and have six of them by C-section, and have a full incision hysterectomy in one's late 40's, without some damage to the body. I know, because my OB has told me, that I have a lot of scar tissue in my abdomen. My neck and back fuss at me regularly because I spent decades with poor posture thanks to carrying babies both within the womb and on my right hip. However, a chiropractor helps and my aches and pains are minor.

My Type 2 diabetes is under control, and 17 years after being diagnosed, I don't have any obvious side effects. 

All this is to say that I am quite healthy, and I am grateful!

Kevin's mom left Ohio two months ago to help an extended family member who fell ill with COVID.  He almost died on the ventilator but by the grace of God, he survived and is back home. He is slowly regaining his strength.

I am reading a book by a pastor/radiologist (yes, he was both at the same time) who in his late 30's abruptly developed a serious, rare disease which means he has spent the last couple of decades feeling rotten much of the time.

I have another friend who was in a series of car accidents in his late teens, which caused irreparable damage to his back. He has had a series of surgeries to try to repair the damage.  While things have improved, he spent years on pain meds and eventually started taking too many, and is now an opioid addict.  Today he is in a detox facility trying to break free from his addiction.

Wow.  

So yes, my neck aches, and my back aches at times.  I have to eat increasingly carefully as I grow old.  But, at age 52, I can walk and climb stairs and hug my kids and do my various jobs.  I am grateful.