Turning 50!!!

I can't believe it - I actually turned 50 last week... and it was a VERY emotional day! 

I have been excited about turning 50 for the last year - planning all the fun activities I was going to do, all the trips I was going to take and just how I was going to make it a year of celebrations... until the year turned 2026 and I panicked completely! I have been SO emotional - especially this last month - as the day grew closer and closer. What is it about big birthdays? 

I woke up on Thursday and cried. Then came down and found a pile of gifts from my hubby - and cried again. Then read the card my amazing mother-in-law wrote for me and cried again! This pattern continued right into school and honestly I cried so so much. Most of them were happy tears, but there were a good few about how life is going past way too quickly and the fact that everything is changing. Spoiler alert - I don't like change!

 

Overall I was totally and utterly overwhelmed by my friends' kindness and generosity and their beautiful messages in my cards. Total cry fest again!!! Even some of the kids in my class had made me cards and one little one even made me a bag out of an empty Ritz cracker box!!

I then was spoilt rotten even more and was treated to a hair cut by the amazing Christine at Cathy Hamilton's Salon. I love it so much!! Thank you to my wonderful sis for that!

And then I got a surprise laptop from hubby (to do my blogging and courses on) and we headed off on Friday afternoon for a weekend in Dublin. 

We ate lots of amazing food, laughed at the Craic Den comedy club and generally chilled and took it very easy. 

Now back at home, I get to reflect on my last few days and realise that I have the best people around me ever. Not only did I feel totally spoilt and totally overwhelmed, I felt loved and unbelievably special. I also am very aware that I had several amazing people in my life who never got the chance to experience turning 50, so I know that I really need to not take it for granted.  It has been an emotional week, but hey - I'm 50 now so I intend to go back to enjoying every minute of the year ahead and doing lots of fun things!

And of course that means I've been able to tick off a few of my 2026 bingo card - but I'll do a post about that tomorrow!