Do I look old? I sure don’t feel old. I don’t have any signs of aging – no grey hairs or major wrinkles. And yet I look around at all my kids and think I should at least feel old because there are so many of them and together we’ve done a heap of living already. But maybe having a lot of children helps keep me young.
Imagine my surprise to find this pregnancy that according to the medical establishment I am now considered “advanced maternal age.”
What! Me?
Why? Because in two weeks I turn 35. You read that right, apparently 35 is the new 40.
Since I am now considered old, I plan on celebrating my birthday in grand fashion. I would like to perform 35 acts of kindness throughout the day for people – friends and total strangers. This is where I need your help. Do you mind leaving some suggestions?
Apparently this old maternal-aged brain of mine can’t come up with 35 different ways for me to simply serve.
LOL, when I was 35 and delivering our seventh child I remember well the young nurses coming in and helping me around as if by the calendar and having premature gray hair also meant dementia and physical disability:) I left the hospital wondering about myself and then laughing at their nervousness. They weren’t the ones raising the seven little darlings:) Keep up the good work. As for the 35 ways to serve, well I would make three dozen sugar cookies, decorate each one with love, deliver 35 and eat the 36th one for being such a good lady:)
I did 37 random acts of kindness for my 37th birthday. You can read the report here: http://wawasmusings.blogspot.com/2010/04/best-birthday-ever.html
It was an amazing experience for me and my entire family and one I hope to repeat next year for my 40th.
I am a little jealous of your non-gray hairs. I started getting mine when I was a teenager!
Enjoy your birthday and your acts of service!
The only thing I’d change about the way I did my kindness spree, is that I would make little “kindness cards” to give out to the recipients explaining why we were doing what we were doing.
Does it need to be 35 different ways or can it be to 35 different people?
My doctors did not even bat an eye when I was pregnant at 38 and again at 42. They said sure there are some things to watch, but plenty of women give birth at this age with no problems, and I was one of them.
You do not look old and I think the doctors are whacked. I find that sometimes the simple act of smiling and saying hello to a stranger is a service and, who knows, perhaps makes their day.
You’re like my younger sister Judie, who at 43 still looks 19 and probably still will when she’s there for her first great-grandchild’s blessing. There must be something in having 10+ kids that keeps you guys young. I started getting gray hair with my 4th child and before I was 30.
I have a request for you. My oldest daughter is very sad because they were outbid in a less-than-honest bidding process for a house that they dearly loved – they got the news last night. Would you offer a prayer for her today, that she will have a peek into the greater opportunity that lies just around the corner for them? And what a great way to celebrate your birthday! Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday! I’m dreading the grey hairs.
I turned 45 two weeks ago, and by the numbers I felt I should feel old, but I still feel like a teenager at heart. It all in the mind and heart!
For my kids to serve them we do their chores for the day, and dishes too. It makes them feel special. Happy early birthday!
Definitely not old…at all! I saw this link on Pinterest. It looked like a lot of fun and we used some of her ideas when we were out and about celebrating President Monson’s birthday! http://ticklestogiggles.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-birthday-was-awesome.html
Where have I been!? I didn’t even know you were pregnant! Congratulations (belated…by how much I am not sure…)!!!! You don’t look old at all-you look as beautiful as ever.
What a lovely picture of you. You are looking really good for age 35. I love your freckles. When I turned 35 I read an article that said your very best years were between 35 and 45 years old. This is when your body is or should be at it’s best. Your emotionaly well being is centered. Your spiritual growth is great. This helped me a lot. Cherish your moments and realize that you are continuing to grow into an even more beautiful person inside and out.
My thought is find your close friend and share a piece of chocolate.
Blessings!
Take Kit Kat’s to local teachers, Saying, “Take a Break”. Return shopping carts at a local store. Take a load to the local thrift store. Wash a few windshields at a gas station. Sew something for someone. Buy a book for a local preschool and read it to them if they’ll let you. Sweep up hair at a local salon. Take crayons and a few coloring books to a local dr.’s office or instacare. Give Kleenex (with lotion) for the person at the grocery store buying cold medicine. Give a giftcard to someone in the drivethru for that store. Buy the biggest lollipop you can find and give it to a random child at the grocery store. Rake leaves and put in bags with large smiley faces drawn or painted on.
Good luck, I could go on all day. So jealous. Glad you are planning ahead!!
Pregnant at 38 was quite an adventure. Extra tests they wanted to run (I refused a few) and extra checkups along the way. I never complained when they ordered extra ultrasounds because I would get to see the baby! The grey hair doesn’t bother me – I’ve had it since my very early twenties. My eight year old actually has a patch of grey on her crown. The wrinkles? Well, they are mostly from smiling and laughing so those are okay, too.
As for good deeds, I’d offer to let you scrub my toilets and tubs (a detested chore for me) but you’re all pregnant and I’d just feel guilty. I’d say to remember my favorite St. Francis quote, “The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today.” So, whatever you do will make a difference to someone.
Leave a few dollars under the windshield or between the window and door of an older-looking car when you are out and about. Strike up a conversation in the grocery store with an elderly person. Give everyone who speaks to you your full attention (pretty hard when several kids are trying to speak to you at the same time :). Leave a present on a doorstep of a neighbor or a member of your ward. Ask an elderly friend or neighbor if they have any errands you can run for them. Make baby blankets, booties, or hats for a hospital. Try not to judge anyone for the whole day – might be a service (Sister Holland gave a talk about this – I love it!), I am enjoying reading the suggestions and I just might steal your idea for my 37th birthday. So far I am thinking that 35 to 45 are the best years.
You’re not old! You just started young!! Ha ha. And you most certainly don’t look it!