Things I Can't Say

Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom

Pour Your Heart Out: 35 Years

Maybe it’s the first line that has me thinking about this song.

Maybe birthdays make me nostalgic  and reflective.

Am I where I thought I’d be at 35?

Yes.

No.

Maybe.

I never really had much of a plan.

Just to be happy, have a family, friends, work that I like.

As for the bumps along the way, well… we all have them, right?

But if life stayed the way it was
And lovers never fell out of love
If memories didn’t last so long
If nobody did nobody wrong
If we knew what we had before it was gone
If every road led back home
This would be
The very last country song*

If everything were simple and easy, we wouldn’t have much of a story to tell, would we? That might not be the very last country song, but it might be the very last blog post.

But for today, I’ll focus on all the good I have in my life and realize that everything that has happened and everything that will happen: it’s just a part of my story.

No one is promised a perfect life, but we can choose how we see our lives.

I’m choosing to celebrate 35 years… not of a perfect life, but of a good one.


*Lyrics from Sugarland.
Click if you want to find out more about Pour Your Heart Out. Remember, it’s about what you want to pour out: it’s personal, so there isn’t an assigned topic. It’s also about being supportive of others who are sharing: so visit other linkers and be kind with your comments. Please add the button from the sidebar or add a text link to your post if you are joining in. If you have any problems linking, please email me your link.

Comments

  1. All of those ups and downs in your life had made you an amazing woman! Happy 35 years, Shell!! You deserve an amazing day!!! xo

  2. I love the family picture so beautiful. I think we all reflect when our birthday comes around. I know mine will never be the same after last year. Mom got admitted to the hospital on my birthday. Kind of puts a kink in it for me.

  5. That is a beautiful family picture. The boys look so grown up and handsome! I turn 35 in one week. I’m still trying to figure out how I’m 35. I swear I just turned 30.  Happy birthday Shell. We’re just getting more awesome with age!

  6. Happy Birthday!  My birthday is tomorrow.  I’ll be 31, I’ve accomplished a lot in 31 years.  I’m hoping for some good stuff over the next 9.  🙂

  7. Happy Birthday! I don’t know the song…. but it is lovely. Yes – all those things do make us as who we are today. 

  8. Happy birthday, Shell! 

    And yes, I know the feeling. When I was a little girl, I was going to be a dr, live in the Barbie dream house, be married to Ken and drive a Corvette. Before I was 25. None of that worked out the way we expected, did it? 😉

  9. Happy Birthday Shell

    I remind myself all the time, without the bumps I could never appreciate all the great in my life.

  11. Happy Birthday Shell! 35 is a good age (says the woman who will be 40 next February). The ups and downs are all part of life and yes they make some pretty good stories.

  13. Hi Shell 🙂

    First time visitor here. I came from Kristen’s place (Thepreppygirlinpink.com)

    I just wanted to wish you a very happy birthday with many years of blessings to come. I love the ‘Things I Can’t Say’ blogging – I’ve seen the badge in quite a few blogs already and finally found the source. 🙂

    I’ll be tuning into your blog here on. You have wonderful content.

    Cheers 🙂

  15. Happy Birthday! (well in 7 minutes) I love the part about not being promised a perfect life but choosing how we see it. That is so true that we can make that choice. I hope you have a day as wonderful as you, though that will be pretty tough. You’re pretty special 🙂 xoxo

  16. It is definitely how we see it. When I was younger I had a very different plan for my future. But it didn’t end up that way. I’m grateful that it worked out the way it did because it led me here. 

    Happy birthday!!! I love that photo!

  18. Life is indeed what we make of it. If we spend our days being bitter about the what-ifs, about dreams that never came to fruition, we will never see the beauty and untold wealth of the diamonds in our own back yard.

    Happy birthday, Shell. You have given yourself the very best gift of all: of learning to embrace the good in your life.

  19. Happy birthday! Sounds like you already have the best gift ever in your wonderful family. Hope this is the best birthday yet. 

  20. I never had much of a plan either, and find myself thinking the same thoughts on each birthday. I love where you ended up though – celebrating the good is definitely the answer. Happy Birthday to you, i hope it is a lovely day.

  21. Happy Birthday! The last line sums it up perfectly! It is all of the imperfections that make our lives so unique and wonderful.

  22. Happy Birthday Shell! What a great thing to do…embrace and be thankful! I will be hitting the big 39 this year. Only 1 year of my thrities left….. where did the time go. Have an awesome day! Loved the song.

  23. Happy birthday!! Perfect lives are for boring people, you’re way cooler than that! Love ya!! Now that it’s really Wednesday, I guess I can link up. 🙂

  25. Happy, happy birthday! and I love the song and what it means. I think that is why I find fairy tales boring — there’s so much more to learn and do when life happens.

  26. The best quote I have heard lately is this:  “Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”  A good life is exactly that.  A good life.  Have a wonderful birthday!  It is so nice to know you! 

  27. Happy Birthday, Shell! That is a gorgeous picture and what a great outlook to have! Just want to say thanks for all that you do for bloggers out there. I credit you and Ashley with helping me grow as a blogger. You guys are great teachers and two of the kindest people I know. This has become a passion of mine and I couldn’t have done it without you! Happy Birthday and have a wonderful day!

  28. Happy birthday Shell!!

    I had the same thoughts when I turned 30.  I wasn’t exactly sure I was where I had hoped to be, but then again, I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else.  I have a couple years until I’m 35.  It’ll be interesting to see how I feel then.

  30. You have a beautiful family, great friends, and a good life….. things may not have turned out how you planned (they never do for most of us) but it’s good! 
    I hope that you have a great birthday!

  31. Happy Birthday Shell! May the year be full of joy, laughter and if there are bumps, that you tackle them with your usual gusto 🙂

  32. oh my heart.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY beautiful girl. Thank you for letting us pour our hearts out, for sharing your IMPERFECT but fantastic life with all of us through your words, thank you for being the girl we all wish would come over and sit at 0ur table and be our friend.
    There are so many amazing things about you I couldn’t list them all, but I will CELEBRATE you today (and always) for the INCREDIBLE special gal you are.
    Love you…and hoping to share some CUPCAKES with you very very soon.
    xoxoxo
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY

  33. This family picture always makes me so happy.  It needs more airtime!  🙂

    Have a fabulous day!  Make that husband of yours take you out to dinner.

  38. Happy HAppy Birthday!!!  I hope you have a wonderful day- you deserve it.  And yes life never happens without a few bumps but those bumps help us really learn and grow.

     Love love that picture! 

  52. Happy Birthday, Shell! What a lovely family you have! I think that’s the key to happiness, appreciating what we have and not dwelling on what we don’t.

  54. Pretty sure a perfect life is unattainable. So. We make the best of it.

    Hope you have a super awesome Shell day! Much love to you.

  58. happy birthday! This is my first time linking up. Finally got the courage after almost two years. Ha! You make 35 look GOOD, mama! 🙂

  59. Hope you had a lovely birthday – be amazed at how far you’ve come and accomplished this far – and look forward to all the adventures ahead!

  67. Oh, wow, Shell. 1) I have missed you incredibly. Don’t get weirded out; but I think about you and then feel massive amounts of guilt that I haven’t followed along in far too long. Your writing always touches me, and you have done it again with this post. 2) HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope it’s a wonderful one, full of everything that makes you happy. The love of your beautiful family. The comfort of your closer friends. The fact that you are doing what you love. And 3) I promise never to take so long from visiting you here. Off I go now to catch up on YOU!

    Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Shell. XOXO

  68. What a BEAUTIFUL family portrait!  And Happy Birthday.

    I just noticed your blurb on the top – didn’t know you were originally a yankee.  🙂

  71. Happy birthday to you! I will be turning 35 next week. It is a big birthday and I am also happy I have so much love in my life!

  73. I also don’t believe that there is such a thing that is perfect. In our life it is in our hands how we make it. Make the most out of it and you will say you can never ask for more. That’s just how I think every life should be. And the happiest part of it? It’s when we have those special people around us. 

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