The Top Ten Best Parts of my 40th Birthday

Let me say right off the bat that I've been thinking about my 40th birthday for years. Because of the pandemic of COVID-19, all of my plans went out the window, and I had to adjust my expectations.
But thanks to some lovely, caring, crafty, clever, amazing people in my life, it was one of my best birthdays ever!

Top Ten Best Things about My 40th Birthday

10. No work

Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed working from home during the pandemic. But working from home kind of leads to feeling like you're on the clock 24/7. Having a true break like this was a wonderful gift.  But also, I had no time in my day available to have done work. I was totally planning on checking email and touching base on a couple of projects, but I when I wasn't with my friends or family, I had a full-time job of keeping up with Facebook wall posts, Instagram stories and Marco Polos from friends and family. Oh and my cousin Sarah mailed me a card that included 40 memories she had of me. Some I remembered well, some not so well, but most of them made me laugh and made me love Sarah for sending them.

9. 40 balloons

I've always wanted my own set of these giant number balloons for years.  They make great photo props, and 40 has been such a big-deal number to me for a long time that I'm glad I got to take photos like this one.

8.  All my favorite foods

My day started with Chic-Fil-A breakfast delivered by my dad and finished with a family dinner with all of my favorites: hamburgers on the grill, my dad's pasta salad, company potatoes, fruit salad and salted caramel cake. For lunch, see #5

7. Rainbow week and custom shirts

It just so happened that my birthday fell during a theme week at the gym that I loved: Rainbow week! A different ROY G. BIV shirt each day led up to a collage of sweaty selfies at the end of the week. But also! I had been planning to have a custom shirt made that I could wear for my 40th, and my friend Michelle came through with not one, but three custom shirts! (the green, blue and purple shirts from the sweaty selfie collage below) I love them so much I've already worn the blue (Aloha Forty) and purple (I make forty look good) ones twice each, and it's only been a couple of days since my birthday.

6. A #Fitby40 Video 

A big part of this particular birthday is that I have been long been working under the mantra #fitby40 (and have lost 120-ish pounds in 18 months!). When I signed my contract at Burn, it was going to take me to my 40th birthday. It seemed like a sign, so I took it and it has transformed me both inside and out. Emily, a trainer at Burn, made a montage video of all the pictures and videos she's taken of me at the gym. It was really special to see the physical transition of me getting stronger and leaner, pic by pic.

5. A Taste of Millstone

The fact that this is rated number five is a testament to how awesome this birthday was, because a Taste of Millstone has been a dream of mine for awhile. Ordering all of my favorite pizzas and having a slice or two of each?? I never thought it would actually happen. But circumstances aligned, and my best friends and I each got a different personal pie (buffalo, sausage and goat, and the Zoe, respectively) and shared slices.

4. Fortune Feimster birthday wishes

My friend Judy texted me a personal video from comedian Fortune Feimster. It was so nice of Fortune to take the time to make it for me, and she specifically called out that we're both 1980 babies and that I have lost 100 pounds. Plus, this officially means I'm only one degree from Mindy Kaling now.

3. Video from Co-workers

I woke up to an email from a co-worker with a video they had compiled for me featuring classic Office birthday clips and wishes from each person that brilliantly showcased their personalities.  Knowing that they all filmed their videos not knowing what other people were doing, and still came together so perfectly added to it.  I was so touched. (I can't figure out how to embed it) so here's a couple of screen shots...)

2. Decorations and posters

Maybe you think this one is is so simple that it shouldn't be rated so highly.  But let me tell you, I had not one, but two, pairs of friends come to decorate the front of my house. I came outside as soon as I woke up just to see if anyone had and that's when I saw streamers, balloons, pinwheels and a beautiful Fabulous & 40 sign from Michelle and Becca.  I went back inside to workout and came out a second time to go for a walk and found memes and drawings from Jen and Glenda.

Plus, I got so many beautiful and thoughtful posters during the parade (#1 below!),  and they've been decorating my house ever since!

1. Personal birthday parade!
THE MAJOR HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY!

Unbeknownst to me, my friends conspired to throw me a surprise birthday parade. It consisted of 26 decorated cars (and more than 35 people!) cruising the block honking and yelling happy birthday to me and throwing me goodies and presents. I was so, so touched. I cried the whole time.

I thought that quarantine meant that my birthday would be a smaller, quiet affair, but to have so many people show up for me was just unbelievable.  And I really loved how it was a mix of people from so many of my different friend groups: Burn, book club, old friends, family and coworkers.  I guess it was maybe a simple thing to them, to come drive around the block (although there were several people who came from all the way from Charlotte) and maybe make a poster or two, but it meant so much to me.  And afterwards, my Burn sisters jumped out to do birthday burpees with me on the curb outside my house.

I feel like I keep saying "it was so special" or "I was so touched" over and over when describing my birthday or particular parts of it. I feel like words are failing me as I try to capture just how amazing my birthday was.  It was so much better than I could've imagined or planned myself.  It's just nice to be thought of, you know?

Here's to the next 40 years!