Kim Wilbanks

Well, it happened.  That thing I’ve been dreading finally came to pass.  I turned the big “6 – 0”.

I guess I’m a senior citizen now, or do I get another five years before I have to claim that title?  Oh, well, it beats not turning the big “6 – 0”.

A Change In Plans

I had big plans for my 60th birthday.  My husband and I  were going to fly both of our children and their spouses home for the weekend to attend a family wedding and then spend a couple of nights at Disney.  We looked forward to seeing all of the Christmas decorations and attending the Candlelight Processional as well as checking out all of the new attractions.  It was going to be a fun-filled family celebration.

I had big goals for the year leading up to my birthday as well.  I was going to follow a friend’s example and learn or do something new each month of 2020.  You can read about that big idea here.

Everything came to a screeching halt barely three months into the year.  Plans went out the window.  Vacations were cancelled.  For a while, it was simply survival mode.

Things I Accomplished In Spite of 2020

I looked back over that list of things I wanted to accomplish in the year before I turned 60.  I was able to do some of the things but not all of them.  I don’t know about you, but there were several weeks this year, maybe even months, when I felt like I was just going through the motions of life.

• The year started off wonderfully.  I did get to travel to Norway and see the beautiful Northern Lights with family.  You can read about that here.
• My husband and I did get a puppy, an adorable Labradoodle named Boone.  We had a couple of rough months, waking up way too early and cleaning up some accidents, but, I’m happy to say we are all getting more comfortable with each other. Here’s a blog about that.
• I made several attempts at making a good English scone.  I need to work on that some more but at least I’m making progress.  I may try a pumpkin spice scone recipe before the end of the year.
• I completed one major photo album; a record of March Madness trips I take with a good friend.  I even included the flurry of text messages shared as our trip to NYC, scheduled for mid-March, unraveled.

I never did take the penmanship class or make spaghetti from scratch or finish the book I’m writing.  They will remain on my to do list. 

Unexpected Lessons

There were some unexpected things I learned over the year.

• I enjoy my home and I didn’t always mind having to stay put.
• In the past, I spent too much time aimlessly browsing through stores.  It’s something I haven’t missed (too much).
• I can maintain a regular, reasonable bedtime.  The days of staying up until midnight reading ended when we got a puppy who liked to start the day at 5:00 in the morning.
• People are highest priority.  I have treasured the few times I have been able to get together with  my children and my friends this year.
• New traditions are fun, like pancake Saturdays.

Salvaged Plans

When we had to cancel my birthday plans, I was so disappointed because I was looking forward to being with my family — it doesn’t happen often with both children living out of state.  At first, I just wanted to cancel the whole thing, not even acknowledge the day.  But, I have a very kind and thoughtful husband who encouraged me to come up with a new plan.  

So, for my birthday, we spent the day in a quaint Florida town about an hour away; poking around a farmer’s market, getting birthday cake from nearby bakery, hanging out in a boutique hotel near a lake and enjoying a lovely dinner at the hotel. 

This may not seem like a big deal but, it is.  My husband loves, loves, loves, sports, especially college football.  This is how I know how much he loves me — he sacrificed his football Saturday to celebrate my 60th birthday, do things that I enjoy.

So, sixty hasn’t started out so bad (other than the fact that I’m having trouble comprehending how fast the years went by).  Perhaps the sixty’s will be my time to shine.  At least, I have a decade until I have to worry about 70!