Tag: birthday

Posted in Moments and Musings

October, 2024

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

October has been a crazy month. Just like the weather, which has been up and down and all around, so has life.

I did manage to get away for a short trip to Tennessee to see my sister and her family. No matter how long or short, it’s never enough time. There’s always so much I want to share with them. Cook for them. Make for them. Show them. And it’s never enough of anything. I always leave feeling fulfilled and yet wanting more.

Tennessee was beautiful and I loved seeing my sisters’ house. The weather was perfect, and I really enjoyed sitting in her enclosed back patio watching the dogs play. Always such a treat and a very relaxing mini getaway.

The drive down and back was actually quite delightful. I’m not a fan of long drives but my sister blessed me by letting me take her Tucson. I must admit, it’s a sweet ride. There was plenty of room for Shelby and I and all our stuff. All the hum dings and doo dads a car can have. I chose an audio book for the drive there and back since I knew Shelby would immerse herself in Shelbyville via her ear buds.

In other news, I turned 56 this month so happy birthday to me!

It’s still very weird being on this side of 50 years old. I don’t feel like I’m in my 50s most days. I still feel young. I still dream about the future and what I want to be when I grow up. I still make big plans at a time when most people are settling into what will be for the rest of their lives. That’s just not me. I’m still perusing the college websites in the off chance I want to finish my associate degree. I still feel like I have my whole life ahead of me.

My first born also celebrated turning 27 years old.

We went to Olive Garden for dinner the following Friday where she ate her fill of salad and pasta. I love this girl beyond words. I love her fierce loyalty to her family. I love the way she does anything her aunts ask her to do. I love the relationship she has with them. She does well with her little life. She doesn’t desire to do anything other than work and play any one of her video games. She’s one of the smartest people I know and mixes wisdom with common sense easily. She makes my life sparkle.

Autumn has finally arrived with all it’s wonder and vibrant colors! This is my favorite time of the year! The first frost. The chill. The crispness. The smell of fireplaces. Pulling out the sweaters and leggings and other comfy clothing. It’s all so very magical. I love getting the blankets out, giving them a good wash, and laying them out on the sofa. Books full of magic and folklore appear on coffee tables and the most common indoor smell is cinnamon. I love it all!

Two other important events happened.

The first one is Shelby and I were able to get out early to vote. I’m so ridiculous because it is just voting but I always leave the polling place feeling proud and hopeful. If my choice doesn’t win, I’ll not despair. It’s not about Trump or Harris anyway; it’s all about Jesus and no president-elect can change or affect the plans God has for me. Jesus is still King and His Kingdom has no end.

The other event was substantially less nationally important however, to Shelby, it was critical to the success of the Halloween season. And that was pumpkin carving! I haven’t carved a pumpkin since the girls were little and my mom was alive. She made those times so special, making her wonderful vegetable soup and homemade biscuit rolls. There would be apple tarts for dessert, and she would help Shelby clean and roast the pumpkin seeds for a snack later on.

Here’s how it started….

….and here’s how it went…

We knew the second we put them outside that they would become food for the local squirrel council and the chipmunk population of Orland Park. We weren’t disappointed.

As for my monthly goals, I did pretty well. I lost another 6 lbs., bringing my total to 14, which isn’t too bad. I also did the majority of my Christmas shopping and came in way under budget. I’ve planned out the rest of the year crochet-wise, including finishing this huge monster of a blanket that’s now on my bed.

Yes, October, you were wonderful, and I thank you!

Posted in Moments and Musings

Hello, 55!

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Today is my birthday and I’m turning 55 years old.

It looks different than I thought it would look. My mother isn’t here to celebrate with me and my younger daughter is married now and lives three hours away. However, I’m very excited about this particular birthday as I’m now in the pre-stages of senior citizen-hood and I’m looking forward it. I know most people don’t like getting older. However, I’m a firm believer in embracing each year. I run up to it, hug it tightly, welcome it in and offer it some tea. I like to make each year feel right at home.

In the spirit of my birthday, allow a moment of self-indulgence as I list 55 things I’ve learned and discovered over the last 55 years of my life:

  1. Jesus first. Always, Jesus first. Without Jesus, nothing works.
  2. Make your plans and dream your dreams but then give them over to God. He will add His love and perfection to each one and give it back to you more beautiful than you ever imagined.
  3. Life is better with dog.
  4. Sometimes, you need time to sit in silence and just breathe.
  5. Grief is lifelong. Although, its waves aren’t always as powerful as they are in the beginning.
  6. Call people. Stop using apps to stay in touch. (I’m still learning this one.)
  7. Tears are release and healing. Sometimes, I make time for them. When I don’t, they seem to make time for me.
  8. A good ghost story is always a good thing!
  9. There aren’t enough good ghost stories.
  10. Blue is the best color in the world, followed closely by green.
  11. Pray early for your kids spouses. And pray often.
  12. The world may tell you God needs to change with the times but God is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He never changes. He doesn’t have to.
  13. The best steak is filet mignon and the best way to eat it is medium well.
  14. You can eat anything you want. You just need to watch the portion.
  15. A good walk or a good bike ride is the best physical stress reliever.
  16. A good talk with The Father is the best emotional stress reliever.
  17. A home should have many many blankets.
  18. The British write the best mysteries.
  19. It’s ok to speak the Truth. But it’s not only to be unloving.
  20. I fully plan to be the woman known for cycling through the neighborhood on her bike with flowers in her basket and a straw hat on her head.
  21. Take heart, God is in the midst of it all and He knows the way out.
  22. Crochet is life. Also, I don’t know how to knit.
  23. Embroidery is secondary to crochet. Because I still don’t know how to knit.
  24. It’s better to excel at one or two things than to be mediocre at a lot of things.
  25. I always looked forward to life in a 55+ community.
  26. Moving in with my 2 older sisters means I’ll be living in my own 55+ community. LOL
  27. Fresca is the best soda.
  28. Tea should be a staple in every home.
  29. Coffee should be a staple in every home.
  30. Chocolate should be a staple in every home.
  31. I’ll never understand people who don’t like ice cream.
  32. Hot chocolate should always be topped with whipped cream and cinnamon.
  33. Christmas is the best holiday ever.
  34. We should always make friends with crows. They remember and will bring you stuff.
  35. There’s nothing wrong with counting down to special days.
  36. The next season will always be better than your current one.
  37. Never rush through your current season.
  38. Menopause will make your feel like you’re going crazy. Take heart, dear lady, you are!
  39. Being the youngest in the family doesn’t mean I’m privileged or spoiled; it means I have others to look up to and learn from.
  40. Always spend time with your family.
  41. It’s an honor and a privileged to hold a loved one’s hand while they go home to Jesus.
  42. Funerals and weddings either bring out the very best in people or the very worst.
  43. The world is unkind. Don’t be like the world.
  44. You don’t need to make a difference in the world as a whole; just start with your world right where you’re at.
  45. Prayer isn’t always a labored thing. Sometimes, it’s a moment by moment quiet conversation with God.
  46. The inner voice speaking encouragement and direction to you most likely is the Holy Spirit.
  47. I don’t believe in mean dogs; only mean people who make dogs mean.
  48. Cats are like teenagers.
  49. I believe there’s no perfection to be found in being creative. That’s why I create; to tame my perfectionist ways. Also, so I won’t eat too much ice cream.
  50. I will miss my mother for the rest of the my life. 49 years with her wasn’t long enough.
  51. I look forward to being a grandma someday.
  52. Laughter truly is contagious. One should laugh every day.
  53. You don’t need a big house to be happy. Comfort and contentment can be found in the smallest of spaces.
  54. In any loving home, there’s always room for one more.
  55. Everyone should have cake and ice cream on their birthday.

Happy Birthday to me!

Photo by Robert Anderson on Unsplash

Posted in Moments and Musings

The Counting Downs of A Day

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Today was day full of failure. It’s ok. They happen. My plan was to fall apart as soon as I logged off from work but instead, I decided that it’s just a day. Like many that have passed (and I’ve survived) and like many more to come.

Instead, I took a shower. I took a walk with the dog. I made some dinner (egg and cheese in a tortilla) and had another cup of tea. I drank all my water. And I chose to write down all the good days ahead and how much longer I have to wait for them.

2 more days until my 6 day weekend/staycation. I do this every year around my birthday to relax a bit before the hustle and bustle of the holidays begin.

4 more days until my baby girl, Emilie, comes home for a visit. It will be just a short weekend visit but I’ll get to see her face and hug her neck.

7 more days of being 54 left. I know 55 will be so much better and filled with so much good. There is more!

29 days to Halloween. Probably my least favorite of the October/November/December season but Shelby loves it and the apartment looks so festive.

34 days left of daylight savings time. As someone who regularly suffers from seasonal depression, I’ve decided to face this season head on. Embrace the quiet of it. Let my soul simmer a while.

52 days until Thanksgiving. I always have a vision in my head of what this will look like and each year, it almost never happens that way. It always makes me miss my mother.

83 days until Christmas Eve. With just Shelby and I in the apartment, this is looking to be quiet. Christmas morning will be quiet also. If I’m honest, I enjoy the Christmas season way more than I enjoy Christmas Day.

90 days left of 2023. I know 2024 will bring us a new home but who knows what else and I’m excited for it all.

298 days until we move, at the most. Of course, we hope to move sooner. We shall see. God has that all in His very capable hands.

All in all, from now until the end of the year, there are eight special happenings taking place. And that’s not counting the birthday celebrations.

Like a medicine, the rest of the day is looking up.

Photo by Manasvita S on Unsplash