This is 40….. The Final Countdown

Ready or Not, Here It Comes

The time has come: the final countdown of my thirties. That’s right, forty is on the horizon. I am currently weeks away from my 40th birthday, and I am feeling a lot different about it than I thought I would. For as long as I can remember, the idea of being FORTY has loomed over people like some imminent scary event, but as it comes closer, I am not scared or saddened by the changing of the decade.

Bring It On, 40

I have never set goals in the sense of “by the time I am X years old, I want to do this or be here;” I set goals but I don’t set limits because I have learned that we have zero control over outside forces. We can make all the plans and set all the goals we want, but sometimes the universe has other plans. I feel good about where I am in life; I own my own home, I have been married 16 years, I have two very cool, smart, well-rounded kids, I have a career I love, I have family and friends that I can rely on and who can rely on me.

I also don’t “feel” like I thought I would at forty. When I was younger and thought of forty, I thought “that’s old.” Now, on the dawn of forty, I don’t feel old, act old, or look old. My 20’s were filled with college, getting married, and babies/toddler/little kids. In my thirties I was growing as a nurse, we lost my dad to cancer, we moved across the country, and then I entered being a mom to teenagers. So my forties seem like the time when I get to be a little more about me. I don’t know what I expected would happen, but so far I am the same person I was when I was turning thirty–a few more life events have shaped me, a few more curves, a few more opinions, and definitely a few less f*cks.

Ready For A Celebration

We all know the past year has been one for the books, and we are all ready for a reason to celebrate. So, even in the times we are living in, I have some big things planned to celebrate the changing of the decade. We are taking a family trip to Disney, because after our trip in September, I know that it is safe, and well, who doesn’t love a Disney trip. #40infantasyland is the theme, I ordered the most amazing mouse ears from SewCuteEarCo, the coordinating nail polish, and of course I will make a themed shirt or two. I am doing a 40 and Fabulous photoshoot that will be filled with a few of my favorite things: champagne, glitter, and Lilly Pulitzer. I will be taking over the New Orleans Mom Instagram on my big 4-0, so be sure to follow along and celebrate with me. Cheers to 40!

Nikki
Nikki was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she has lived in Seattle and Portland. After visiting New Orleans, she fell in love with the city, and she and her husband decided to take a chance and move from the PNW to NOLA. Nikki has two kids, Amaya (16) and Tyson (13), she and her husband Dave have been married for 16 years, they live on the Northshore. Nikki works full time as a NICU nurse. Nikki and her family have fully embraced the culture of New Orleans, while they live on the Northshore, they play in New Orleans as often as they can. As a member of New Orleans Mom, she hopes to bring the perspective of the veteran mom and life with big kids and teenagers.

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