It's Partay Day!!!

It's here!!  It's here!!!!!  The day has finally arrived.  My 40th BIRTHDAY!!!  Woohoooo!!  So let the painting begin!  Here a few highlights from the past decades that have lead up the the 4th decade.  And why I am thinking this is going to be a good one.  Because I've learned a lot of lessons in the past 4.
-I'll skip all those younger years, I basically lived in a bubble my ages 0-20.  You don't want to know about how blissful it was.  Seriously.
-My 20's were spent graduating from art school, planning a wedding, working a crappy job, building our first home, getting married to Billy, getting certified to teach art, loving that job, having our first baby William
-The 30's were packed with having Mailey, my Dad being shipped off to fight the war on terror, my parents getting divorced, fighting depression, leaving teaching, opening an art studio, Billy becoming a State Representative, hitting rock bottom financially, adding a retail store to the studio, leaving that retail store and deciding to become an artist full-time, selling our first house, buying a new house, finding financial stability, going back to teaching full-time

Whew.  It's funny how things go full-circle.  And the older you get the more you find a rhythm that works for you and your family.  How things that were SO important in your 20's, become frivolous in your 40's.... that sort of thing.  Like how shopping becomes a chore instead of an escape from depression (thus the financial stability coming into play).  How working a job you truly have a heart for can change your attitude about life goals.  How being at home is more important than anything.  How loving yourself  (even the frikin' thunder thighs) can change everything.  Everything.  So yep.  The 40's are destined to be wonderful.  Not perfect mind you.  But full of crazy potential.  Because I've got 40 years under my belt of mistakes, good decisions and decisions yet to make. 

I do hope you'll follow this journey through my 40th year and join me in Birmingham, Alabama this time next year for the gallery opening.  It's going to be an amazing showing of work.  And for such a wonderful cause.  I love the support you all give to my creative journey and can not thank you enough for being here in this little world with me.  I puffy heart you.  :)

xo Jenni