songbird's crazy world

My birthday is in 2 weeks. Even more so than New Year's Eve or Rosh HaShanah, my birthday makes me feel very introspective about my life. Maybe it's because I see an actual number -- this year I'll be 49 -- and it puts my life into perspective. I was on the train this morning and directed my iPod to play Barry Manilow's "Greatest Hits of the 70's" -- that's when I was in my teens, going through junior high and high school and starting college. When I think about the girl I was then, her hopes and dreams, and I look at my life...well, this is not what I was expecting. there's lots of good in my life, for which I am grateful. my daughter Jen is becoming a lovely young woman, full of warmth and humor and a gift for getting along with people. After floundering in high school she has found direction and motivation in her life, and it thriving in college. Becca is doing well in high school. she has always been self-motivated, and though she took a...

so the previous post was a photo from my archives, from June 2008, at Becca's sweet 16 party. Jen is the one wearing the pink Betsy Johnson (it was the dress she wore to the prom in 2007) and Becca is the one in the teal and cream Betsy. both girls went to a sweet 16 tonight and I wish I'd had the opportunity to take a picture of them. Becca was her usual gorgeous self in a purple strapless and my Tiffany earrings. but Jen....wow... she borrowed a dress my from sister, a frothy black and white strapless that my sister had worn to the sweet 16 last June. (I'm sorry, but a 40 year old woman should not be wearing a Besty Johnson prom dress, even if she can fit into it!) she looked like she should be modelling the dress. it looked like it was made for her. I doubt my sister will ever wear that dress again.