Showing off my gray hair. It’s there. I promise.

I’m irritated that all of the temporary hair color says it will “cover the gray.” I’m proud of my gray hair. I’ve earned it. And as a diminutive female, gray hair can only help my pastoral gravitas. Still, I’d love to be a redhead for a month or so. Where is the hair color that LEAVES the gray and just colors the boring brown parts of my hair?

I’m going to eat that crappy pizza in the freezer for lunch today. (I mean, I’ll cook it first.) I know I bought it for my husband, but it’s not my fault he hasn’t eaten it yet. It’s been like three weeks. And surely there is some sort of statute of limitations on these things. And it’s my birthday. And he’s not home.

My 6^th grader taped streamers on my door frame before I got up this morning. It’s a family tradition, but sometimes if the mom doesn’t do the traditiony thing, it doesn’t get done. It made me happy to walk through these streamers this morning. (And it’s only mildly annoying to try to keep from shutting them in the door whenever I go in and out of my bedroom.)

I’m being more intentional about setting aside time to write this year. Which isn’t really a birthday thing, but fair warning. Because apparently when I have time to write, I end up with random posts like this one.

I used to wonder when I would finally feel like a real grown up. When would I stop looking around for the adult in the face of a difficult situation? Now that I’ve turned 41, I finally feel like I will never feel like the adult in the room. So I can quit waiting for that day and move on with my life.

My mom bought me good colored pencils and an awesome coloring book for my birthday. I know that adult coloring is all hip and trendy now, but at 41 I shouldn’t have to prove myself by shunning something just because it is hip and trendy. I am now confident enough in my own unhippness to embrace the occasional trend without apology.

It seems like one of my random thoughts should have some deep spiritual significance. I guess the older I get, the more spiritual it all is—my gray hair and the streamers and just having fun with words on the page. It is all gift. And I pray that my 41-year-old self will receive the gifts of this year with gratitude and grace.