Cathy Turns 40!

So it's true...I turned 40!. Feels a lot like 39 and even 30. I've enjoyed pondering the last 40 years and decided I'd do this post more for my kids so they will see some of their momma's history and memories. So thanks for humoring me as I go down memory lane. Nixon was president in 1973. I had my folks all to myself until I got the greatest Christmas present ever in 1978 when my brother Robert came along. I had fun growing up in a small town, playing ball etc with neighborhood kids in Greenwood, MS. We had a great church in St. John's UMC. Softball was truly my sport but I tried them all it seems like. My first jobs were at Baskin Robbins and at Twin Rivers as a lifeguard. I made $3/hour. I went to elementary school at Bankston Elementary through the 6th grade and after some issues with bigger kids, I started Jr. High and went through High School at Pillow Academy. I was off to MSU for a variety of experiences from sorority life to football, dating etc! That's the season of life when I truly understood what Christ had done for me and did lots of growing and growing up! I left after 3 years to attend Physical Therapy School at U. Miss Medical Center and finished in 1996. My internship experiences pointed me in the direction of wanting to specialize in working with adults with neurological problems. I had worked at UAB about 1 year when I knew I needed more training. So while working, I went to UT Memphis on weekends off and on for 3 years for a MS in PT. After PT school and moving to Birmingham, I had lots of amazing experiences from travel to more than 5 countries, enjoying a great church and having roommates that all taught me lots. I moved back to Mississippi in 2003 to work at MRC until 2005. While there I made great friends, had precious time with my Mammaw, gained good work experience that pointed me toward what I have now specialized in which is doing custom wheelchair evaluations for people with all types of disabilities. I came back to UAB in 2005 and was very hopeful and prayerful I would soon meet my husband. I tried the online dating thing for a little while off and on during that time. Then, Jeff and I met online in March 2006, dated 4 months got engaged and were married 06/07/08. It's truly a miracle we got to stay in Birmingham with a position that opened up at U. of Alabama for him. We moved into our current home in the fall of 2008, had Claire on 8/4/10 and now expect baby brother to arrive in a few weeks (March). Lots of ups and downs sprinkled in that resume of loss of 3 grandparents and special Aunt, enjoying triathlons for about 10 years and meeting incredible people, learning a lot about people including myself!, my parents divorce in 1995, 9/11/01, seeing first African American president elected, having a baby, having 2 miscarriages, and now awaiting my son, not having email until I was 24 or a cell phone until 25 or so and that for "emergencies only!" :) I have truly seen and experienced the faithfulness of God to me in small and big things and have no reason to not trust Him for anything else that may come my way in the next 140 years! I'm thankful for understanding what Christ did for me on the cross and setting me free from my sin. I am now free to live wholeheartedly to love Him and Love people and that is my intent until these days are done. I believe all would agree you never stop learning and growing no matter your age and I feel like I'm just getting started! Enjoy a few photos from my first 40 years...I can already hear the snickers and comments of "look at that hair!" I hear at 40 not much ruffles you any more...I'm good with that! Two minor goals I had were to enter the 40 club with no reading glasses and not having to color my hair yet due to grey hair...Success so far! My other goal was to be right where God wanted me to be and I feel that is true...I am living my dream for sure!