Bryan turns 40!

Bryan turned 40 this past Friday.  The big four-oh.  It's a little...well, disturbing.  Because 40 always seemed so...well, OLD!  I still remember having a minor identity crisis when turning 30...and now here is Bryan boldly paving the way into our 40's.  He doesn't look anywhere near old enough to be 40.  I'm pretty sure he doesn't feel anywhere near old enough to be 40.  Clearly it's a mental thing.  And clearly it's freaking me out more than it is him.  Realistically, if I hadn't reminded him, he might not have even remembered it was his birthday, let alone the age he had achieved.  I think the fact that he has been on this earth for 40 years is more of a bizarre thought for him than anything else.  But I have known this man since he was 18 years old...and the calender clearly show that 18 was a long time ago.

So we had a party to celebrate.  Nothing huge and major...just a little gathering with his siblings and their families.  A mexi-feast seemed the way to go for 3 reasons.  One:  It feeds 26 people easily.  Two:  It is Carolyn-family friendly...no gluten, egg, or nuts.  And three:  Bryan adores tacos.

Steven came bearing two gifts of similar size for his big brother.  Bryan opened the first one and we all laughed uproariously when out of the box came an armadillo!  Ever read Far Side comics?  If so, remember the one with the homeless guy holding a sign saying "Spare armadillo...spare armadillo?"  And then then we see a guy carrying several armadillos under his arms approaching him and thinking, "Oh great, how am I going to get past this?"  That particular comic became somewhat of an inside joke with Bryan and his brothers.  With them coming up to each other at random times, leaning in close and muttering..."Spare armadillo?" to the other.  Although my sister's in law, Kari and Sara, didn't really get it, I've been with the family for long enough that I laughed good and long when I saw Bryan open up his armadillo gift.  "Wait!"  Steven said..."that's only part of the gift.  It gets better!"  When Bryan opened up the "spare" armadillo in the second gift, we about fell out of our chairs laughing.

So Bryan rang in 40.  We had black balloons flying from the lamp post, the UPS guys sang a rousing rendition of the Happy Birthday song to him when they stopped by with a delivery, he got to eat tacos, and as well as enjoying the company of his siblings...he got a spare armadillo!!!  Is there any better way to spend your birthday??