40.

I turn 40 next Monday(did I really just say that?).

If you asked me at 20, what I'd be like at 40, my answer would be very interesting.
At 20, I would have said, I will have a big house, with a big wrap around porch. A Victorian. I will have 3 kids, because 2 is just too even. I will drive a Lexus truck, because that's what Mom's that have nice things drive. I will be married to a man that adores me. I will be a stay at home Mom. We will sit down to dinner as a family at night, because to me, that means time for sharing. And time for sharing is always important. We will be our own perfect family. People will be so impressed.

At 40 I can say, I have a small house, a cottage, and I live in it with a big, wrap around smile. I have 3 pets, because 2 is just too even. I'm not a stay at home Mom, but I cuddle with my fur kids every night. I drive a Mini Cooper, because I love it. I truly don't care what the car next to me says. I am married to a man that adores me. Probably even more than I thought was possible at 20. And we sit down together at dinner at night, and share. He feels just as I do, sharing is important. I have the perfect family. The perfect family for me.

The only differences I see, are good ones. I've learned that status symbols don't matter to anyone but people who think status symbols matter. And I'm not one of those people. I've learned that a smaller house, does not mean a smaller life. I've learned that some things don't work out. But some things work out even better than you knew they could. And I've learned that the road to finding out what really matters to you, isn't on any map. It's a direction only you can create.