Michelle Obama: The First Lady Is Fabulous at 50

Michelle Obama turns 50 on Friday, and it’s a milestone she’ll celebrate in true “Let’s Move” fashion with a dance bash at the White House on Saturday. But the first lady has been in a festive mood for a while now. “I have never felt more confident in myself, more clear on who I am as a woman,” she told Parade recently. “But I am constantly thinking about my own health and making sure that I’m eating right and getting exercise and watching the aches and pains. I want to be this really fly 80-, 90-year-old.” Seems like a pretty likely scenario for the energetic, über-achieving “mom in chief.” But let’s not rush it. Instead, here’s a look back at the life and rise of Mrs. Obama, née Michelle LaVaughn Robinson, who once noted, “There’s nothing magical about my background.” Plenty that’s inspiring, though.—Beth Greenfield, Yahoo Shine