happy birthday to me :)

Today is my birthday...

Some might say it is no big deal since it is not a landmark/milestone.  I beg to differ.

My friend in the rowing referee community, Sebastian, says we need to celebrate every single birthday with huge effort because we never know when it will be our last.  I agree!  My sweet pal Bobby who is our local police officer and my dear friend just lost a friend in his massage therapist who was 40 and died in her sleep.

Life is a gift and too short.  I am 29 today.

x2

So today, the hubs and I went out today in his fishing boat.  He has a 15 foot grumpy old man boat I love and I bought for him years ago.  He tied my floatie out behind it.  That thing that is like a blow up chair with two cup holders that I can sit in and ponder life while he tosses two lines in the water.  i had one.  We floated.

We ran into our rowing pal Hans who was sailing on the same small lake.  It was so fun, we talked and laughed and smiled at his loving wishes for a fun birthday.  We floated, he fished, we zipped around in the sun.  It was Zen time for both the hubs and I.  And since our schedules have been insane lately, much needed time in the warmth of the sun on a peaceful Sunday.

We came home, dropped the boat in the driveway and strolled off to hear our friend Jambo play at a local brewery.  He's such an amazing guy and plays such fun music...Buffett, Dylan, Cat Stevens, Jackson Browne, Lightfoot...

Quiet, peaceful, reflective.  Lots of smiles.

I am blessed.

I type right now with a little black puppy ear resting on the enter key.  Next to her is my furry patriarch, my blonde boy who is in charge now that Maya moved to Heaven.  The hubs is in the office researching how to do forms to get matching grants from his company for the charities we donate to.  The sun is filtering through the trees creating little nuggets of light dancing on the floor.

I am so grateful for another year.  Like any year it has had its challenges but I am so grateful for the lessons that come with the challenges.  I am blessed.

I have a beautiful home with an incredible garden space.  I have a husband with a heart that stretches to Pluto.  I have my sweet fur balls.  I have extended family I love.  I have a job locally at a place I am beyond blessed to be working for and I own my own consulting business with clients I love and feel privileged to be serving.

I have the ability to travel and see places people dream about.  We were in Ireland a couple of months ago (I'll write about that soon!) and it was PURE MAGIC.

I/we have the ability to give back and help others and feel so blessed to do so.

I am now older than my paternal grandparents were when they left us.  I am older than our friend Edwin who we lost 10 years ago so suddenly.

Sometimes it freaks me out how old I am.

Recently I bought a shirt for myself that says across the front in beautiful script letters :BLESSED.

True story.  Fact.

I have a full life, full heart.

So here's to another year.  Happy birthday to me.  Thank you God, I hope I am doing you proud.