Happy Birthday to Me

The end of summer sort of marks my new year.  By the end of summer, I like to look back and assess any headway I might have made on my riding goals.  In the summer months, I go full tilt in hooking up with friends because the days are longer.  I tend to crank out more projects around the house in the warmer months.  I’m a pretty productive person on the whole but I imagine I’ve got a lot more going on when the days are longer.  And by the time October gets here, the leaves start changing, and that pretty much says, “Guess what?  Summer’s over.”  Not to mention, this is my birthday month.  And yes, today is my birthday.

So, on the day of my birthday, I sort of assess the previous year and I also have my own personal Thanksgiving.  Wow.  That’s rolling a whole bunch into one day.  But hey, it’s MY birthday!

On my big day, for starters, I’d like to give thanks.  Thanks to God for keeping me healthy, healthy, healthy.  Without this pretty much problem/maintenance-free vessel, I could not do more than three-quarters of what I do.  So, thank you God, for issuing this one to me when you were handing out bods because I’m still one of the few women I know who’s pretty damn comfy in her own skin. 

Inseparable

Next, I’d like to give thanks for Bob.  Without Bob, I would be miserable and be with some dumbass, ambitionless, ungrateful, annoying, dense man who takes me for granted and thinks chicks like me grow on trees and are replaceable.  Bob makes coming home every night something I look forward to.  It is like our first date every night.  Bob gives me confidence in me, us, our future, life in general.  He is kind, truthful, helpful, never lazy, always considerate, has never done anything stupid or thoughtless.  I never get tired of that view that is him.  He’s my very own 6′5″ Michelangelo sculpture but much warmer.  Because of him, I have a relationship that is never angry, never cheap, always respectful and I treasure it with my entire being.  I have been on a happy streak for 10+ years because of Bob.  No ups and downs, just an ongoing trip on the happy train and a constant diet of love.

Of course I am grateful for my family.  They are where I came from and they are who made me the person I am today.  Because of them, I grew up in a safe, sane, secure household and had such an easy, easy childhood.  Almost too easy.  A bit of a rude awakening when I got out into the big world.  Eh, live and learn and you fall back on your DNA to get you through.  I’ve got good DNA (thanks Mom and Dad).

Also very important to me are my friends.  Damn I have good friends.  And such an array of friends.  I have drinking buddies who I actually just drink tea with (because I just can’t keep up with their drinking and I’m not big on it anyway), I have friends I can call for legal advice, career advice, free rides on horses, fashion advice, investment advice, you name it.  They make me laugh and they add to my everyday happiness.  I’ll do anything for my friends.

Life is so, so good but it did not come easy.  I had to pick up and move on from a lot in my life in every facet of my life and by sheer determination, spunk and with the help of some really good friends, I have hit my 45th birthday in a very enviable position.  I am ridiculously happy and insanely in love.  I’m already looking towards another great year.