3 Years Baby!!!

Truth be told, I am pretty hard on my body. I exercise faithfully 5 days a week, I never miss any of the many pills I need to take, if I can't go to the gym in the morning for scheduling reasons I try to go for a walk at night. I tan to maintain a "healthy glow" and then I complain about the lines on my face, irony I know. I bleach my hair as soon as I see those ugly brown roots creep in.
Most days I am frustrated with my body because I feel like I work for it, it doesn't work for me. It doesn't sleep when I want it too, (I wake up most days between 4:45 and 5:30) my blood is either too thick or too thin, and I always have those trouble areas on my backside where I'd like to loose a few more pounds.
When I gain 3 pounds I panic and really kick it up a notch at the gym and try to pay closer attention to eating only when I am hungry.
But one day a year, I DON'T CARE!!! I don't care about what I look like, what I feel like, I don't care that I can't run for very long and I view this as a character flaw on my part, and I don't care that I have to take pills just to keep my body alive. One day a year I just marvel at my beautiful heart, it's audible tick, and the fact that it's a miracle that I'm alive at all.
That day is September 15th, or as we call it around here my Second Birthday.
Last month I got a letter in the mail with a survey. This was one of the questions:

When do you experience severe shortness of breath?

A. With little exertion

B. With a medium amount of exertion

C. With a lot of exertion

When do you experience shortness of breath, not Do you experience shortness of breath.

All in all, I'm doin good and today was a great day, I enjoy having 2 birthdays. My beautiful aortic valve.

Me on my 3rd "2nd Birthday"

Just a few of the pretty things I bought myself for my birthday, Auri helped me pick them out at one of our many trips to ULTA. We have a lot of time on our hands with the boys in school.

Some super sweet perfume and

the perfect shade of red lipstick, it's called burlesque.

A couple of friends took me out to "brunch" at Cupcake Jones in Portland to celebrate.

Red Velvet, S'mores, Chocolate covered pretzel, Chocolate and Oatmeal Cookie

My parents and I had a picnic at the park to celebrate, my Mom brought a heart table clothe and sparkling cider. What a great day!

Another great friend who visited me in the hospital when I had my surgery brought me a gift certificate to See's candy. A gift that keeps on giving.

Best Day of the Year

The older I get I think the more tolerant and respectful I get of other people's life choices. I try anyways. But the one I still can't wrap my brain around is those tough women who choose to home-school their kids after a long long summer. I absolutely respect their choice to do so, I just don't get it because the first day of school is the best day of the year for me!
After my kids got on the bus I hung out with Spence, took a nap, read my book, and went out to lunch with my Mom and all I could think about was I get to do this again and again for the next 9 months!