It’s That Time Again

Do I feel any wiser?

Probably not, in two days I get to be a year older. Ok so in actuality I have been already working on that year, I just get to celebrate making it happen in two days. I must say I am very grateful that I made it this far. Being alive is something we as a whole may take for granted a little too often. I fully believe that worrying about when I will be with the Lord is not really worth my time since only God knows the numbers of my days. What I can do in this very special TWO DAYS BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY BLOG is tell you what I know to be true. So I hope you enjoy my extensive list of what I know is true:

1. A birthday is important and should be celebrated, even if it’s just you or you have a car parade that is miles long. You made it this far, celebrate it!
2. It is such a joyous occasion when the puppy is let out of her crate in the morning and does a flying leap onto your bed just to say “Hi!”
3. Apples (Jazz preferable) cut up with peanut butter and sunflower seeds is one of the best parts of my lunch
4. When you get a sunburn, make sure that it’s a weird shape so that when someone asks what you were doing you can give them a fun story.
5. Sitting next to your son at church, realizing that the faint smell you are smelling might be the jacket he is wearing, is somewhat of a distraction. The jacket is getting washed!
6. Jelly beans that are hidden in your bathroom cupboards taste so much better when you think you are the only one that knows where they are hidden
7. Watching your daughter get excited about the birthday gift she is getting ready for her bestie is pure joy
8. Doing a facetime call with your sister on her birthday just so you can walk her through how to use the gift you got her is really fun
9. Sometimes pretending all is ok for a short time is beneficial, though hard to do
10. Once a mom, always a mom
11. Celebrating with one client, while silently crying along with a different client is one of the hardest jobs to do in the vet field.
12. Self care is important, but is essential when all that you have to give is gone. It might take a loved one to gently tell you to go and do you for a bit.
13. White dogs + grass equals quite a mess
14. The first day of warmer weather and a slight breeze is extravagant, remembering to put sunscreen on is a plus
15. White dogs + sun = a happy dog with a slight sunburn on her nose
16. When you become a runner there is something inside of you that cheers on the random runner you see while driving to work, that cheering also encourages you to make time for a run
17. There is a bit of jealously when you are in you gigantic work rig and your co-worker flies right by you on his motorcycle.
18. Even if it’s a little cooler in the morning, if you have the chance ride your motorcycle!
19. When your teen asks you to go on a bike ride, you go on that bike ride. If anything you can challenge her to a race and leave her in the dust (for about 2.5 seconds anyways😂)
20. If your kid put forth the effort and did the work, you do the firepit and surprise them with smores
21. When fighting over who is going to make the cookies, make sure that the person who one doesn’t see you when you sneak some cookie dough into your mouth
22. Be the kind of friend, that if your friend is having to do something hard and you can share some of their load, you do
23. Scratch the belly or head of the pet that offers that part to you, they love you and will take your love any way they can get it.
24. Just because your pet has mastered the “puppy dog” look doesn’t mean he needs to have one more dog treat….especially if the last one counted as number 15
25. No matter how many times your teen complains about the notifications going off on their phone, when you suggest turning it off, they will look at your like you just killed their best friend.
26. Monkey see, monkey do. When one dog starts barking at the noise your hubby made, the other one will too, no matter how close they are to your ear.
27. Cuties are a thing. The little oranges that peel so well, if you get the normal oranges, they do not get touched. Cuties on the other hand will be gone right as they are put in the bowl.
28. When someone (me) stubs their toe, or accidently kicks a step don’t expect that I can talk right away to tell you what happened. Let me cry, curse, jump around first, then I will tell you I need ice
29. New shoes, plus new sunburn on top of your foot DO NOT MIX
30. I am feeling adventurous this week, I think I will start to teach my teenager how to drive, with a stick shift car
31. When your son wants to cuddle, you cuddle, just not when you are driving, if he asks then, please wait until you get where you are going
32. There are two types of dogs in my house, the puppy that will plop down on you and drop kick your ribs to get comfy, and then there is Jorj, staring deep into my soul, waiting for my to fill his toy with treats
33. It doesn’t matter how long the cat has been in the kid’s room, when she comes out, she is in charge and she will claw slap you if you do not agree, don’t believe me? Ask Charlie the pup
34. On that note, when the cat does come out, drop what you are doing, catch her and clip those nails. If that is what saves the puppy’s life then you must do it
35. Just because you have done the job before doesn’t mean you should do the job now, things have changed and so have you
36. Holding hands with your hubby is so healing
37. Joy comes from knowing you are not fighting this battle alone.
38. Sometimes when the only energy you have left is the energy to watch Instagram Reels after work, that is what you do.
39. One of the greatest feelings is knowing you have the ability to help someone move forward and you act on that feeling
40. April showers would be great right now, so we can enjoy May flowers. Though it does put a damper on my times I can ride my bike
41. Did you know that when you remain calm, even in stressful situations, it helps those around you stay calm too? Once the situation is taken care of or fixed, then let the tears fall
42. What I know for sure, this list is almost done, you are doing great!
43. You know you have done good so far raising your kids when they stop arguing and comfort you when you get really bad news
44. Being a year older is great, it means you can take what you have learned this past year and improve upon it and grow and thrive even more in the year to come

I always love doing these lists. Especially when it’s around my birthday. It helps me to put things into perspective. Tunnel vision is a real thing for me just read my blog Tunnel Vision . When I can sit down and list out what I know for sure (in my life) I tend to find a piece of my joy that might have gone missing. I hope you enjoyed my list, but do you have a list that could be made of things you know for sure? I would love to hear what some of those items would be. Please share in the comments section. Until next time:

Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t change your individual spirit according to the latest style. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.