December 15

What a lot of gratitude I have today! I took a day of vacation so that I could just goof off on my birthday. It is nice. I went to a 6:30 a.m. meeting. I got to see Holly who is one day younger than I. She will be 54 tomorrow. She is about to graduate from college, and thanked me profusely in the meeting for showing her by example that it was possible to accomplish this at our advanced age. She, however, is graduating Summa Cum Laude - I was a mere Magna Cum Laude.

I went swimming after the meeting. I am so grateful to be able to swim and run again after my bike accident. There were three months when I could not do much. I gained weight which I hope to lose soon (there is a brand new brown wool pin striped suit sitting in my closet mocking me every morning - I only wore it twice before the pants got too tight!) Some day I will get back on my bike, but I have not tried that yet. I think it will be a challenge to ride again.

My kids are coming over tonight. I hope to get a nice picture of all of us. I can't help but think about next year (yeah, one day at a time) when my son will be in Iraq. Just writing that makes the bottom fall from my guts. I really have been trying to stay in today with this... I can't afford to think about it too much. But I do think about it. I am so proud that such a good man is my son. He astounds me.

Here's a question... I have always cooked a nice dinner for my kids on my birthday - mainly because I LOVE to cook. I told them I didn't want to do that this year and what I would really like is to order pizza (further delaying the wearing of my brown suit). But now that I am taking the day off, I am wondering if I should make my world famous homemade pizza.... Any thoughts? Should the birthday mom and nana make dinner?

I just think you bloggers are the best! Thanks!