A Girl Who Doesn’t Eat Birthday Cake, And Other Random Thoughts

Well here it is...my birthday, and the reason 9 and 17 are my favorite numbers.

Birthdays are good excuses to measure progress and set new goals I think, kind of like New Year's Eve only I'm the only one who's doing it today.  Unless you're a Virgo too, and in that case you're probably making your own thoughtful list, you independent, analytical, reliable, observant, perfectionst, you.  Happy Birthday to you.

Some of this might have been kinda dumb in the past year, and some of it has been awesome.  All of it has been a learning experience.  Since last September I...

weighed myself 365 times.

ate 365 cups of yogurt.

listened to Lorde's album a hundred times.

developed an admiration for Lisa Robertson on QVC and applied her style tips.

continued the admiration for Kristen Wiig, Ellen Degeneres, Melissa McCarthy, and other hilarious and successful ladies who are funny without being mean.

started wearing dresses again and found out maxi dresses are more comfortable than pants.

became great friends with my ex.  The relationship has changed for the better.

became more confident, secure, and happier than ever.  Figured out I don't need anyone else to complete me, and life is great as a single lady.

developed deeper friendships with my best gal pals.

watched career opportunities grow and became really inspired by people that I work with.

watched my three daughters grow what feels like a foot or two, and fell more in love with them.

developed the Austin-home catchphrase, "You make God laugh!"  Usually it's the 4-year old cracking God up.  And me too.

sold a house, and bought a house, and learned that when I'm not certain how things will work out, they still do.

went on some of the best dates ever, and some of the worst.  I'll probably be an online dater until I find the one, even though it's a time-sucking crapshoot.  If Mr. Right is live and in person at the grocery store I'll miss him, because I'll be looking down at my Tinder app.  Sigh.  (I actually stopped in the middle of this blog to answer a Tinder message.  Stop it!  I need online dating detox and rehab.)

when I've been off the dating sights and concentrated on one person, I've given up too soon.  I wish I had tried harder with a couple of them.  Lesson learned.

started eating quinoa.  And more kale and whole lot of fish.

decided to go gluten-free at every opportunity.  And limit the soy.

(That last one is hard!  The girls brought me a donut before work this morning because birthday donuts are part of tradition at our house, so I am not gluten-free today.  I had to give it up for them.  But no cake.)

The point is...a million little things have changed me for the better over the past year, so consider this my gratitude blog.  Life is good!  And hopefully one year from now I'll be saying the exact same thing.