52. Me

I often find comparing myself to someone else useless. Especially because I compare my worst self, which makes for poor competition anyway.

I turned 36 today. Friday night my family took me to Elephant Bar for dinner where I indulged in batter fried shrimp and chocolate brownie.

Saturday we had a girl's night out with Karalea, Mandy, Amy, Peggy, Cari, April, Shannon, and new friend, Kirsten. We ate at the Red Fort Indian Cuisine with Bollywood on a wall sized screen followed by rock and bowling. We danced and laughed playing skittles bowling...

green=hop on 1 foot

red=through the legs backwards

blue=sitting and push with feet

orange=left hand

yellow=closed eyes

brown=your choice

We used M&Ms though, which seemed to make things so much more wild, like when we danced in the lane, made weird yoga poses, and ended with jazz hands.

And then Sunday morning, I jumped out of the covers as soon as they came in with my parfait breakfast singing my song. All of them...even Travis. They each had presents and Tom made me an honor board in honor of me and my talents.

And so, on a day like my birthday there was no time for comparing or biased competition...just time to celebrate.

51. Valentine's Day

In honor of Valentine's Day, Travis and I arranged the memory cards in the shape of a heart. This is my favorite holiday and not because I get showered with chocolate and flowers and gifts of pampering...although those things are nice.

Valentine's Day is the day I feel free to show love to everyone without having to have a reason because that's all I see around me. I also see people around me who can't see it and that makes me sad.

I attended a funeral of a friend last week. She died at 39 of cancer leaving her 4 year old son and husband behind. The husband spoke of his wife during the memorial. He told jokes and honored his sweetheart the best way he could. He almost made it through sharing without shedding one tear drop until he looked up and saw and felt the love of everyone in that very room. Everyone bearing his burden and mourning right along with him...he felt that human connection only available through His perfect love.

And that is exactly why I love LOVE. It has the power to dissolve fear, rejection, sadness, loneliness, hate, and even loss. In this very room, is quite enough love for one like me, all of us, and all the world.