my BIRTHDAY, the {stupid ass}walk, Alterbridge & the other stuff

Yeah, I get pretty excited about my own birthday! I like to celebrate for at least a week, I consider it my own national holiday!! I know most people like to pretend they are not getting older, ignore the birthday, then you don't have to acknowledge your "real" age!!! Not me! Hell there was once a time {about 15-19years of age, especially}I didn't believe I'd live to be this old, so that's worth celebrating! I remember when I thought 42 was old, now I think 16 was so young! I got a few things I'd like to change, or work on, with my life, but wishing I was young again... ain't one of them!!!! That being said, I have a few interesting{maybe interesting was too strong a word- but hey you keep coming back to read this crap!!} details about my birthday I'd like to share!!! But lets start with a background story from last week...

Maddy and I were texting one day last week and talking about, just stuff. She asked if I would go to gym with her on Saturday{she doesn't have membership, so I gotta get her in} I said yes. Then she informed me she has "gotta get back in her game!" I told her "I gotta find my game, I'm never gonna be able to run this 5k", to which she replied " Oh stop it. That is not true. You just have to set your mind to it. You gotta focus on positive energy!!" Very thoughtful encouraging words{but obviously she has never been fat, old and way out of shape!!!} Then she posted this sign on my facebook wall~


I was pretty moved by her show of support!!
I got up bright and early Saturday morning, went out and about in the yard and took some pictures of the frosty, sunny morning{will add some pics at the end of this lengthy/enthralling post} and decided that today I would walk the entire 5k for the first time in months! Actually I would try to break into running, even if it only lasts for 10 seconds, and then I drop dead, I gotta try!!! ~But only if no one is in the gym to witness this embarrassing moment!!
So off to the gym we go, I strapped on my tenny shoes, and my headphones, cranked up the inspirational Heavy Metal, and we are off to the races!!! I know you all LOVE when I share my favorite song lyrics on here, so prepare yourself, it's gonna get hokey again today!!! 
{Another flashback background story!} I have always been a big fan of the lyrics of Alter Bridge! I made Tallon a painting of a black wing and wrote these song lyrics on the canvas becuz I love the message so much!!
So, I'm walking and walking and trying to jog occasionally and trying to set a good pace, and thinking ~Hey, it's my 42nd Birthday, I should make an effort here to set a new Personal Best time! HA! yeah right, that's gonna happen, I will be happy to finish this whole 5k!! So, I'm walking and listening to the music, then it happens {NO, not the heart attack, I'm good!!} Alter Bridge, One Day Remains comes on...

As your will is bent and broken
And every vision has been cast into the wind
As your courage crashes down before your eyes

Don't Lay down and Die
Cuz I see in you more than you'll ever know
And I ask you
Would you question the strenght inside?
And you need to know how it feels to be alive

When every wound has been reopened
In this world of give and take you must have faith
And the distance to your dreams stretch beyond reach

Don't Lay Down and Die
NO...
Cuz I see in you more than you'll ever know
And I ask you
Would you question the strength inside?
And you need to know how it feels to be Alive

As I said, I've always been a big fan of these lyrics but they never REALLY touched me on a personal level. I mean it doesn't apply to me, in the way it does Tallon, or Maddy. ~No one sees more in me than I'll ever know!!!  Then it hit me, My KIDS do!! And I should too.  I mean what kind of example do I set for them, when I say these things to them, but can't act on them myself, or say them to myself.  ~I believe in you, and you should believe in you, but I can't believe in me???? So I looked my self in the {giant wall of} mirrors and said it... Don't lay down and die, I see in you more than you'll ever know{and so do those kids}, would you question the strength inside, you need to know how it feels to be alive!!! And I ran! Not like Forest Gump or anything, but for .20 miles, during each mile, I ran! So today I AM a runner!!! I ran!! It was a short distance, but I did it!  I did NOT lay down and die!!! I also set my Personal Best time for the 5k.  I can say it out loud{or type it!} it was under 50 minutes and that is still a LONG way from where I need to be but it's progress, and My dreams do NOT stretch beyond reach!!!
So thank you Maddy, for the inspiring Facebook Post! Thank you both Tallon and Maddy for believing in me more than I will ever know! {PS~when I told my husband I was gonna try to run, he told me to keep his # handy, so obviously he does not ~believe in me more than I will ever know!}

Yep, I'm a dork!! I was pretty impressed with myself the rest of my day!!!

Went to a baby shower, went to the {boring but had good food} Airport, Airshow fund raiser dinner. Got flowers from my son for my birthday.  Was a pretty good day.  Being 42 is not all bad!!!

Okay so let's end this sappy,hokey, post with some fabulous pics from my morning outing ~not fabulous in skill level but fabulous in the beauty of nature and what nature can do! A few minutes outside enjoying this fabulous beautiful{but frigid} morning and my whole day was changed, hell maybe my whole life, we'll have to wait and see...