34

Apparently, when you turn 34 your memory begins to slip.

Can anyone spot the key running gear I forgot to pack on my 34th birthday?

So, instead of logging my birthday miles, I decided to take a few minutes here and celebrat3 what birthdays are really about (and I don't mean all of the new gift cards for running clothes). Birthdays are a time for gratitude and this year, I have tons to be grateful for. So, here is a list of 34 for 34:

1.  33 - what a good year it was. Full of growth and knowledge and a little relaxing. 

2. 34 - I'm grateful just to get this year. I embrace what will come with it and I look forward to continued learning, growth, and (more!) relaxation. 

3.  My healthy body - capable of logging birthday miles.... Just not today. 

4.  Coworkers - if you have to work on your birthday, these people will make it amazing by throwing for you complete with bagels, iced sugar cookies, and mimosas. 

5. Bagels - oh bagels. You are my favorite pre-run and post-run fuel. I don't care that you get a bad rep. You are the best and I love you. 

6.  Iced sugar cookies - I'm a firm believer that birthday calories don't count, which is why I am especially grateful for you today. 

7.  Mimosas - You + me +Saturdays (okay, and Sundays) = perfection. Especially combined with a nice no. 5. 

8.  Text - Text, you were great to me today. Every time you vibrated my phone, you brought me nothing but kind messages from friends and family filled with joy and love. 

9.  Friends and Family - Duh. I am grateful for my amazing friends and wonderful family each and every single day. I know that I am blessed beyond belief to have such amazing people in my life. I am especially grateful this year because my family from out of state, whom I love very much is coming to visit this week. 

10.  Airplanes, cars, roads, all means of travel - It's been a year and a half since I have seen my brother. I am grateful for all of the modern conveniences that make travel from California to Texas possible. 

11.  Facebook - I know plenty of people look down on facebook and social media in general, but those people have clearly never celebrated a birthday on facebook. Thank you to all of my sweet, sometimes long lost friends, who took the time to wish me happy birthday today. 

12. Those gift cards for running clothes - Nike, you and I have a shopping date coming up here really soon. 

13.  My husband - After I told him that for

my birthday what I really wanted to do was go hiking (an odd request from someone who lives in one of the flattest cities in America), he took me for a weekend away and hiking Enchanted Rock.

14.  Mother Nature - You are just awesome. 

15.  The video my soul sister, Courtney, sent of her son singing me happy birthday -  His giggles in the middle still have me laughing.

16.  Travel - I started the early phases of trip planning yesterday and I'm already so exciting.  Nothing helps time fly like knowing you have a good trip in the works.

17.  Pinterest - Where I find my daily motivational quotes for my cork board. 

18.  Running-themed parties - After the party, they set up a streamer finish line for me to run through. Only time ever that I will be first across a finish line. 

19.  This blog - I am grateful to have a place to explore my feelings, creativity, and even my doubts.

20.  Readers of this blog - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

21. (Staying with the blog theme) The Blogger App - For allowing me to write all of this from the elliptical machine, my couch, or the car.  Not that I blog and drive.  I meant, for allowing me to write this blog from the passenger's seat while someone else drives.

22.  This is harder than it looks.

23.  Flash sale sites - Because every now and then a girl needs to buy herself her own birthday present.

24.  Fresh Diet meal delivery - It has been so wonderful for the last two weeks to never have to think about groceries or cooking.

 

25.  The end of Fresh Diet meal delivery - You can only eat pre-packaged meals so many times before you're over it.  I still don't look forward to the grocery store or cooking, but I'm a little sick of the delivery stuff.

 

25.  My husband (again) - After I decided I was too tired to go out to eat, he went and picked up Mexican food (specifically, queso) for me to eat on the couch.

 

26.  Queso - Everyone from Texas should understand this.

 

27.  My couch - I'm going to replace you very soon, but I am grateful for all of the lazy nights you let me put my feet up and relax while eating queso.  Okay, so the last part has only happened once in all these years, but I am grateful for it anyway.

 

28.  My hair - Okay that's not really mine.  I asked my coworkers (see item 4) for help with this list (I'm stalling out) and they are wonderfully sweet and said I should be grateful for my hair.  Which, I am.  Most days. 

 

29.  My husband (yup - he's pretty awesome) - For, spur-of-the-moment, taking me out to lunch for my birthday.  I rarely leave my desk for lunch and more rarely see my husband during work hours.

 

30.  Houston Running Calendar - It is so nice to be able to find a list of all (err..most) of the upcoming races in my area.  No need to wait for emails or scour a million different places.  It's all right there.  Time to pick my next run.

 

31.  24 Hr. Gyms - So that I can make up those birthday miles first thing in the morning.

 

32.  Birthday Cake - I didn't get any of you this year, but I haven't given up.  You give me reason to turn birth-DAY into birth-WEEK.  Bring on the cake!

 

33.  Netflix - It was great to sit on my couch eating queso and watching episodes of Orange is the New Black back-to-back.  Yes, I know I'm way behind.  No spoilers please!

 

34.  I am grateful this list is over!  I may have oversold myself on coming up with 34 things to be thankful for on my 34th birthday.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE me some gratitude.  Gratitude is everything.  But, whew, I'm glad this list is done.  I bet you are too.