Birthday preview

I love my birthday!  I always have.  I am the third of six children and was always the harmony-lovin’, peace-maker.  You can talk to my therapist(s) about how that manifests into adulthood but for now just know I never lost my love of my day of birth.  So much so I elected to have a child on my birthday and give myself the ultimate gift – a healthy 8 pound baby girl who’s about to be 8.  Tomorrow.  I already have received 2 gifts to mark my 44th year of life.  A lovely friendship necklace from one of my dearest, Darla.  I love her plenty and always will.  Here’s another surprise from the mailwoman in our hood:

All the way from Longmont, Colorado my beautiful SUAR (Shut Up and Run!) tee shirt with the slogan:  “never quit” emblazoned across my chest.  I love it!  My soul sister, Beth sent it to me along with a most wonderful card that lit me up.  I wish the slogan would’ve lit my family up on our 7-mile hike in Palmyra, Virginia.  We take off:

We play in the river:

Dogs too:

We realize it’s not a loop but out and back and the children say our little adventure is like this:

Horse manure.  Out the window goes my harmony.  I tell them that children in wheelchairs would give anything to be able to walk 7 miles and to be grateful.  Jane made me carry her most of the second half of the hike and I pretended I was an adventure athlete who trains deliberately like this.  60 pounds on my back through brush and mud.  It got me through to this:

Like being born.  Emerging from the birth canal of the Fluvanna Heritage Trail.  Makes  me miss my Mom.  Only I was a Caesarean birth.  No wonder my head is perfect.  See:

I drive a lot.  Tomorrow I will drive wherever the wind blows me.  Did I mention it’s my birthday?