Todayfor my birthday I am going to give myself acceptance.

Even though I feel like Grandma Barbie, I am going to enjoy it!  I don’t feel old, I just realize with each passing year how quickly it goes!

It is so easy to think about all the goals I want to accomplish….someday, It can be overwhelming.  As women, we put pressure on ourselves to be many things physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and a myriad of other things that I refuse to name. 

 Listing them will stress me out.  

No, today I am going to be proud of who I am, if only for a day.  

I am going to accept who I am, and who I have become over the past 35 years. Here are some things I have learned over my life that mean a lot to me.  I’ll just throw out 20.

 I have learned patience over and over again. 

 It is a trait that will be refined for the remainder of life.

I have learned to laugh. 

Laughing clears the mind and puts things into perspective.

I have learned that tomorrow always comes.  

Hopeless days set with the sun.

Kids grow up fast.

Hold them tight, even if they get embarrassed.

I can’t make everyone happy.

When I try, I am not the only one that ends up frustrated.

Encourage vs. Discourage.

*En* gets you much further than *Dis*.

Never say never.

The world tells us we can’t, listen to the ones who say we can.

Get up, shower, and get ready.

The day aways goes better if I smell good.

Do something for myself.

I have more to give if my tank of gas is full!

Do something for others.

Miracles happen when you put others before yourself.

Laugh at spilled milk and lost keys.

There are enough things in life that deserve stress and keys aren’t one of them.

Find the good.

I haven’t met a person, ever, that I can’t learn something from.

Shoot for the stars.

I would rather be doing, than watching it on T.V.

Record my thoughts.

Life goes too fast to let special moments only live for one moment in time.

Get outside and move.

Exercise is natures way of cleansing the mind and body.

Don’t fight at night.

If you have a disagreement when you are tired, sleep on it and start fresh in the morning.

Drink water.

Water is a miracle and I need to remember to drink it.

Look toward yourself.

Reflecting on areas of personal change is a lot more effective than reflecting on others need for “Personal Change.”

Laundry comes and goes.

Keep on washing and don’t let it get me down!

Realize everyone is different.

People all have different personalities, looks, weaknesses, and strengths for a reason and I wouldn’t change a thing.

We all have a path.

We are not random people going through life out of chance.  We are spiritual beings with a purpose and a destiny.  I pray every day to find what that may be.

Most importantly, I love life.

I thank Heavenly Father every day and for the chance to live and learn.  Each day is a blessing and I try to remember that when life gets hard.  

Some of the crazy things I have accomplished in my life are:

Raising six beautiful daughters and a bonus niece.

Done more heads of hair than a salon owner.

Made it though ups and downs with many business ventures.

Spent more on “real life” business school than on the most expensive schools in the world.

Lived on food stamps and deer meat.

Jumped out of a ski lift.

Hiked  many mountains.

Competed in triathlons.

Spent many hours reading with my kids.

Driven an obscene amount of mileage driving my kids to lessons.

Surfed in Maui.

Gone on a zip line through the jungles of Honduras and ate iguana.

I’m finally starting to enjoy learning to cook *only took most of my life*

Found a love for writing on my blog recording life’s craziness.

Taken thousands of pictures.

Been girls camp director for 6 years.

Done more homework with my kids than I ever did for myself.

Painted my girls nails and many bedrooms.

Felt like life couldn’t go on, and made it through.

Gained and lost over 500 pounds the past 14 years.

Swam with the manta rays in the Caribbean.

Conqued *almost* the fear of flying in small planes.

and most importantly….

Slept by a man for 14 years that I love.

Happy Birthday to me!