It's my birthday!

It's my birthday today and not only does this date represent my birth, but a couple of milestones as well.

It was a year ago, that I was really contemplating making big career decisions. I had worked at the flower shop for 15 years and this had been my side job for about 4 years and I was working extremely long hours between the two and taking care of the farm. There was that nervous feeling about leaving a steady paycheck and so many doubts in my mind, the what ifs...  My birthday came around and it really made me think, if not now, when? The following Friday, I turned in my resignation! It was the greatest birthday present I could ever give myself! The freedom to be me and pursue my dreams. 

Working in my pjs half the time hasn't been so bad either ;) 

I bought this cuff a couple weeks before my birthday and it's been a theme for my year. 

I also look at my birthday as a milestone for getting healthier. It was five years ago, in October, that I started to eat healthier and lose weight.  Honestly, I never thought I could do it. I thought that was just the way I was and how could I lose weight? I'm a picky eater and not much of a veggie eater. At the time, I give up almost all high fructose corn syrup (Dr. Peppers, specifically) and can finally say I'm done with them for good. Jeff was encouraging me to get healthier. He said I promised to love you in sickness or health, but life can be so much more enjoyable if your healthy and it's a choice we can make. 

You see, my daddy died young, the year before, and it really got me to thinking I would be the same way, if I didn't change my habits. There I was in my late twenties, sitting on the couch, breathing heavy because I was over weight, with little confidence in myself and unhealthy. I started to loose weight and secretly set a goal to be 130 by my 30th birthday. I didn't want to tell anyone my goal, in case I didn't make it, because I didn't want to be seen as a failure.  Guess what? I met that goal and continued to lose some weight. I haven't seen 130 again! So I mark that birthday as the beginning of the new, skinnier me! 

Now, I'll be the first to admit, I still love a cookie and I'm not afraid to eat pizza occasionally! My eating habits are not a diet, but a lifestyle change. It's everything in moderation.  We quit making a big deal about eating, just because the clock said it was time to eat. If we aren't hungry there's no need to eat a big meal, just because it's supper time. Fried foods are not cooked in our home and going out to eat is a rare occasion for us. Food is required to live, we don't live for food. Oh, and I'm southern, but please give me an UNSWEET tea, please! I decided if I was going to drop the soft drinks, I should drop the sugary tea as well. 

Ok, enough about that! I don't know of any landmark decisions or achievements that will be marked today. I'm preparing for a big Christmas event tomorrow and taking care of shipping orders out in time for Christmas. No big party plans here, although I do have a friend who is taking me to lunch (and I'll probably skip supper!)