It's Never Too Late..

For anyone who has been reading these posts for any length of time, you know that I am lamenting the fact that in July I will be turning 40. I don't know what the hype is about or what the benchmarks even are. I only know that a little bit of panic is always just under the surface when I think about it for too long! While I haven't given up on the aspect of having a healthier lifestyle for my 40's than in the past (I know, I know, the iced mocha latte's have GOT to go!!) I am given hope and inspiration by two long-time friends who are showing that maybe life begins at 40!!

When I was in my 20's and living in Naperville I worked at Centennial Beach and one of my dear friends from there, Jill Wilson, 41, just proved that it's never too late for love! Last weekend she married in what I can only imagine was a celebration to remember. I was unable to attend since my husband was in Germany, but what a gala it must have been! Jill is an only daughter and a sorority gal from the University of Indiana. The wedding festivities took place in San Antonio, Texas at some pretty awesome historical locations and the entire weekend began with a "Welcome Party" Fiesta--and dress attire to show your Fiesta Spirit. And the weekend contained many such festivities throughout. Parties and activities designed to join together two families and two sets of friends that will follow and support them throughout their life together. It doesn't get much better than that.

One of my very good Clay High School friends is putting my inablilty to get my hind end on the treadmill to great shame! In June, at age 40, Lisa Morse will compete in the King's Trail, an olympic distance triathalon....in Hawaii! She is also raising money for a good cause at the same time to honor a few special people in her life affected by cancer. Check out her website at: www.active.com/donate/tntsofl/LisasTriForLife . My memories of Lisa are wrapped in Flashdance-style torn sweatshirts, Pat Benatar cassettes played very loudly, and Friday nights at the hockey rink....oh, and lots and lots of laughing! I am so proud of her athletic accomplishments and fundraising goals! I am inspired and encouraged by these two friends to try new and challenging things and dream big, even as we are perched atop this proverbial "hill" that we are about to go over! Hope springs eternal!!!!

Quote of the Day- “Do not fear risk. All exploration, all growth is calculated. Without challenge people cannot reach their higher selves. Only if we are willing to walk over the edge can we become winners.” ~~Author Unknown

Out With the Bad, In With the Good

The first week of my husband’s two week business trip to Germany ended Friday and so my daughters and I decided to head back to the lake for the weekend. It’s become a bit of a tradition to watch the Kentucky Derby at my parents’ lake home. We make mint juleps (I must admit, these sound much better than they taste), we pick our horses and we don hats. Not the big, dainty hats of the true Derby-goers. More like my dad’s old golf hats and visors, knit winter hats and, of course, OSU Buckeye ball caps. It is truly a sight to behold. No wonder people think we are nuts! Unfortunately for me, I was upstairs in the office when I realized the start of the race was fast approaching. In hurrying down the 1 ½ story flight of stairs, the edge of my shoe caught the stair and I began the slow- motion-like decent down the last half of the stairs….head first. Before completely hitting the floor, I crashed into the frame of the open closet doorway with my shoulder and crumpled to the ground. Unbelievably, nothing is broken; though I am quite sure I will never forget the look on the faces of my parents, brother and daughters as they stared in disbelief at the pile of “me” lying at the foot of the stairs. Incredibly, I could go to Home Depot and order more woodwork for my parents’ closet door without even taking a sample along because the actual pattern of the woodwork is etched into my upper arm from front to back in all sorts of pretty shades! You may be asking yourself what good there is in this story. Well, the silver lining of the story is this….my horse won! Street Sense came from the back and did his thing and I won the whole kitty! Now, I should probably admit that the pot only held 6 dollars. But does that really matter? I think not (though my damaged body will answer to that at a later date!) Life balances itself out. Sometimes the events don't seem equal in their significance. But with the bad always comes the good if your eyes are open to it. A word of advice though, watch your step!!

Quote of the Day-“You better believe there will be times in your life when you'll be feeling like a stumbling fool. So take it from me: you'll learn more from your accident than anything that you could ever learn in school.” ~~Billy Joel