Ain't Life Wonderful

Do you ever wake up in the morning and instantly feel happy and excited, almost like you have butterflies in your stomach because you are so eager for the day to start? I usually have this happen to me on the morning of a day with big events - a race, a trip, seeing my husband when he gets back from a long business trip, seeing my family. But lately I've been waking up with this same excited feeling for no reason other than I am just thrilled to be alive, surrounded by so many great friends and family, doing things I love every day. What's not to be excited about? I'm beyond lucky and I know it. And this upcoming year has so many things I'm looking forward to doing, I can't wait for it all to get started!

- My husband is wonderful. He lets me be me, he knows how to deal with me when I am crabby-cranky and he doesn't hold it against me, and he also doesn't let me get away with being a total brat. He spoils me, encourages me to do the things I'm interested in, even if they are different than his interests, and he's a truly good person.

- I have two best friends, Katie from high school, and Erin from college, and I am so incredibly lucky to have them in my life. Sometimes daily life gets in the way and we don't chat as often as we'd like, but when we do, it's as though I just saw them the day before yesterday. Conversations with them instantly brighten my day. They are easy, rewarding, perfect friendships and I couldn't ask for anything more.

- Work. I love my job and I have great co-workers. There isn't much more anyone could want out of a career.

- My family, both immediate and extended, are awesome and supportive and FUN (and not in the dysFUNctional way, we are all perfectly functional). My Aunt Amy, who is more like the cool older sister you always wished you had, lives down here in DC and she was one of the main reasons I wanted to move down here in the first place and I love going to visit her and Andrew and Lilly and Xander (the cutest cousins in the world).

- The triathlon community, both local and extended. I've met so many great people through the sport and I met many of my favorite people through training and races. I have a fantastic coach who has helped me achieve race times I never thought were possible. I help teach a bootcamp through my tri club, an activity I really enjoy, and it's easy to find people to swimbikerun with.

- My weekends are filled with ordinary, easy, low-key activities like long workouts, brunch or dinner with friends, movie nights with my husband, reading books, and doing cuddle time with my dog. These weekends are perfect, just as they are.

- This year I get to go a tri camp in Tucson again, climb Mount Lemmon and run in Sabino Canyon with many of the great people I met through last year's camp. Then I get to go to San Diego to catch up with my friend Mylene, who is one of the people I admire most in the world. Her outlook on life is so positive and I always see the world in a new light after talking with her. After Lake Placid I am going to do a Tour de East Coast and visit family in NH and the Cape that I don't see often enough. And then I get to go to Vegas for the first time ever and do a race.

Happy Weekend Everyone!