29 years ago

I was born 29 years ago (August 7, 1982) in Racine, Wisconsin.  I'm a Leo and I'm bold like the lion too!

In the last 29 years I have lived in many houses/apartments.  I attended several different school districts, but always lived in the state of Wisconsin.  I never left the country until I was just shy of 19 years old (with Mike after we'd been dating only a very short time, my mom thought I was crazy). 

There were the typical milestones of life, walking, talking, getting my ears pierced, driving, boys, dances, parties, friends, tattoos (lol), moving out, moving around, getting married, having a child.  All those things that are part of many of our lives.

Some of them were significant and some of them not so much, but they are all apart of who I am.

Ten years ago I was moving in with Mike, getting engaged and living on my own for the first time.  I was 19 years old (we moved in just after my birthday in August 2001) but it was planned and set up when I was just 18.  I didn't even think I wanted kids at that time.  I told Mike as much and he told me that he loved me more than any potential people and the wanted to spend his life with ME and if a child came then that was okay, if not that was okay too.

Five years ago I was pregnant with Gabe, miserable, hot and at the State Fair all I wanted was a Mike's Hard Lemonade for my birthday.  Instead Mike found me a lemonade frozen concoction that was delicious!  I was a miserable pregnant women so this was an accomplishment.  Who would have thought that I would love a child as much as I love that rambunctious, loud, opinionated little boy?  He's all I imagined and so much more!  I can't believe in December he'll be FIVE!

Two years ago I was starting to SERIOUSLY start talking about going to school to do something important, and getting my things together to start in the Jan 2010 semester.  How I chose nursing is sort of funny.  I'd always thought I'd be a veterinarian as a kid, then I found out vet school is HARD.  So I was a vet tech for awhile, and enjoyed it but left to try other things.  I considered going back to school for that just after Gabe was born but realized I'd never make enough money or be able to carry the health insurance for the family.  So I figured what's the difference between a nurse for an animal and one for a person?  Turns out it was the GREATEST thing I could have ever thought.  I know being a nurse is my calling now.

One year ago, I really woke up and decided that something in my life had to change.  I was WAY too heavy, I didn't like the way I looked.  I didn't like that I was invisible to other men and women.  I WANT to be the woman who snaps necks when she walks into a room.  So I got off my ass, stopped shoving so much damn food into my mouth and DID something about it FINALLY!  I'm down 72lbs in one year.  I'm running as much as 25 min (in a row) and biking 5:20 min miles (6/7 miles in a row) and I'm lifting weights.  I've seen my body change, but more importantly I've seen my MIND change.  My mind set is so different.  I wish I had been a better planner and exerciser outside of high school sports so I knew how to keep it up once those weren't around.  But the important thing is that I did find out how to do it.

Even just 7 weeks ago when I started the C25K (couch to 5k) program I never saw that I could REALLY run for 25 min in a row and LIKE it.  

It's proof that I am continually changing and growing.  I had an instructor in Anatomy tell us that if we were stagnant we died (cell growth and all) and it's true about myself as a whole too. I can't be stagnant, I need to do new things and move and change to stay alive. 

I have an amazing husband, he's my best friend, and my biggest cheerleader in all things I choose to do.  Even when my plans sound crazy he's behind me and never says "told you so" if I fail.  He's the one that is always willing to listen to my crazy ideas and let me pick up new projects knowing full well that I probably won't complete most of them.  I love you babe!

I want the next 29 years to be full of new adventures, ideas, places and friends.  I want to remember that I'm not scared to try things, that as Lady Gaga has told us "I was born to be brave" and I can DO whatever I want to.  That my family and friends will be there for me.   I have been so blessed with tons of great friends close to home and across the country and even the world.  Just because I can't hug them all doesn't mean they aren't true friends.

I have amazing friends and amazing family and I want to thank them all for allowing me to be the kind of person I am, loud, obnoxious, blunt, funny, a horrible singer, and so much more.