Great - Full

Good Morning -
This is going to have to be a short one.
I woke up this morning feeling stiff through all body parts - my mind raced
"Oh my God am I really this old that literally hurt all over?"
I remembered, thankfully, that last night I circuit trained - the soreness is not age, it's just muscle groups put to the test.
Thank God - I was a little freaked out until I connected the dots.
Today is 11-11-11 - a once in a lifetime date - kinda cool don't you think?
I do - cool that we are all here to acknowledge our once in life time date together.
And, let's not forget that it is Veterans Day - a day to honor our military vets.
Thanks Vets for my freedom and I am sorry if you suffer.
Based on the homeless men I know in Charlottesville - Some of them Vietnam Vets who have suffered ever since their deployment - I thank you and acknowledge my gratefulness will never be enough.
My Papa was a Navy Pilot - he was always so very proud on this day - I miss him a lot.
Like a whole lot - like very aware of the empty space in my life he once filled so fully.
I love you Papa - and Thanks for all you did.
It is without a doubt a beautiful Fall day outside - I just let Willa out and was blown away by the beauty that awaited me beyond my back door.
The colors are blazing and the air smacks of change.
I love that - love Fall.
I hate Winter so I am hoping that Autumn holds on a little bit longer.
Don't even get me started on the subject of snow and cold, grrrrr - not my favorite Season to say the least.
But you blog readers know this and I need not harp - although trust me I could.
This morning my free moments are limited - I have to work soon, but then good news - this evening I am getting together with the girls from work - YAY!
I am getting some "me" time later tonight.
It should be loads of fun.
I will watch the clock anxiously until then.
God my muscles are screaming in pain - I guess my aspirations of wearing heels to work today are a no-go, I can barely stand up-right forget about up-right and on stilts.
well, I feel pretty good despite the muscle aches and pains - still fairly high off my decision to attend Mary Baldwin, still pretty stoked that in three years I will be done with my masters and hopefully will be given the opportunity to guide teenage kids through the most difficult years of youth and inspire them to love English as much as I do and embrace education.
I am super duper stoked - can you tell?
My BFF Mary helped me (as always) to figure out what it is that I should be doing with my remaining time here on Earth.
I hope the forces that be will grant me a long life to put my goods to use now that I have finally honed in on them.
I want to help people so badly - it's all I have ever really wanted to do.
And like Mary says "education is the great equalizer" - and It has been for me - so what better place to help than in the education system....
I am super excited and feel re-invigorated about the upcoming challenges, it was really something to have an entrance counselor at MB rave about my transcript and tell me, transcripts like mine are a rarity.
It made me feel like every moment I have spent wanting to rip the hair clean out of my head in frustration over being torn in a thousand different directions - the freshman fifteen pounds I gained and have not lost, the Wiley Coyote eyes that stare back at me every day from the mirror, telling my kids "not now I have homework" - has all been worth it.
Every second I have spent fighting to get through college as a mother to four, to balance work, home, kids and school has paid off.
My transcript is a beautiful thing - proof that when a person wants to achieve, has a drive to succeed - they can - the sky is the limit.
Can you tell I am proud?
I deserve to be - my battles have been many, my accomplishments on the way to many more.
I would like to end this ramble, by thanking those of you who have helped me along the way.
Many of you have been my voices of reason when I couldn't find any reasons to go on, on my own.
Thank you to everyone who has believed in me and encouraged me.
I would have quit without your support - trust me.
Of course my BFF deserves 99.9% credit for everything I do - the work is relatively easy for me, it's the confidence to do it that she painstakingly pulls out.
I love you Mary with all my heart and I will CONTINUE to make you PROUD.
My first lady Martha, even though distance is gaping between us - you were my glowing light at the end of a dark tunnel - Thanks.
My Sisters who always say - "you're a rock star" and mean it.
My co - workers who put up with my shit, cover my ass all the time and make the long days seem short :) Thanks girls, my other family...
Naturally my kiddos, who are neglected and somehow still admire me and tell me I am the best Mom ever xxoo
All my girlfriends and you know who you are - you are life lines....
And, finally to all my facebook peeps and blog readers who comment enthusiastically
even though we rarely see each other - your chimes are music to my soul - Thanks.
You would think I won the Nobel prize or something - Jesus.
Guess I am just feeling like a winner and grateful today.
Have a blessed 11/11/11 - get out and breathe some crisp Autumn air :)
Now to somehow get out of this chair - ouch.....