Turning Thirty

I've been sitting here thinking about the pros and cons of turning thirty for about an hour. (i like spelling out the word better). This is all I could come up with.


PROS:
- Some people may stop asking why we don't have kids. They'll probably assume something's wrong with me. That's fine as long as they stop asking.
- I'm not afraid to admit my age. I know a girl who won't tell anyone her age... Why lie? What's the point? I don't necessarily like that I'm 30, but I can't go backwards...
- "Older and Wiser?" Nah. This goes in the Cons category I think.
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CONS:
- It's 30. It just sounds bad. Three decades.
- Moving up an age bracket. It felt good being the oldest in the 20-29 age bracket and placing. Don't think that'll happen much in 30-39.
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30th birthday bash

Mom & Dad threw me a birthday bash yesterday... (I have four days left.....) Most everyone from Mobile came up. Grandmother was there. Tammy and even Jim came! Both my Aunt Deb's came. Laura and Becky came. We had a great time! All of the grandkids on Grandmother's side were there except Brandon, Pete and Adam. We ate sandwiches and Popeyes and had homemade Grape and Butterfinger ice cream (YUMM!!) ...

My cousins hand-turning the ice cream.

Mom got a slip-n-slide for the little ones. They had a blast...

Mom got me a Garmin 305... :) (gps watch)

I love Fraggle Rock! :) Wes bought me an inversion table.. It's really cool actually!

Mom's friend made a super cool cake!! It tasted good too!

After eating, we headed to the river to cool off. The river was too low to float, so we just sat in it....

Nathan likes to open and turn things on and off. He found mom's dryer fascinating...

Wes. :)

Jay. :)

Dad and Nathan mesmerized by Woody and Buzz...

My L5 hates me.

Sorry I haven't updated this much recently. I've been kinda blah... I think it's a combination of: turning 30, back pain, bills, and the beginning of a really hot summer. I'm hoping and praying that this back thing doesn't hinder me from marathon training. It's a little worrisome. I can run without pain, but that's about it. Sitting here hurts. It started really hurting again last week. It was much worse yesterday and this morning because on Saturday after the State Games XC race, Wes and I cut the grass and weed-eated and weeded the flower beds and all that. I should not have this much pain after doing that. I should be a little sore, but not unable to sit up straight. After church yesterday, we came home and I only left the living room twice, once to pee and once to find dinner. Well, three times... once to go to bed. I thought doing nothing would help. It's better, but not tolerable. Getting old sucks!
My insurance is terrible too. The doc wants me to go to physical therapy. I tried to, but I learn that Riley's isn't considered an in-network provider... But then I learn that the closest in-network provider is LIVINGSTON, ALABAMA!!!! 40 miles away!!! Sad. This is what private insurance is coming too. (Anybody who thinks health care reform is a bad idea, come talk to me!) There are three hospitals in this town. There are probably a dozen physical therapists in this town as well. I can't go to any of them. Ridiculous! Even the in-network PT is gonna cost me an arm and a leg! Doc wants me to go three times a week for 6 weeks. (not to mention the gas to get to Livingston as well). Co-pays are $40 a visit! Add that up.... $40x3 times a week = $120 per week... $120x6 weeks = $720!!!! (I won't even mention the cost to go to an out-of-network PT) My car is in the shop. Wes just paid over two hundred dollars for ONE book for school! We just paid $$$$money for the MRI, doc visits and other tests for my back.... My plan is to go once or twice and just do the PT on my own at the gym or at home. It's the only way it'll work. And PT is not guaranteed to help me feel better either.

All this is adding to my depressive state. So I apologize in advance if I'm not my usual chipper/slightly pessimistic self. I hope to be out of it by my birthday. In case people are wondering, I do know about my birthday get-together at Mom's house... I've been told that lots of folks will be there. YEAH!!! Can't wait to see my Mobile cousins again! Also can't wait to see Becky, Laura and the babies too! Only wish Pete could be there. That's okay though. So if you're not sure about coming, please come! It'll make me feel better! Don't bring me a gift either. (I only have three things on my list anyway!) Instead, go to this site................ More on that soon....

This weekend is the Strawberry Run 5K in Marion. I've learned that it's going to be a pretty small race... Seems that is the only way I can place... That's okay. This one and the State Games road race are the last two 5K's I'll do in my 20's...

Bring it on!!

PETE'S BIRTHDAY....

Pete's Birthday is May 16 (Two weeks from this posts date)... He'll be 26. PLEASE send him a card, letter or box of goodies, or even socks and underwear! I don't care! Send him something! It would be awesome if he got dozens and dozens of mail for his birthday! I am sending him a box off this week to make sure it gets there in time. I'm also sending another with more stuff I couldn't fit in the first one...
He has a microwave. He has his own room(kind of). Here's a list of things he likes:
New Orleans Saints
Ole Miss
any sour candy (the sour-er the better!)
Bottle caps (the candy, not actual bottle caps)
cookies
weird stuff (like nasty tasting jelly belly flavors!)
boiled peanuts
sunflower seeds (including flavored ones)
small mind games (sudoku, puzzle games, stuff that cracker barrel sells, you know)
hunting/fishing magazines
he's recently started running so I'm sending him my old runnersworld mags
Sweet potato sweets (for all you Martin folks) He like the little pies i think.
itunes gift cards

I don't recommend sending anything valuable. He can't bring a whole lot of stuff back. I think most people over there mail things back that they really want to keep. He has a small laptop and uses Itunes for movies and music. (Its better than having a bunch of cd's and dvd's to carry around and really, who buys CD's anymore). Send him silly toys. Stuff he and his buddies can play with (nerf balls, silly string, barrel of monkeys--i saw them in walmart today and it brought back memories) (I sent him 10 water guns and a couple of bottles of bubbles.) The dollar stores have a lot of silly toys and candy.

We have his address. I don't want to post it in case some unwanted person reads this and takes advantage. So email me, call or comment on this post or facebook or whatever and I'll give it too ya.

PLEASE show him that you care and are thinking about him and his group! (If you can, send the whole group a big box of something!)

pics from today...

I had a pretty good birthday! I had to work the morning show. So I decided to RUN to work this morning. (3 miles) It was quite pleasant actually. Too bad it was 4:15 AM! This won't happen regularly! I ran home as well. It was really hot then... Wes got me a cookie cake. He bought me a new Rick Steves suitcase for our trip. Mom got me a bike rack for my car as well. Pete & Kelly came in late last night. I went over there this evening. Dad made Kelly a cedar chest. This is the first time she's seen it. We goofed off the rest of the afternoon. I have to work the am show tomorrow too. That's good because Bobby & Masayo are coming in tonight.... Can't wait for the weekend!

Pictures from Yesterday's Party

Yesterday was wonderful!! Papaw was the happiest I've seen him in years. The babies were great. Nathan is 13 months and Gracie is 7 months. We had cake and ice cream and Papaw's favorite foods from the Village Kitchen. These pictures aren't in any kind of order. Some I took and some Dad took. Several of our neighbors came by as well to wish Papaw a Happy Birthday.