Brains and Brawn

Up until now I had not mentioned a key thing about my darling J. J is a competitive weight lifter. Yeah, I'm dating a man who can lift 621 pounds off the floor. No, he is not a meat-head. No he is not some steroid-ed out freak. He is a highly intelligent man with a PhD who enjoys keeping himself in shape and challenging himself not only mentally, but physically. (I'll freely admit the results of that aren't too bad to look at either.) J has a competition coming up in a little while out on the west coast. He told me about it, and made his travel plans for it a few weeks after we started dating. I had never seen him lift, and he wasn't sure it was something I would enjoy seeing.

Now that we've been dating for 4 months, I've seen him lift several times and love watching and cheering him on. I expressed to him that I would love to go to the competition this month if he wanted me there, and I could find a cheap flight. Yesterday he called me up and let me know that he had bought me a plane ticket to come to the competition. I am so excited!! I love cheering him on and supporting him in this sport, it is so amazing to see the strength of the human body, and how it can be fine tuned.

The really wonderful thing, though is that not only does he want me there to cheer him on, but he wants me to meet his brother, sister-in-law and nephews who live out there. His mom is also flying in from the east coast. I feel so honored that he would want me there for this "family reunion" of sorts. Every day I grow more and more in love with this truly amazing man!

Gracias

Every day I wake up and am grateful for the life I have. I am so thankful for the happiness in my life. I appreciate the options that I have. I know I am lucky to have grown up in a two-parent house, full of love. I can tell stories about the happiness and warmth I felt in my little cocoon called "home." I am lucky that I still have those two parents around, loving and supporting me unconditionally. I feel blessed to have an amazing sister who is one of my best friends. I know that I am one of the few who has so many people that I know I can count on when things get rough.

Each time I go for a walk along the river, I say a silent prayer of thanks for such a beautiful world to live in. When I wake up on a bight and sunny Saturday morning in the arms of a man I love, and who loves me back, I know I am blessed.

I am so grateful every day for the things I have, but I can't help but wonder if these wonderful things are so amazing because I appreciate them so much. I am grateful for the struggles that have made me so aware of the happiness.