I Just Called To Say I Love You [Postcard From the Edge]

As I sat putting the finishing touches on my second book last night, I was overwhelmed with this feeling of immense gratitude. Re-reading and re-living the high- and low- lights of all those Great Fitness Experiments made me realize how incredibly blessed I am to have you guys. I’ve said it before but I truly have the best readers/blog-friends!  At the risk of sounding like Lionel Richie in Hello (if you were born after the 80’s basically you’re a blind girl and I’m your professor who is singing and stalking you (stinging?) – don’t worry, you eventually return my affections by sculpting a bust of my face…even though you’re blind. ) I couldn’t wait to tell you this and since it would take me forever to call each of you individually and breathe heavily into your phone before dropping the receiver to wander off singing wistfully, I’m gonna tell you here.

Invoking another 80’s great, Stevie Wonder: I just called to say I love you!

Seriously though, I do. Looking back over the roller coaster o’ crazy that has been my life the past 5 years, there have been so many times that one of you has commented, e-mailed, Facebooked, Tweeted, blogged, IM’ed or texted me exactly what I needed to hear. (Heaven help me if I ever get into Foursquare. I just joined Pinterest and cannot get enough of that business.) Using the internets for free therapy probably isn’t the wisest plan but it sure has worked out well for me! Whether it is a pick-me-up, a reality check, a terrible joke, a cool research study, a virtual high-five or sharing your story with me, you guys have made me laugh, cry, smile wryly, repent, and think through a lot of stuff. (For a great example, check out all the comments on my recent How to Deal When Someone Doesn’t Like You post. You guys helped me feel 200% better and made me realize how not alone I really am.)

Thank you for this. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your advice. Thank you for crying and laughing with me. Thank you for sharing your lives with me too. I can’t tell you enough how much you mean to me.

Anyhow, today I’m off celebrating Labor Day and Gym Hubby’s birthday with my family but a part of my heart is lying backlit on a beach drawing pictures of you guys in the sand even though I’m blind. (Blind but with a great feel for a blow dryer and other hot styling tools!)

For his birthday Gym Hubby said that all he wanted was 1) to go hiking and 2) to have nobody whine. He got 50% of his wish (and a weed whacker!):

We did a little spelunking. Note Jelly Bean holding onto my bra strap through my clothing – all the dark stinkiness freaked her out. It just felt like home to the boys though – you should see their room.

My littlest monkey is also my bravest monkey (his nickname is “danger monkey” actually – earned after we found him not even two years old and on top of the refrigerator cackling with glee) so he was all over the bouldering!

We took in some gorgeous scenery. Monkey #2 here was trying to show off his most recently lost tooth. (Dear Tooth Fairy, please don’t forget – again – to come tonight. Thanks.)

Annnnd there was a lot of whining! We call these his “storm cloud eyebrows”. He was not a happy hiker. At all.

Jelly Bean didn’t whine – she loves being outside – although she did insist on having her royal heinie carried for most of it. Who needs weighted vests when you have toddlers??

Happy Labor Day! Even if it isn’t a holiday for you, I hope you are enjoying the unofficial first day of fall!

P.S. Come back tomorrow for September’s Great Fitness Experiment – you’re going to loooove it! I will leave you now with Lionel himself asking a blind girl “Is it me you’re looking for?” without a trace of irony:

PPS. I closed the comments just for today because I always hate that awkward pause after you tell someone you love them and there’s all this pressure to say it back and you just don’t know if you’re ready to take it to that level with me and… Or I did it to encourage to enjoy your holiday (or non-holiday Monday ’cause those are super fun). Either way, I love you!