Happy Birthday To Me!

Yep, yep.  The big 3-0....sigh.  I did weigh in today.  169.  That's -2 since last week and - 1/2 from my lowest.  That is EXACTLY 60 lbs down total and a great birthday present that is!  I'm also 1 lb past my birthday goal of 18 lbs.  Wahoo!  I was going to do a "30 things I love about my band" post but instead I'm just going to do a "30 Things I'm Grateful For" for my 30th Birthday Post (and yes, most of them are because of my band but not all).  Sidenote: The cow cake turned out awesome and we had a great weekend!  Pics and weekend post to come sometime this week.  And without further ado:

1. I have two wonderful girls who are, at times, challenging but so funny and smart (maybe too smart sometimes) and who are already learning healthy habits, not only from school but from me as well and that makes me feel like a good parent.
2. I have an awesome and supportive husband who was going to make sure I could reach my dream of losing weight come hell or high water and who is now committed to getting healthy too.
3. I have great parents who are unbelievably supportive and helpful with my kids.  I don't know how we would've gotten through the last 6 years without them.
4. My mom is coming around to being pretty supportive about the band.  Some may recall she wasn't at the beginning but as the weight has come off and I've become more content in life, she's noticed the difference and knows why it's happening.  It's nice to know she doesn't think I'm an idiot anymore (at least about this. LOL)
5. I look and feel better now than I did at 25.
6. I got hit on by a 22 year old when I was out dancing a few months ago.  Soooo good for the ego...especially when approaching 30.
7. I can run.  I haven't been able to run since I was 14 years old (and even then not fast and I'm proud to say that I'm just as slow as I was at 14. lol).
8. I think I can shop at just about any store now...even ones that don't sell "plus sized."
9. I have a good job that helps pay the bills and put food (hopefully of the healthy variety) on the table.  That's more than a lot of people can say right now in this economy.
10. I am more confident in my work and my abilities and convey my ideas in a positive way.  In some ways, I think my weight held me back professionally, causing people to get defensive when I disagreed with them.  Either my tone has softened as the weight fell off or people just perceive me differently but it's definitely a good change.
11. While my circle of friends is small, I know I can count on them when I'm in a jam and that's really what's important.  I've known them all for at least 6 years and they really are some of the best kinds of people around.
12. I've become more socially confident in the last year than I probably was since high school.  I KNOW this is because of my band.
13. Very few of my clothes fit.  They hang off of me and look kind of sloppy.  This is a GREAT problem to have.
14. The TYPES of clothes in my closet is expanding.  I've only bought a few new items but they have COLOR and more STYLE than I've worn in YEARS.
15. I look younger than my sister.  I SHOULD look younger than my sister as she is 8 years older than me but right after I was banded (like within a month), someone who had never met me asked if I was younger or older than her.  UNACCEPTABLE! 
16. I know that if I get stranded in the desert somewhere and have to walk 20 miles to get to a phone, I could and I wouldn't die.  Always good to know.
17. I can put my arms through a medium sized inner tube and not get stuck.  This was an incredibly embarrassing thing that happened to me last year.  Thank GOD my hubby was the only one around.  I tried the same inner tube this year and got in and out with ease.
18. I can wear shorts again!  I did not wear a pair of shorts my entire 29th year.  I've worn them every weekend so far this summer.
19. I feel I'm a better mom now than I was 2 years ago.  I can run with my kids, keep up with them, play with them in the pool and not want to pass out after 15 minutes.
20. I stopped wearing skirts and dresses when I was 20...I felt like I was wearing a tent.  I now wear a skirt or dress once a week to work (I would wear more if my wardrobe weren't anemic on these items).
21. I'm more fearless regarding physical tasks.  I did the 3 Day and ran my first 5k since being banded.  I'm now training for a Mud Run and a Warrior Dash.  The "new me" is looking for challenges and wanting to push myself physically.
22. I'm back to being adventurous.  I went bungee jumping when I was 11, hot air ballooning at 14, tubing down the Salt River (not much of an adventure. lol) at 16.  I used to hike, even at night.  Somewhere I lost that edge.  It's back!  I went ziplining in Vegas and I want to go kayaking, sky diving, white water rafting and rock climbing...my weight can't hold me back any longer!
23. Sometime in my 30's, I'm going to be a smaller ring size than the day I got married.
24. I will be debt free in my 30's.  In two years, our credit card debt will be paid off and both kids will be out of daycare.  We will no longer be living paycheck to paycheck and what a relief it will be!
25. I PREFER eating good stuff...not just healthy stuff but whole, natural made-from-scratch, from the earth, food.  I find myself craving stuffed chicken or even chicken sausages with veggies as opposed to fast food crap.  
26. While I obsess about losing weight and getting healthy, I'm not obsessing about how miserable I am about it.  Even when the scale doesn't move (or worse, creeps upward), I don't feel hopeless or talk down to myself about it.  My 30's are going to shape up to be a much healthier decade MENTALLY for me.
27. I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and Doggone it, people like me!
28. I'm still hot but not nearly as hot as other summers.
29. I am starting my 30's under 200 lbs which I know I haven't seen since I was at least 25.  And not only am I little under 200 lbs but I'm WAY under 200 lbs which I don't think has happened since I was at least 22.  It's going to be a great decade!
30. Last but certainly not least, I am starting a new decade of my life with hundreds of internet blogging buddies, without whom I'm sure I would've gone nuts by now.  Having your support, commiseration and celebration with me every step of the way has certainly made the journey successful thus far and I look forward to sharing more of your journeys in the coming years!

All good stuff and still more to look forward to in my 30's!  Hope everyone has a great week!  Be on the look out for pics of this past weekend and, since age breeds wisdom...your Monday DEMotivator: