Dear Meatball readers, friends, family, coworkers, clients, Fleet Feet Employees, friends we haven’t met yet, strangers:

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Thursdays post about addiction was scary to publish.  But you made me feel accepted, loved, warm and not alone.  I actually feel like a huge weight has been lifted and I feel lighter than I have in a very long time.  And you guys, have you tried therapy!?!  It’s the most amazing thing. And look how cute this place is!

This is how excited I was to go!

I learned so much about myself and how important it is for my physical and mental health to find calm and to be present.  She helped me see that my health issues (the pneumonia and these sad little lungs) are something I have to take seriously and I have to accept the limitations or I will be doomed to repeat them!   I have an appointment with a pulmonary specialist at the end of the month which feels productive and powerful!  I just couldn’t feel more positive and hopeful about this journey.  So what better than to get together with my family which is my absolute favorite to celebrate my cousin Kristina’s birthday!  She is the living best and the youngest looking 35 year old I’ve ever seen!

Look at these cute invitations that my mom made!  We had the party at her house! And as always she decorated everything so adorably!

We had a cookout and everyone brought a dish!

I made fruit kabobs!

Chase and I played some serious Bolleyball as he called it! Everyone was having fun running around and playing outside!

Until it was so hot you had to find refuge inside! #simpsonsclue

My mom had a great idea to have all the families take a pic in a picture frame…look how cute!

 

Sooooo fun and what great pictures! Then it was time for the main event!  Cake and presents and singing and all the good stuff!!!! Time to gather everyone on the porch!

Time to celebrate the wonderful human that is Kristina!

And of course the most amazing dessert that my mom made!

 

What a day!!!  Kristina, you are such a wonderful person.  You are so shiny and bright and happy and fun and funny and your laugh makes me so happy!  You look so fantastic!  You make 35 and motherhood look so amazing.  You deserve to be celebrated all the time.  I love you and I hope your birthday was as amazing as you have always been. Xoxo forever.  I think Kelly put it best…sisters by choice!

After the night wound down and everyone left, the boys started begging me for a sleepover and Chase of all people instigated it which LITERALLY never happens, but we had been super best buddies alllllll day!  We ok’ed it with Kelly and had such a fun night!

Fake bargaining!

Genuine excitement!!!  I love my family so much!  What a wonderful weekend with so many people I love!  Love you all and thank you again!