35 Things to Celebrate

This is like no other birthday I have had before for a few reasons. Firstly and pretty obviously...I've never been 35 before. So there's that...but more importantly, since the accident I have a brand new appreciation for pretty much every single tiny little thing in life.

So in no particular order, I would like to celebrate that...

1. Jesus loves me this I know...(sing along if you know the song)

2. I am alive today to have the opportunity to celebrate 35 years of LIVING.

3. I have an amazing family who I am madly in love with (and the feeling is mutual).

4. I am half a home owner! Go Jenn with the other 50%!!

5. It's quite alright to wear my heart on my sleeve and have it trampled every time, because it always heals back stronger in the broken spots.

6. I am gainfully employed by the SUPER-est of companies.

7. I have a best friend, a baby sister, a house-mate, and a soul-mate in Jennifer Brooke Lesinski.

8. I have an awesome and Godly mother who always gives me good advice.

9. I have a wonderful, loving, and completely hilarious Godly father who is my biggest fan in life.

10. I was introduced to, fell in love with, and live the Crossfit life!

(Open mouth and drink the Kool Aid. I can't quit you)

11. It's OK to drive the speed limit and let everyone else pass me (Seriously, where is the fire?)

12. Navy blue padded white plastic neck braces are pretty rad (or at least that is what I tell myself right after I put mine on)

13. We own all the furniture in our house as of March 16, 2012.

14. I live in South Florida within 20 minutes drive of the Atlantic Ocean...the closest thing to paradise (not on earth) but at least in the 48 contiguous states.

15. I bake a mean banana bread. Ask somebody.

16. I get to ride in my sister's new car (*once she buys it) and take FREE advantage of her new car smell.

17. I am able to find the humor in most things and enjoy trying to help others see said light.

18. I am not afraid to laugh at myself.

19. I have failed brilliantly and often, but I have managed to give it one more try after each fail.

20. My friends are AWESOME and I LOVE THEM. Every single one of them.

21. Two words: Crossfit ATP (#10-Crossfit is one thing but this is THE gym and these are THE people who are in a completely different stratosphere of awesomeness...)

22. I am the only person who needs to believe that I am a good singer...(but I know you think so too, you're just holding back ;-)

23. My dad fixed his broken computer all by himself...without my help! Go Team Lesinski!!!

24. Ryan Fitzpatrick + Mario Williams = 2013 Super Bowl Champions Buffalo Bills!!!

25. I am elated that I bought the insurance for my cell phone.

26. I have the GREATEST car insurance company in the world...Foremost

27. The range of motion in my neck is slowly coming back a little bit every day (Praise God!!)

28. I only have 23 more days to wait for my Neuro follow-up (not that I'm counting) Patience. Patience.

29. I don't feel a day over 25 and I am having more fun celebrating 35 than I did 25...beat that 20's!

30. We still get to celebrate Mom's birthday appropriately...bring on Ruth's Chris!!

31. I get to share this special day with my Jamaican sister from another mister, Marjorie...Happy Birthday Beautiful!

32. I'm forgiven. (and when I tell you I mess up...I mess up)

33. I live in the most beautiful FREE country on the planet. (Yes, I'm partial)

34. You are reading my blog!

35. God has something REALLY BIG planned for my life and I can't wait to see it unfold before my very eyes.

Happy Birthday to me...

Yes.

Happy Birthday to me.

ALIVE AND getting WELL

I realized last Sunday just how traumatically life altering a car accident can be, and how a SINGLE INSTANT in time can absolutely unravel you to a degree that you have a completely shifted perspective as a result.

Let me start by saying that above all else I am grateful.

Deep breath. My sister and I were taking our Mom out for her (number number) birthday dinner at the Fort Lauderdale Ruth's Chris (the collective all time favorite restaurant of the trio) so we picked her up at 5:30pm (old people time) at her place. By the time we got to University Dr. on 5-95 we were doing exactly 65 mph in the left lane. Why/how do we know this??? Because Jenn made it a point to check the speedometer when the SUV that caused the accident came up very quickly behind her. He was almost riding Jenn's back bumper for a few seconds right before he cut out from behind her to the right (in front of another car) and then immediately back in front of her to his left. Jenn pushed on the brakes (2007 4-dr Accord) so as not to rear end him and then the rest gets kinda gray for me. We fishtailed, 360'ed once or twice and hit the left retaining wall (airbags deployed) and then the car spun back the other way across ALL LANES OF TRAFFIC (never hitting another car...Praise God) to hit the right retaining wall another 2-3 times. Witnesses tried to get the guy's plate but we may and will most likely never know who caused this accident. Jenn's car is completely totaled. Mom has 5 acutely (that's the bad kind) fractured ribs. Jenn has a nasty airbag burn on her left forearm and a broken right ring fingertip & lots of bumps and bruises. I sustained a concussion (missing about 3 hrs of memory following the accident...scary), lost consciousness, 7 staples in my head, 2 black eyes (which are just about healed), numbness in my face and teeth, and a fractured C2 vertebrae (in a full on blue neck brace for at least 6 weeks). Gratefully and thankfully we ALL walked away. Granted I was initially rolled away from the scene, but I walked into the front door of my home later that same night.

This has been a tricky puzzle to try to piece together over this last week and the most difficult pieces for me are the emotional and spiritual ones. Just thinking about the weight of ALL of it. The accident, my sister, my mom, my dad, our family, my health, my life, my present state in life, what the future holds. To come so close to being just a memory, and essentially escaping death has made me do a complete and 100% personal inventory. We are talking BIG PICTURE stuff here people. I'm still sorting it all out (as we all are) in my head but there is one thing I know for certain. We were protected by mighty warrior guardian angels and the hand of God. I was spared. I am certainly loved.
I can assure you of this...my sunny disposition just got WAY sunnier, because I am happy to be alive.
If I love you, I mean really love you...and you haven't heard the 'accident speech' from me yet...get ready to feel the love, because I am happy to be alive.
I will continue to make ZERO apologies for being crazy, ditsy, lovely me, because I am happy to be alive.
I will say what's on my mind and I will tell you I love you even if it makes you a little uncomfortable, because I am happy to be alive.
I will hug you for just one second too long, because I am happy to be alive.
Life is short and it can be over before you get to tell that person how you really feel about them. So, get on the phone and call them and tell them...go on. I will be calling you soon to talk, because I am happy to be alive.

Now I will get back to the business of total and complete healing. I am predicting the 'Greatest Comeback in L.H.L. History'. First order of business is to relax and be still for the next 40 days. Yes, I am counting them, because the thought of sitting still that long and not Crossfitting will be tough so I HAVE to have something to look forward to. I am looking forward to a good report on April 19th. I am looking forward to our next hug.

I am looking forward to a hope filled blessed future, because I am happy to be alive.

Dear Mama...

Kerry Lesinski...aka Mommers,

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for every single thing you have ever given me and done for me in my life. Thanks for leaving New Jersey (no, really ...THANK YOU!!) and moving to sunny South Florida. Thanks for picking Dad, getting together and then promptly settling down on Fillmore, then Madison Street. Thank you for raising me in strength and Faith (Psalm 103). You have always walked through your life with your head held high, even in the midst of some of the darkest days. What an example you have set for me...

Thank you for living what it means to be a woman of integrity, beauty, and love. Thank you for all the lessons you have taught me in my life (the older I get, the more I realize just how right you always were and STILL ARE!). I have been blessed with a heart (Hart;) like yours. You love easily and completely. You always give the benefit of the doubt and never doubt the benefit (I just made that up!). You are my safe shelter in the storms of life. I always know where home is.

You are home.

Now, in no particular order I would like to:

Thank you for teaching me how to do the laundry really well so that the freshness lasts for days.

Thank you for trusting me with Nana's glass bread baking dishes (I think this is why my banana bread is so loved!).

Thank you for teaching me never to take the milk (or ketchup, or bag of shredded cheese, or carton of eggs) at the very front of the supermarket shelf and to always inspect the 'Sell By' dates on my food.

Thank you for teaching me how to properly apply eyeshadow and which undergarments suit each outfit appropriately.

Thank you for being my biggest fan and cheerleader.

"Come over here and let me see you for a minute." I think that is your favorite thing to say to me.

Thank you for laughing at all my jokes.

Thank you for always seeing the real me and encouraging me in all my personal goals.

I am so unbelievably blessed to have you as my Mother. One day I will be a mother (God willing and God help me) and I pray that I can be even only just half the mom you are to me.

I am me because you are you.

I love you and I thank you.

Happy Birthday