The Final Countdown...

In two days I will be turning 40. Still a little hard to comprehend. I'm really okay with it, since I feel so happy and blessed: I have an amazing husband who's exceeded every expectation I ever had about marriage, family and friends who love me and enrich my life, a fabulous and funny dog who I absolutely adore, good health, a beautiful home, gainful employment (a bit spotty at times, to be sure, but it's enjoyable, evolving, and not in an office!), and many fun things to look forward to (like Hawaii!!!). Right now I'm actually feeling a bit stressed because I have a lot on my plate--even the fun stuff takes time and energy, and it can be a little challenging to prioritize it all. But I certainly can't complain.... So here's what's been happening in the week leading up to my birthday. Last Monday (September 28th) Tomkin gave stinky Chloe a bath and then took her for a run in the park before he biked to work. I spent the first part of the day shopping at Target, and then Chloe and I drove out to the Golden Valley Humane Society so she could take her Delta evaluation to become a registered therapy dog. There are about 20 different things you have to do during the evaluation, and both the dog and the handler are graded. We hit a couple bumps during the loose-leash walking, and I made a few mistakes (like giving multiple commands or not providing enough direction during role play), but for the most part Chloe did really well. And as soon as the last part of the test was over, the evaluator stuck out her hand and said, "Congratulations!" We passed!!! I was really proud of Chloe and glad to have that hurdle out of the way. We still have a few more things to take care of (vet approval, paperwork, etc.), but hopefully we'll be able to start volunteering together in a few weeks.That evening Tomkin met with a couple, and I watched "Dancing with the Stars." Then we both went to late-night happy hour at Senor Wong's with Helena, Nick, and Marcus to celebrate Helena's birthday (a week early). We ordered lots of food and drinks, and Helena opened some presents. We had a great time and a fun celebration! (Hooray for Libras!)

Tuesday morning I had my second-ever mammogram, this time at St. John's in Maplewood. It's a nice facility, and everything went as well as could be expected, considering the machinery involved. Good to have that out of the way for another year or two! Tomkin had been working at home, and then he biked over to the library. I felt a little run-down, like I might be coming down with a cold, so I laid down to take a nap--and slept for two hours! We took Chloe for a walk and noticed a definite change in the weather. Fall is starting to set in.... I did some work and then took Chloe to therapy dog class. (We still have a couple more classes to go--and plenty to learn!) Then I went home and watched "Dancing with the Stars." (It's a nice way to wind down at the end of the day.)
On Wednesday, Tomkin and I both went to his parents' house for lunch. Then he dropped me off at Methodist Hospital so I could shadow a therapy dog team. I spent about an hour visiting patients with them. It was really interesting and gave me a lot to think about. I'm not sure a hospital setting is right for me; I think I might prefer a place with more routine, where I would see the same people again and again, like in a nursing home. It'll be interesting to try some different places and see where both Chloe and I feel most comfortable. Tomkin picked me up, and we headed home. He took a nap, I did some work, and then we both walked Chloe. Tomkin had his weekly poker game that night. I led a premarital counseling session and then talked to my mom.
Thursday morning (October 1st!) we kicked off the day by exercising to "Mad Men." We're both really enjoying the show. Tomkin biked to the office. I did some work-related reading and then went to Estetica for a haircut. I'm so pleased that I've finally found a stylist I really like! That evening Tomkin and I headed over to northeast Minneapolis for the Metro 100 party. We had gone last year and it was really fun. The original plan this year was to have the party outside. Unfortunately it rained all day (and it was chilly out), so they had to move the festivities indoors. We still had a good time, but things seemed a bit unorganized and confusing, due in part, I would assume, to the last-minute change of plans. After checking in at the 331 Club, we went to the Rogue Buddha Gallery, where we looked at some art and I had a glass of wine. Then we walked down the street and got some crabcakes at the beautiful Peacock Lounge. Next we went to the Ritz Theater to see a mini-performance by a couple local dance groups. I won't even name them--I will just say that both of them were horrible. We went to the Modern Cafe to get some complimentary sausage (which was good, but we had to wait a long time). Then we made our way back to the 331. They had a tent set up out back, where they were serving free drinks. We hung out there with a couple other folks and then we stopped inside for a bit to listen to the evening's headliner, local band Solid Gold, before heading home. We had a good time, though the event was a little disappointing compared to last year's. Not sure if we'll go next year or not.
Friday morning I had to get up bright and early (6:00!) to go to a Couples Communication conference in Eagan. (Who thought combining the Metro 100 party with an early morning conference the next day was a good idea?!?!) I was there until 5:00 learning about the program, which includes talking skills, listening skills, and a unique way of developing them both (it includes using labeled mats, which were actually pretty amazing!). Tomkin spent the day getting stuff done at home, and then he took Chloe to the office with him before heading to a wedding rehearsal. By the time I got home I was exhausted. We got dinner at Pizza Luce and then spent the rest of the evening hanging out and relaxing at home.
Saturday morning I was up early again for the second day of the conference. We worked on implementing all the skills we'd learned the day before and then talked about the specifics of the program. I'm considering using it for premarital counseling, but it would take a lot of shifting in terms of scheduling, resources, and possibly even space. I do think it's a great program, though, and I like the communication skills it teaches. Tomkin had a rehearsal Saturday morning, then spent some time at home before heading off to perform a wedding. That evening he worked on the Hawaii itinerary (putting together all the contact information and hours of operation for the places we're planning to visit), while I spent a few hours editing. By the end of the day, my brain was fried!
I was happy to have a Sabbath day yesterday, although Tomkin had to start by performing a morning wedding. We walked Chloe to Patina (I love that they let her come inside!) and did a little shopping. Then we walked back home along the railroad tracks. It was a beautiful day and nice to get outside. Chloe still seemed a little antsy when we got back, so Tomkin took her to nearby Dunning Field to run around. But apparently she didn't want to go. As soon as he released her at the park, she took off running toward home--across two streets (one car had to slam on its brakes) and straight back to our house, all the while with Tomkin in hot pursuit. When he walked in the door, he said, "Well that didn't go well at all...." I was just glad they were both okay! I watched a couple episodes of "Glee" and read my People magazine; Tomkin took a nap. We both exercised to "Mad Men," and then Tomkin picked up a pizza from Pizza Fratelli on Selby (really good!). We watched a couple travel shows about Hawaii, and then I actually got on the computer for a bit (usually a Sabbath no-no!), while Tomkin curled up with Chloe and read. I've just got so much to do right now, it's hard to spend an entire day being unproductive.
This morning (Monday, October 5th), Tomkin biked to the office. I did a marathon shopping trip at Target (about 2-1/2 hours!), and then I had a meeting (at the College Muscle Movers office) to discuss the new biodiesel grant I'm going to work on (with the same team as before). Back at home I did some editing and then talked to my mom. She recounted how 40 years ago tomorrow she and my dad went out for ice cream sundaes and then she finally went into labor (almost four weeks past her due date!). He propped her feet up on a chair while he cooked dinner, and then they both watched "Laugh-In." Things started moving along, but they still had to pull me out with forceps the next morning. Apparently I was pretty cozy in there! We've got some fun birthday celebrations planned both on my birthday itself and next weekend. As Tomkin says, "It's better to turn 40 than to not turn 40!" And we figure, with medical advances, we've got another 80 good years of life ahead. So here's to starting the second third of my life!