Who Am I?

In honor of turning 37 today, I have decided to reveal 37 facts about who I am (and who I am not).

I am a wife and a stay at home Mom but that does not mean that I am uneducated or lazy.

I am a daughter, a sister, a cousin and a friend who will always offer support but that does not mean I always agree with their actions.

I am a pacifist by nature but that does not mean I am not above raising hell in defense of a loved one.

I am a confidant but that does not mean that I have all the answers.

I am a Survivor but I continue to fear another cancer diagnosis.

I am an amputee but I am not ashamed of my limb loss or my disability.

I am a writer but I am not counting my success by dollars and cents but by the emails that I receive and the friendships that have been formed.

I am a cook and a baker but that does not mean that I am a housekeeper.

I am considered a weight loss success but I continue to struggle with body image issues.

I am on my bike trainer at least 5 x a week, pedaling at least 20 miles a day but I am not yet confident enough to ride my bike around my neighborhood.

I am proud of how much Robby has learned and his readiness for kindergarten but I am not ready to let him go to school.

I am a dreamer but I am not sure how to turn my dreams into goals.

I am frequently disappointed and hurt by others but I refuse to be a doormat.

I am active but I am certainly not an athlete.

I am trying to eat healthier but I just devoured a bag of Oreos.

I am sometimes sad about my amputation but I am not spending my life lamenting what cannot be changed. Still, sometimes I cry.

I am a good mom but that does not mean I don't hide in the corner of my closet so that I can have a few moments alone.

I am working on a book but that does not mean I am ready to let anybody read.

I am a worrier by nature but that doesn't mean I am not working on detaching.

I am a teacher but that does not mean I am planning on returning to the classroom.

I am a fan of reality TV but that does not mean I understand why so many people volunteer to participate.

I am a caring and patient person but that does not mean that I am tolerant of bigotry or discrimination.

I am perceived as confident but that does not mean that I don't feel like a scared little girl sometimes.

I am hoping to make a difference in the lives of others but that doesn't mean I know how I am going to do this.

I am sad that Robby is an only child but I am not confident that my body can handle another pregnancy. It breaks my heart.

I am disappointed by mistakes that I have made in the past but this does not mean I am going to let those blunders define my future.

I am aware that I should forgive the individual who caused my initial foot injury but I am not able to let go of my resentment.

I am afraid of death but this does not mean that I am afraid to live.

I am an active Facebook user but this does not mean I will accept friend requests from those who taunted me in high school.

I am spirited when I sing but that does not mean that I am talented.

I am not quick to anger but that does not mean that I don't explode when pushed to the limit.

I am happy that I married Scott but that does not mean that I am happy with the way we were married.

I am a list maker and a planner but that does not mean that I am good at staying on task.

I am able to sing all the theme songs to SpongeBob, The Backyardigans, The WonderPets, Yo Gabba Gabba, The Wiggles and just about every other preschool show but I am not able to name one song by Lady Gaga.

I am always ready for an adventure with friends but that does not mean that I get to see them often.

I am proud of who I am becoming but that does not mean that I am gracefully accepting the change which accompanies growth.

I am 37 years old today. I am not sure how time moved so quickly. It feels like just yesterday I was in college and turning 21. I thought that those were the best years of my life. But I was wrong because I believe the best years lie ahead of me!