It has been so long!

Ahh. First day back. Back to school, back to blogging, back to running, routine... real life. It feels good. The running part feels best... it was my first run all summer and it was AMAZING. I forgot about runner's high. I feel like I can do anything (and I can do anything)!

Since I am feeling so good, despite the risk of coming off as incredibly vain (even though no one else reads this place), I am making a list of everything I love about myself. In particular, my body... because bodies can be hard to love and I think that they are important to love. So first of all...

1. My feet. Without them I could not have done that fantastic run or stood in the most amazing cold shower right after it, completely in love with life. Also they are bigger than most people's so I often get the best shoes.

2. My legs... again, without them, running and standing would not be possible. And they are pretty long. And they let me SKATE. Which lets me play hockey, which is my favourite thing in the world, pretty much.

3. My belly... because that is the one body part that C. tells me he loves on a kind of frequent basis. So how could I not love that?? Also, my belly is the part of me that reverts back to something quite presentable after I start exercising again... it is guiltily and deliciously easy for me to get a 6 pack. I love you belly.

4. Boobs. Gotta throw that one out there. They are not too big and basically not too small... they don't hit me in the face when I run. They are soft. They don't have cancer and I hope they never do. They look good in halter tops when my shoulders make me reconsider wearing them.

5. I love my hair. I really do love my hair. It is blond and so so straight and soft. My hair is the one thing I let myself enjoy about myself when I was younger and had severe body image issues. It is just so straight. And right now long and full of highlights from the sun.

6. My eyes - they are three colours in one! Pretty cool, I think. Green and blue and grey all together. And the rings around my irises are more navy blue than black. They also (with a lot of help from contacts/glasses) let me see so many beautiful things in the run of a day.

7. I love my smile. Because I have so, so many reasons to use it! And I suffered through braces so now my teeth are straight instead of crooked and smiling sans self-consciousness is such a treat.

8. My hands. My hands might be my favourite things about myself. Not because they are especially beautiful (although I do have long piano fingers, despite my nails' complete refusal to grow without breaking), but because of what they can DO. They bake so well. Amazingly well. Sometimes I think C. couldn't leave me even if he wanted to because where else would he find a tall blond that cleans and bakes him amazing things daily? My hands bake with love. There is a gluten-free lemon loaf in the oven right now that my hands made. My hands do other things too - they can draw when I want them too, and play music. I can snap my fingers. My left hand works almost as good as my right if I try real hard. They make C. feel like he is in heaven. My hands are amazing.

9. I love my brain, too. It knows a lot and it surprises me all the time. I don't think I deserve that one, really, but I am very grateful for it. Every time I think it might fail me it performs above expectations, making my whole self perform above expectations, too. My brain gave me a 4.0 and $30 000 scholarship I still don't think I worked hard enough to deserve. And since my brain makes myself think I don't deserve it, it encourages me to help everyone else who might need a bit of my brain power too. Which I think is nice.

10. My arms. They have lifted and loved and comforted so many children since I started working with them. I hope the day never comes that I can't pick up any of my favourite kids and give them all the love they need. My arms are kind of helpful when I'm running, too. And they give C. some really great hugs.

I think I will stop now... I never tell myself how much I love me and it's a bit disconcerting. Maybe if I'm ever comfortable with just loving myself I won't need to hear it so much from C.!

P.S. - The 101 in 1001 is coming along alright - I have 21 completed and planned timelines for a few others. This summer was slow. I'm also signing up with K. to do the CIBC Run for the Cure 5km in October and I am really excited about it!