da, da, da, DA!

I woke up at 2:30 a.m. this morning, just drenched. Pj's, hair, pillowcase, sheets, blanket. I had to get up and change. Usually, I just change and scooch over to the dry side and resume the sleep, but a little person that belongs to me snuck in at some point during the night and, despite her sweet little size, was taking up half the bed. So I shivered and blogged in my head.

I hate that. Dang hormones. All the magazines say it's cuz I'm old. But I'm not a fan of that excuse. I'd much rather blame it on a delicious dream where I was stranded in the middle of the ocean only to be rescued by dolphins that carried me to a yacht owned by a rugged, Australian manly man (or New Zealand-er, cuz I have since discovered that either will do--more on that later). And then we went to his house and went swimming in his pool. Then we walked under a waterfall. Maybe it was just a very vivid dream.

I don't feel old. Ancient. Of long standing. Belonging to an early period. Advanced in years. Showing the effects of age or use. No longer in use.

No. In fact, I feel like I'm getting younger. I'm definitely going more for 26, than 36. I think it has a lot to do with the consistently (an approach that is really not my best trait--I blame the Taurus in me) of me exercising on a regular basis for almost a year now. Five days a week. Never in the history of me, have I been able to pull that sucker off. All they say about the exercise is true. It is good for you. More energy, less stress, your booty looks better in those Capri's, you can cross your legs, endorphins, la, la, la...the rumors are true.

Only one year ago, I was flipping tired and insisting that I had the body of an 80-year-old. We've lived the military life, which equaled me being a single mother a good chunk of time, and two little kids that felt like five. They had all the energy. I had none. And nothing has really changed since then, cuz for the most part my hubby is still there and I'm here and the two kids still feel like five, but now I feel like two moms. Supermom--da, da, da, DA! Okay, so not really, I still, on occasion, turn into the werewolf, but I do feel better. Younger. I can do it all. Well, a lot of it. And the only thing that I can find that has really changed, is the exercise.

Recently, I went to Vegas with my mom and sister. I had never been to Vegas, and I was ready to go experience it. I thought it would be a good chance for me to go somewhere beyond Albertson's sans kiddos, so that I could re energize and actually miss those little people of mine.

I loved Vegas way more than I ever thought I would. I actually missed it when I came home. Got a little tear when I threw my secondhand smoke laced, Vegas clothes in the washer. It was a good time had by all. Apparently I really needed to get away. I had the major quality time with my mom and sister. We laid by the pool all the live long day, danced, met people with New Zealand accents, Canadian accents, Jersey accents, Mississippi accents, we were on the first name basis with the bartenders at Toby Keith's bar, we went to McDonald's at 5:30 a.m. and went to bed when the sun came up. We even got yelled at by our mom for staying out all night. Nothing makes you feel young like getting yelled at by your mom.

I haven't done such things since I was...never. That's a lie. And the beauty of it was that I could do it. Today. Right now. I didn't die of exhaustion. Though, four days was really about my limit. Sleep really is a priority at some point, whether you're 5 or 101.

Another thing that stands out in Vegas is that in meeting all them accents mentioned in the above paragraph, it has come to my attention that I might not look 36. Whatever that means, cuz I love being 36! It's 100% younger than I thought it would be. But I gotta say, having people guess I was 26 and not believe me when I said I was 36, felt pretty darn good. Yes, yes it did. I didn't even know I wanted to hear that.

It was a topic of conversation in Vegas. It really came up. I give the kudos to my young and beautiful and energetic (10 years younger than me) sister. It was youth by proximity. But even since Vegas, with my sister not even around, I've heard it. I went to a Portland Beavers game the other night and got carded (which also never happens) and the guy didn't believe my birth date. I got a "no way". I love the no way. I really do.

Anyway, I don't feel like I should be waking up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. I look and act too young for this, right? Say yes. I have good genes. My 93-yr-old great aunt is frisky as ever and I recently raced my 60-year-old Dad in the pool and he totally won. I am so encouraged. We healthy. We're gonna be young, even when we're old. So all I gotta say is the dolphins made me do it.