Thank You

Dear Abba,

I'm embarrassed to say it's been a little while since I took a minute just to say "Thank you".

Thank you for making me wait 5 years, when constantly I was convinced I was ready.
Thank you for having a plan laid out that I couldn't see, yet now in hindsight makes perfect sense.
Thank you for protecting me from myself and my "grand plan".
Thank you for knowing I'm worthy enough to love this man that I'm head over heels for.
Thank you for showing me that I deserve the best, and it's proven by me having the best.
Thank you for bringing someone into my life in a completely unexpected way.
Thank you for the words of wisdom a few years ago telling me to look outside my box.
Thank you for teaching me how to let someone in on my independent life.
Thank you for the constant amazement at how wonderful You are.
Thank you for wonderful friends and mentors along the way that told me this day would come.
Thank you for putting this love in my heart that I don't entirely understand, but completely embrace.
Thank you for bringing someone that is just as weird as I am, but in his own flavor.
Thank you for giving me everything I wanted, and everything I didn't know that I wanted.
Thank you for a hopeless romantic.
Thank you for a man that's sensitive and plans the most spectacular dates that make us the envy of everyone I know.
Thank you for a man who knocks me off my feet, literally and figuratively.
Thank you for beards.
Thank you for his smile which seems to make everything better.
Thank you that when I am cranky, he is comforting.
Thank you that when I want to punch the world in the face, he offers his jaw (to scratch The Beard).
Thank you yet again for beards.
Thank you for someone that I can't quite see my life without.
Thank you for making me into a better woman because I'm worth it and he deserves it.
Thank you for pursuing me through my love.
Thank you for reminding me of your daily love and devotion in the simplest of ways, be it Pinterest or Facebook.
Thank you for a hope that I feel welling up inside of me that I haven't felt in a long time.
Thank you for showing me that sometimes you do need to walk alone, but only for a season.
Thank you for these [almost] 9 months, complete with ups and downs and all the inbetweens.
Thank you for making me so excited for the next forever.

Love,
NotJustARedhead

Collaborative Weirdness

Arms above your head.

Feet apart.

Wiggle your butt.

Walk from side to side.

This sounds like the start of describing that girl in the club that no one wants to be around. What is it actually? A Zumba class. Basically just as awkward as the aforementioned girl. Group fitness classes are supposed to be a fun and different way to lose weight. If we're all honest with ourselves, it's trying to let the slutty ghetto version of ourselves come out of our Nilla Wafer shells*. I watch some of these instructors that seem to have the honest hips of Shakira, yet when I attempt it I feel more like the jiggly Jell-o of Santa. I start to shimmy and shake, yet my body doesn't stop when I actually do. Most of the moves warrant a glance at my closest girl friend that secretly says, "Please don't judge me for what you're about to see", or even better "I hope you look more awkward than I do". Don't get me wrong- I love group fitness classes. I love Zumba. I love how awkward I know I look yet how good I feel after the fact. But if we're honest, I feel like the below picture is my life:

Doing Zumba makes me feel confident and sexy- making the most of my ample curves. Doing Zumba also makes me realize I look something akin to Jim Carrey pretending to be a traumatized football player in a tutu.

In the ~2+ years I've been doing the "white girl booty pop", I've noticed there are always the same girls in every class. They transcend race, age, and social standing...

- "Look! Something Shiny!". These girls are on a beat of their own. They're often super nice, very friendly, and always look like they're having a great time. But their 2-step and weird hip swaying would lend to the theory they're not actually in the same class as you.

- "Grandma's bringin' sexy back". These women are usually a little older; they're in the 50-60 range. They're often on the slimmer side, and are doing Zumba to prove that they can, or because their younger daughter dragged them out saying it would be "fun".

- "I do Salsa. Nothing else.". That's really it. These women do slower salsa moves the whole times, and sometimes throw in some arm sways to follow along. They are typically actually Latina.

- "Awkward Irish girls trying to be Latina". This is me. And most of my friends. We're all middle-class white girls [mostly], yet we're convinced that somewhere deep in our bloodline runs a stream of Chula girl.

Zumba brings all women to the room and all boys to the yard (supposedly). Do I look awkward as all get out listening to loud Spanish rap music? Yes. Do I have a fantastic and sweaty time while burning calories? Double yes.



*I'm a super pale Irish girl, so I'm speaking for myself here.