Showing posts with label Jennifer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jennifer. Show all posts
Monday, May 23, 2011
Twice as many should equal twice as much...theoretically!
God gave us TWO ears and ONE mouth... so why , oh why, is it SO much easier for me to impulsively talk, talk, talk rather than LISTEN??? It seems that every now and then, my mouth just runneth over...or my typing fingers, or something. I like to use airspace, and cyber-airspace, apparently. This is not who I want to be, or how I want to be remembered. I know that this is not what God desires of me. Here's hoping that with God's help, 34 is not too old to turn over a new leaf in this area. And to all of you that I see in real life, feel free to tell me when I'm hogging all the airspace and making it difficult to breathe!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Ever heard of Mother's Day Monday?
If you've never heard of Mother's Day Monday, don't feel bad...few have. But I love it! Mother's Day Monday was created in my family this very year by my mom, my sister, and me. And we plan to celebrate it annually. I understand that it would seem that one would celebrate Mother's Day with her children, it's almost a given, I suppose. This year my boys and I celebrated earlier in the week, with cards and gifts they chose themselves, and a wonderful Life Books Royal Wedding magazine from Mike. They really went all out being considerate and thoughtful this year, and I want to give them the credit they absolutely deserve! I felt very special and honored. I love all three of my guys, and am so thankful for them. Then, as an extra bonus, Mike agreed to a plan my sister and I cooked up to spend Sunday afternoon, evening, and all day Monday with Mom on a girls' mini-escape. Hoff (brother-in-law) and Dad also agreed... let me just take this moment to publicly say to the three guys...THANK YOU! The extra time, effort, and funding required from them for us to enjoy this time together was not lost on us, and we say THANK YOU!!!
Life gets busy, full, hectic, and expensive. Sometimes we feel like there is barely time for a long chat on the phone, let alone 24 hours away together. But this time of Mother's Day Monday was all we had hoped for...we stayed at a hotel in downtown Indy thanks to Kelly and a cheap deal through hotwire. We leisurely window shopped in Broad Ripple. We ate knaffa (a delicious dessert with orange blossom on top!) outside at a restaurant by the river and the Monon while we enjoyed a rare slice of sunshine. We soaked in the hottub and talked. We had beauty night and colored hair. We looked at magazines. We went to sleep late (some of us later than others, as Mom & Kelly both snore! ;), and we watched the Today show as we got around the next morning. We had lox and bagels for brunch. We shopped at Circle Center where I bought three pairs of shoes all at once! We walked and laughed and talked. We enjoyed each other's uninterrupted company and the blessing of mothers, daughters, and sisters.
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| I remember what Kelly was talking about, and Mom thought she was hilarious, but I think I'll keep the story to myself! |
Mother's Day Monday...may the tradition never end.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Nothing Worthwhile Is Ever Easy... But with a friend it's Possible!
And now to the point of the post (and yes, I am very aware that it took FOREVER to get to the point...)
About a week and a half ago I achieved something I didn't believe was possible. It was worthwhile. It WASN'T easy. But with my friend it happened. I RAN! And not just a little bit! I finished a half-marathon. And I ran the entire thing. I never stopped...not once..... 13.1 MILES, PEOPLE!!!! I finished in 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 20 seconds. And yes, that means I actually ran for 2 HOURS 18 MINUTES and 20 SECONDS!!! I still can hardly believe it. I realize that many have done this, have run this inconceivable distance, and even run it much, much faster than I did. But we're talking about me in this post, and until Saturday, May 7, 2011, I had not. And I did not actually believe I ever could.
But Anne did.
As mentioned in the previous post, Anne called me up one November evening and asked if I would consider doing the mini with her. Eventually I agreed...partly because I had been sedentary for WAY too long, but mostly because I was amazed, (and secretly flattered) that she believed I could do it, and that she wanted me to do it with her. I told her I would only do it if she would commit to train and run together at least 1-2 times a week. Otherwise I knew that I would eventually give up. So that's how it started. In November I couldn't even run for 10 minutes without feeling as if my lungs were collapsing, and unfortunately, that meant I could barely run a mile. I was again incredibly doubtful that running the entire 13.1 miles could be a reality for me in May. Anne wasn't.
Quite honestly, I never actually enjoyed the training. Running is not fun...inevitably your breathing gets labored and your legs hurt. The reality that you are not oh, so young hits you often like a 2 x 4. First, my ankles hurt. Then, it was my knees. It was COLD outside. In February we ran a "Think Spring" 5k ~ those 3.1 miles felt like 13.1! The realization that a 5k is not even quite a quarter of a half-marathon is not a pleasant one. The realization that we actually paid money to torture ourselves, plus money for a hotel room was also discouraging. What was I thinking??? Through all this Anne was encouraging. She kept telling me I was doing alright, that I was even ahead of where she was at the same point in training last year. At the same time she pushed me further than I would have ever gone alone...earning herself the loving term "Hitler". Later in training when we went for a long run and my knees were killing me, she went ahead and then came back for me. She never made me feel bad about slowing her down.
While I never really enjoyed the running, I did enjoy achieving longer distances and times without walking. Before this, 2 miles was the longest distance I had ever consecutively run, and I'd never planned to try to go further. The other plus? Spending time with my friend. Life as a teacher, mother, wife, daughter, & sister is full. I'm always WAY behind on my "to do" list. Often, there just isn't time in the day for a nice long chat on the phone, or coming over for tea... but because we needed to get the run in, we got to spend time chatting as well ~ at least until the point in the run when we could no longer breathe! I am so thankful for the opportunity we had to renew our friendship and to spend time sharing about our lives, our children, our God, and everything else in between. In high school our friendship was worthwhile AND easy. As 30 somethings, our friendship is just as worthwhile, but sometimes not quite as easy to find the time for. I think if anything, this is what would motivate me to put myself through such a journey again. I'm proud of this accomplishment ~ absolutely! I can say I've done it, and in some ways, that's enough. No need to repeat it. There are definitely a zillion things calling for my time and attention these days. I am certainly NOT wondering what I could be doing with the hour or two previously spent on the workout and recovering. But, less than 2 weeks following the big event, I find myself missing the time spent doing something good and healthy for my body while simultaneously doing something good and healthy for my spirit. Hopefully the time spent together was good for her spirit, too. I'm hopeful we'll be training together again soon, as long as it's not for a triathlon!
Nothing Worthwhile is Ever Easy ~ Mike's high school cross country coach said those words all the time. I started dating Mike when I was a junior in high school and he was a senior. I also started dating Mike during cross country season. I knew nothing about cross country. Nothing. But I learned...and fast. One thing I learned fast from other runners' girlfriends was to avoid the coach. He didn't believe in runners having girlfriends, they said. Apparently his theory was that his runners had all of their lives to date, but only a moment in time to be a good runner. In retrospect, I'm not sure how it happened that Mike and I ever began dating, because at that time he lived and died according to everything Coach said. Somehow we did though, and the gain was all mine. Not only did I have a nice boyfriend with a sweet Letterman's jacket, I gained a true friend (Anne) who was also dating a runner at the time. When she and Mike both graduated that spring, I cried more over her leaving me than I did over him ~ (at that time I figured boyfriends could come and go, but surviving a year in high school without my truest friend there with me seemed unbearable!) Anne and I cheered at meets together...first cross country meets, where she boldly said to Coach, "Coach, you be nice to her(me), she's scared of you!", and later track meets. We enjoyed the sidelines together, cheering and laughing, and building a friendship. We made good luck signs and went to Dairy Queen and had sleep overs and shared perfume. And even then I realized that what made our friendship so precious to me is that it was easy. I didn't have to pretend to be someone I wasn't, or compromise my values, or compete for Anne's friendship. We just clicked...we were kindred spirits, as the movie says, and I loved her. Still, I watched Mike work as hard as he could to be a scholar athlete, and I saw what Coach meant when he said, "Nothing Worthwhile is Ever Easy." And I believed that it was true...most of the time.
Fast forward 17 years...I'm married to that scholar athlete ( I have been for 12 years!), and believe it or not, Coach's two sweet girls were the flower girls in our wedding. Coach is my principal at the school where I teach! Anne is still one of my truest and dearest friends... by a miracle we even live in the same town! And more and more Coach's mantra that Nothing Worthwhile is Ever Easy proves itself to be true.And now to the point of the post (and yes, I am very aware that it took FOREVER to get to the point...)
About a week and a half ago I achieved something I didn't believe was possible. It was worthwhile. It WASN'T easy. But with my friend it happened. I RAN! And not just a little bit! I finished a half-marathon. And I ran the entire thing. I never stopped...not once..... 13.1 MILES, PEOPLE!!!! I finished in 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 20 seconds. And yes, that means I actually ran for 2 HOURS 18 MINUTES and 20 SECONDS!!! I still can hardly believe it. I realize that many have done this, have run this inconceivable distance, and even run it much, much faster than I did. But we're talking about me in this post, and until Saturday, May 7, 2011, I had not. And I did not actually believe I ever could.
But Anne did.
As mentioned in the previous post, Anne called me up one November evening and asked if I would consider doing the mini with her. Eventually I agreed...partly because I had been sedentary for WAY too long, but mostly because I was amazed, (and secretly flattered) that she believed I could do it, and that she wanted me to do it with her. I told her I would only do it if she would commit to train and run together at least 1-2 times a week. Otherwise I knew that I would eventually give up. So that's how it started. In November I couldn't even run for 10 minutes without feeling as if my lungs were collapsing, and unfortunately, that meant I could barely run a mile. I was again incredibly doubtful that running the entire 13.1 miles could be a reality for me in May. Anne wasn't.
Quite honestly, I never actually enjoyed the training. Running is not fun...inevitably your breathing gets labored and your legs hurt. The reality that you are not oh, so young hits you often like a 2 x 4. First, my ankles hurt. Then, it was my knees. It was COLD outside. In February we ran a "Think Spring" 5k ~ those 3.1 miles felt like 13.1! The realization that a 5k is not even quite a quarter of a half-marathon is not a pleasant one. The realization that we actually paid money to torture ourselves, plus money for a hotel room was also discouraging. What was I thinking??? Through all this Anne was encouraging. She kept telling me I was doing alright, that I was even ahead of where she was at the same point in training last year. At the same time she pushed me further than I would have ever gone alone...earning herself the loving term "Hitler". Later in training when we went for a long run and my knees were killing me, she went ahead and then came back for me. She never made me feel bad about slowing her down.
While I never really enjoyed the running, I did enjoy achieving longer distances and times without walking. Before this, 2 miles was the longest distance I had ever consecutively run, and I'd never planned to try to go further. The other plus? Spending time with my friend. Life as a teacher, mother, wife, daughter, & sister is full. I'm always WAY behind on my "to do" list. Often, there just isn't time in the day for a nice long chat on the phone, or coming over for tea... but because we needed to get the run in, we got to spend time chatting as well ~ at least until the point in the run when we could no longer breathe! I am so thankful for the opportunity we had to renew our friendship and to spend time sharing about our lives, our children, our God, and everything else in between. In high school our friendship was worthwhile AND easy. As 30 somethings, our friendship is just as worthwhile, but sometimes not quite as easy to find the time for. I think if anything, this is what would motivate me to put myself through such a journey again. I'm proud of this accomplishment ~ absolutely! I can say I've done it, and in some ways, that's enough. No need to repeat it. There are definitely a zillion things calling for my time and attention these days. I am certainly NOT wondering what I could be doing with the hour or two previously spent on the workout and recovering. But, less than 2 weeks following the big event, I find myself missing the time spent doing something good and healthy for my body while simultaneously doing something good and healthy for my spirit. Hopefully the time spent together was good for her spirit, too. I'm hopeful we'll be training together again soon, as long as it's not for a triathlon!
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| Me, Maria, & Anne before the race...don't we look happy and energetic? |
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| Still waiting for the start... |
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| There were SO many people there...over 30,000! |
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| The corrals begin at A (where the FAST people are (like Grant's kindergarten teacher...no joke!) ) We were in O. |
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| Only finishers get these totally awesome medals:) |
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| Mike was a fabulous support system throughout this entire journey. He never complained about the time I took to go run, he watched kids (ours and the Lowes') when we needed him to so we could run, and he stayed at the start the entire time until we began running. I couldn't have done this without him! Knowing you have a friend that believes in you, even when you don't, and accomplishing something you thought impossible - because she believed you could, is very worthwhile. |
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Like Trying to Escape the Freight Train...
It's Coming. . . .
Unless I figure out a way to halt time, the reality that I cannot avoid Saturday, May 7 forever is painfully clear. Saturday is the designated day for the Indianapolis Mini Marathon. This would not really be a big deal to me except for one minor detail... during a moment of complete and utter insanity I signed up to participate. Why would I do such a thing? Whatever could have possessed me to make such a decision??? A little review~
Anne called in November to see if I might be interested in doing the race with her this year (she did it last year and survived). My gut reaction ~ NOOO WAY!!! What good could EVER EVER come from running 13.1 miles in ... a ... row??? But, (there's always a but, is there not??)
*I was flattered she thought I might even possibly be capable of this feat
* I have gained pounds in my sedentary lifestyle that I thought might want to jump ship if I began running (No such luck, by the way, they seem to be exceedingly comfortable living with me!)
*I thought it might be an avenue to new shoes, and I LOVE new shoes! ( I got 2 new pairs of shoes, but I'm not yet sure that this is the best way to make that happen!)
* Mike said, and I quote: "I think it would be good for you," (He later acted shocked when I told him I'd signed up, and claimed he thought it would be good FOR me, not necessarily a good IDEA...I'm sure you can see how my misunderstanding occurred!)
* I wanted the kiddos to know that Daddy is not the only one who can exercise.
* I felt the "Now or Never" pressure ~ possibly never is not always bad!
The nerves are setting in. I didn't sleep too well last night, I was dreaming and waking up with thoughts of the race. I fear the humiliation of going so slow that the little golf cart comes to pick me up because I exceed the maximum time limit. My body has proven that it is not quite so young and resilient as I had hoped ~ 34 is NOT the new 20, just so you know!
I fear getting lost, oversleeping and missing the start, under sleeping and being too tired, forgetting my shoes, broken down cars on the way, traffic jams, losing my ticket, looking rather stupid, slowing Anne WAY down, and throwing up...to name just a few.
In January I still had dreams of running an amazing race and finishing 10 minutes faster than my goal. I invited much of my family to come be there at the end to witness my triumphant finish. That dream has since turned into the previously mentioned nightmare, and I would like to request that everyone stay home, at least except for Mike ( he's my emergency contact, and I need him to hold my jacket!)
As I try to deal with this anxiety and still live daily life this week, I fully anticipate that tonight I will dream that I am tied to the train tracks as the freight train blows its horn wildly and is barrelling straight towards me...
I am trying to escape the Freight train...
but it's turning into a big train car full of Sport Beans....
Possibly I should give up trying to live daily life this week and focus my attention solely on halting time...
Unless I figure out a way to halt time, the reality that I cannot avoid Saturday, May 7 forever is painfully clear. Saturday is the designated day for the Indianapolis Mini Marathon. This would not really be a big deal to me except for one minor detail... during a moment of complete and utter insanity I signed up to participate. Why would I do such a thing? Whatever could have possessed me to make such a decision??? A little review~
Anne called in November to see if I might be interested in doing the race with her this year (she did it last year and survived). My gut reaction ~ NOOO WAY!!! What good could EVER EVER come from running 13.1 miles in ... a ... row??? But, (there's always a but, is there not??)
*I was flattered she thought I might even possibly be capable of this feat
* I have gained pounds in my sedentary lifestyle that I thought might want to jump ship if I began running (No such luck, by the way, they seem to be exceedingly comfortable living with me!)
*I thought it might be an avenue to new shoes, and I LOVE new shoes! ( I got 2 new pairs of shoes, but I'm not yet sure that this is the best way to make that happen!)
* Mike said, and I quote: "I think it would be good for you," (He later acted shocked when I told him I'd signed up, and claimed he thought it would be good FOR me, not necessarily a good IDEA...I'm sure you can see how my misunderstanding occurred!)
* I wanted the kiddos to know that Daddy is not the only one who can exercise.
* I felt the "Now or Never" pressure ~ possibly never is not always bad!
The nerves are setting in. I didn't sleep too well last night, I was dreaming and waking up with thoughts of the race. I fear the humiliation of going so slow that the little golf cart comes to pick me up because I exceed the maximum time limit. My body has proven that it is not quite so young and resilient as I had hoped ~ 34 is NOT the new 20, just so you know!
I fear getting lost, oversleeping and missing the start, under sleeping and being too tired, forgetting my shoes, broken down cars on the way, traffic jams, losing my ticket, looking rather stupid, slowing Anne WAY down, and throwing up...to name just a few.
In January I still had dreams of running an amazing race and finishing 10 minutes faster than my goal. I invited much of my family to come be there at the end to witness my triumphant finish. That dream has since turned into the previously mentioned nightmare, and I would like to request that everyone stay home, at least except for Mike ( he's my emergency contact, and I need him to hold my jacket!)
As I try to deal with this anxiety and still live daily life this week, I fully anticipate that tonight I will dream that I am tied to the train tracks as the freight train blows its horn wildly and is barrelling straight towards me...
I am trying to escape the Freight train...
but it's turning into a big train car full of Sport Beans....
Possibly I should give up trying to live daily life this week and focus my attention solely on halting time...
Friday, April 29, 2011
Princesses & Weddings..and Such
It seems to be that the majority of my friends and acquaintances aren't all that interested in the Royal Wedding that took place today. As I took an informal poll the range of enthusiasm for the wedding went from lukewarm to utter disgust (Grandma!). Oh, there were a couple exceptions...my mom finds it intriguing, and my Lori (who has been lovingly dubbed "Queenie" in our family for almost as long as I can remember) does too. And, I enjoyed a long post-wedding chat about the event with my sister.
Now, I find this general lack of enthusiasm unfortunate... anyone who knows me knows that I Love, Love, Love all things "princessy", "weddingy" and romantic. A friend/former roommate once claimed that if I ever had a daughter she would probably look like pepto-bismol exploded all over her. That's a bit harsh, I think!
Well, guess what...I have two sons and no daughters... and there is a distinct lack of most things pink or "princessy" at our house, and a plethora of light sabers and balls and cars and planes. Please don't mistake this for a complaint...of course I love my boys and would never,ever trade them for any little girl. But one does crave a feminine fix now and then, doesn't one? And, Angie, the Warrior Dash certainly doesn't qualify :)!!!
This morning's Royal Marriage fit the bill quite nicely. And, to make things even better, Mom came over just after 5:00 with fancy tea cups (so what if we filled them with java instead of tea!), and English muffins. We sat together and enjoyed a very peaceful early breakfast and kept our own running commentary of all the different ensembles and head wear displayed. The bride was stunning, the flower girls were precious, and my inner princess is content and satisfied, shored up and ready to jump back into the world of soccer, boats, and bikes just in time for Isaac's 9th birthday dinner tonight!
Photo Disclaimer:
Please remember that it was early...just after 5:00 a.m.! I came straight from sleeping in bed to the "telly"...hey we didn't attend the wedding, no need to get gorgeous! Still, I loved making these memories with Mom this morning!
Now, I find this general lack of enthusiasm unfortunate... anyone who knows me knows that I Love, Love, Love all things "princessy", "weddingy" and romantic. A friend/former roommate once claimed that if I ever had a daughter she would probably look like pepto-bismol exploded all over her. That's a bit harsh, I think!
Well, guess what...I have two sons and no daughters... and there is a distinct lack of most things pink or "princessy" at our house, and a plethora of light sabers and balls and cars and planes. Please don't mistake this for a complaint...of course I love my boys and would never,ever trade them for any little girl. But one does crave a feminine fix now and then, doesn't one? And, Angie, the Warrior Dash certainly doesn't qualify :)!!!
This morning's Royal Marriage fit the bill quite nicely. And, to make things even better, Mom came over just after 5:00 with fancy tea cups (so what if we filled them with java instead of tea!), and English muffins. We sat together and enjoyed a very peaceful early breakfast and kept our own running commentary of all the different ensembles and head wear displayed. The bride was stunning, the flower girls were precious, and my inner princess is content and satisfied, shored up and ready to jump back into the world of soccer, boats, and bikes just in time for Isaac's 9th birthday dinner tonight!
Please remember that it was early...just after 5:00 a.m.! I came straight from sleeping in bed to the "telly"...hey we didn't attend the wedding, no need to get gorgeous! Still, I loved making these memories with Mom this morning!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Yesterday the sun was shining. Yesterday there was a carnival, and I ran...a lot. Yesterday is over.
Today it is raining. It is chilly, possibly even cold. There is no carnival. I have not run yet, and who knows if I will muster enough energy to get up and do so.
BUT... I got another piece of pie from Mom and I got to eat it while sitting on her couch:) My boys are playing war (the card game) with a very enthusiastic PopEd, and not getting into any trouble at all:) The kiddos and I went to Grant's favorite spot The Chinese Buffet for lunch today, and while I find the quality of the cuisine lacking a bit, my boys were happy and I didn't have to clean up the kitchen this afternoon. I took a nap before we walked over here. Mike will be home at this time tomorrow. So, while I began this note with a crummy view on my day, once again my perspective has changed a bit during the writing process.
Although I still wouldn't mind if the the rain, rain would go away.
Just thought I'd share:)
Today it is raining. It is chilly, possibly even cold. There is no carnival. I have not run yet, and who knows if I will muster enough energy to get up and do so.
BUT... I got another piece of pie from Mom and I got to eat it while sitting on her couch:) My boys are playing war (the card game) with a very enthusiastic PopEd, and not getting into any trouble at all:) The kiddos and I went to Grant's favorite spot The Chinese Buffet for lunch today, and while I find the quality of the cuisine lacking a bit, my boys were happy and I didn't have to clean up the kitchen this afternoon. I took a nap before we walked over here. Mike will be home at this time tomorrow. So, while I began this note with a crummy view on my day, once again my perspective has changed a bit during the writing process.
Although I still wouldn't mind if the the rain, rain would go away.
Just thought I'd share:)
Saturday, March 19, 2011
I am NOT in Florida!!!
So, my brother-in-law got married at Ft. Myers Beach at 3:30 today. A beach wedding...it's about 87 degrees there... one of my top two all time favorite places happens to be the beach...one of our best-ever family vacations as adults with children was at (just guess, I dare you!) yep, the beach...Ft. Myers Beach, to be exact.
My husband flew out yesterday... but when we booked his flight in January we just didn't think we could swing the cost of three more tickets for the rest of us. We were right, and I know in my heart that this was really the only financially responsible decision, something we are far too often not so good at making. I had every intention of handling this quietly and gracefully.
Someday I will succeed at acheiving my good intentions. Not so with this trip. As the day grew ever nearer, I felt something akin to panic within me as time passed and I had not yet found any last minute deals that would get me and the boys to the beach for this wedding for a realistic amount of money. I have exhausted every option and made a Herculean type effort at finding a way to justify us going to Florida, and being able to do it on a dime. My friends and family are all quite aware of where I would like to be today, and have been quite gracious as they listen to my moaning and complaining ( By the way, thank you, my loved ones, for continuing to put up with me these days!)
Finally, I have resigned myself to the fact that Isaac, Grant, and I are spending this weekend in Indiana, and, as I oh-so-often make my children do when they are acting ungrateful about their circumstances, I have decided to do my best to focus on my blessings rather than on Florida's beaches. Bear with me as I perform self-therapy and list a few of them:
1. The sun is shining here in Indiana today, and the temperature is actually 20 degrees above freezing.
2. No one in this house is either running a temperature or vomitting!
3. It is the weekend of the elementary school carnival, giving the three of us an economical way to spend the afternoon and distract ourselves.
4. With my dear friend and running partner's help, I was able to run 45 minutes without stopping, then continue for about 40 more minutes with minimal walking, for my longest "run" ever...while her husband kept track of the kiddos and delivered gatorade and sport beans at that ever so crucial 45 minute mark.
5. Spring break is just around the corner, and I get to spend it with another fabulous friend, one of my kiddos, and a couple of hers, while our husbands take the older boys on a big hiking/camping trip.
6. A youth from our church came over this morning to work at cleaning up my back yard because I purchased his time and effort at a labor auction last spring that helped him go on a missions trip to Honduras. I hate cleaning up leaves and debris in the spring when I want to plan my flowers and landscaping.
7. I have not recently experienced a tsunami, and feel fairly confident I do not live in a tsunami danger zone.
8. My children are currently spending a couple hours at a friend's house, and I get to blog and mindlessly surf the internet while they are gone.
9. My mom purchased one of my all-time favorite types of pie @ the aforementioned carnival, and beofre I plugged myself in to the computer I enjoyed pie and coffee while I leafed through my brand-new BH&G magazine, alone.
10. My wonderful husband will be home on Monday...not even a week, month, or year from when he left. To all you women who have military husbands or husbands that are in a line of work that keep him away a lot, way to be strong! I am a pretty big wimp, and I miss my man.
Those were the first 10 blessings that came to my mind...and as I wrote them I realized I could keep going on, and on, and on...so although I am NOT in Florida, I am also NOT suffering the way I may have made it seem in the past days and weeks. Thanks for bearing with me as I used this spot in cyberspace as a little bit of therapy and a little bit of a reality check.
Have a great Sunday tomorrow:)
My husband flew out yesterday... but when we booked his flight in January we just didn't think we could swing the cost of three more tickets for the rest of us. We were right, and I know in my heart that this was really the only financially responsible decision, something we are far too often not so good at making. I had every intention of handling this quietly and gracefully.
Someday I will succeed at acheiving my good intentions. Not so with this trip. As the day grew ever nearer, I felt something akin to panic within me as time passed and I had not yet found any last minute deals that would get me and the boys to the beach for this wedding for a realistic amount of money. I have exhausted every option and made a Herculean type effort at finding a way to justify us going to Florida, and being able to do it on a dime. My friends and family are all quite aware of where I would like to be today, and have been quite gracious as they listen to my moaning and complaining ( By the way, thank you, my loved ones, for continuing to put up with me these days!)
Finally, I have resigned myself to the fact that Isaac, Grant, and I are spending this weekend in Indiana, and, as I oh-so-often make my children do when they are acting ungrateful about their circumstances, I have decided to do my best to focus on my blessings rather than on Florida's beaches. Bear with me as I perform self-therapy and list a few of them:
1. The sun is shining here in Indiana today, and the temperature is actually 20 degrees above freezing.
2. No one in this house is either running a temperature or vomitting!
3. It is the weekend of the elementary school carnival, giving the three of us an economical way to spend the afternoon and distract ourselves.
4. With my dear friend and running partner's help, I was able to run 45 minutes without stopping, then continue for about 40 more minutes with minimal walking, for my longest "run" ever...while her husband kept track of the kiddos and delivered gatorade and sport beans at that ever so crucial 45 minute mark.
5. Spring break is just around the corner, and I get to spend it with another fabulous friend, one of my kiddos, and a couple of hers, while our husbands take the older boys on a big hiking/camping trip.
6. A youth from our church came over this morning to work at cleaning up my back yard because I purchased his time and effort at a labor auction last spring that helped him go on a missions trip to Honduras. I hate cleaning up leaves and debris in the spring when I want to plan my flowers and landscaping.
7. I have not recently experienced a tsunami, and feel fairly confident I do not live in a tsunami danger zone.
8. My children are currently spending a couple hours at a friend's house, and I get to blog and mindlessly surf the internet while they are gone.
9. My mom purchased one of my all-time favorite types of pie @ the aforementioned carnival, and beofre I plugged myself in to the computer I enjoyed pie and coffee while I leafed through my brand-new BH&G magazine, alone.
10. My wonderful husband will be home on Monday...not even a week, month, or year from when he left. To all you women who have military husbands or husbands that are in a line of work that keep him away a lot, way to be strong! I am a pretty big wimp, and I miss my man.
Those were the first 10 blessings that came to my mind...and as I wrote them I realized I could keep going on, and on, and on...so although I am NOT in Florida, I am also NOT suffering the way I may have made it seem in the past days and weeks. Thanks for bearing with me as I used this spot in cyberspace as a little bit of therapy and a little bit of a reality check.
Have a great Sunday tomorrow:)
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