Running for me is life

Today I headed out for a 6km run. My final run of the week and I was going to make it a hard one. 10 minutes before heading out my 9 year old daughter asked me if she could run with me. So we did. And it was amazing. She was amazing.
When I watch her run, I see so much potential. I see HER. I see her spirit and her youth. I see her entire life ahead of her, full of triumphs and disappointments. I see myself all over again before I made all the mistakes I made that I can't erase....and I am filled with so much hope and joy and love for her.

When I run I get to forget my past. I get to move on, and conquer once again. I get another chance to push myself past my limit of what I think I can achieve. Running proves to me that I'm still here. I have not given up and there is still so much hope left in ME. There are triumphs still waiting.

To share that with my daughter brings me a joy I can hardly put into words. When I watch the video below I get the same feeling as I do when I see her run.When I see any of our four beautiful children accomplish anything amazing..which is all the time. I get the same feeling when I conquer another km, another milestone. Another run.

Running has also allowed me to let go. To let God take control of every day,every run, and every step. Every run is not a record, but every run and every step is a victory....know what I mean??


Watch the video. Know that YOU too can conquer anything. Any fear. Any desire. You just have to want it bad enough and believe in yourself.

This video for me is also not just about victory. It is not just about getting up and finishing after falling. It is about believing who you are. Who God made you to be. That girl KNEW she would win that race. She knew deep in her heart that she was the fastest runner there.  She did not allow a fall to take that from her. 

So what will I do the next time life knocks me down? What will YOU do?



Back Breaking Days

My BACK IS KILLING ME!!!!

I am running again, hanging laundry on the line, weeding the garden, doing yard clean up and carting a very cranky teething non sleeping 7 month old around...EVERYWHERE.

I have to admit that I'm BEAT!!! I am sitting here at 8pm and I don't have anything left. I'm sure that once I get more than 3 hrs in a row of sleep that I will recover. I just need the REST.

Oh how REST IS IMPORTANT.

Hey...Did you know that lack of sleep and too much caffeine leads to weight gain? And that if you are trying to lose weight just going to bed earlier and cutting out the coffee (and thus need for it) will allow your body to shed the pounds???
Frankly I don't really care right now because until Audrey sleeps through the night coffee is a survival mechanism. For me AND the kids.

Anyway. I'm here. I'm alive. I'm tired but happy. Fitting into my clothes again...with a muffin top,but who cares. I can sill hide in loose spring tops.

I'll deal with that later. Right now I need to get off the computer and go to bed.....Till Audrey gets up again of course ;)

Happy Campers all Around

I joined the YMCA. It was the best decision I could have made this winter.

I have been struggling getting outside in this frigid cold, and the kids are quite restless. You can shove a kid outside in these temperatures for only so long.

So....

We made the plunge as a family and got a membership. We were worried at first about the expense but it is the Y!!! They change your fee depending on your salary. From Free to Whatever!! Yay for us!!

It has worked out Fantastic so far.

When Adam is working I can take all three kids, drop the littlest off at the fun play center, and the oldest gets to do programs.

I get a break from them...and they get a break from me.

The extra beauty of it all is that swimming lessons are included as well as any other program. We can go whenever we feel like it which is wonderful since Adam works shifts and his schedule is never the same. I don't HAVE to go on certain days or times.

I also LOVE that I only need to leave them for 30mins-1hr...and voila! we are together again. No two hour babysitting while I run into town for a workout. This way they make new friends as well.

So...happy all around are we ;)


I'm really....really sore these days though as my body remembers what lunges feel like.

The Big 30

I turn 30 in 5 days.

I am running 3 times this week for stress relief and once on my birthday to remind myself that I am only as old as I allow myself to be.

I have to say...I am fitter than I was in high school. More tired yes, but alot more fit. I am also more self confident,self assured, and all around comfortable with the person I am. I no longer care what other people think of my looks, except for my husband. I am o.k with wearing whatever I feel beautiful in even if it is not in-style, and I love myself enough to take care of my body,mind,and soul. I know there is a God and know that I can find peace and hapiness only with him in my life. I am o.k knowing that I don't know it all, and know that character building comes with experience.

If that is what 30 years of age,grey hair and fine lines comes with, then I think I am o.k with it all.