Then and now.

Then....

And now...

Love these sweet kiddos.  So thankful they are growing up together.  We might not get to get them together as often as we like but that makes us cherish our moments together even more.

We finally made it!

To the beach that is....And it was Kyra's first time! She absolutely loved it! She is truly our beach baby.

Excited for the beach!

Engrossed in her book. 

We took too long to get there. 

Konked out.

Loved it. 

Teagan preferred the land to the sea. 

Building sandcastles! 

Toes in the sand! 

Waiting with "her" Miles David to eat.  The last time they were here together Teagan was barely 5 months old. 

Sweet friends. 

Kyra Mae, wanting to be with the "big kids". 

Yes, I love to match them.  Don't judge. 

Kyra walking with her Aunt Jeana. 

We take them to eat seafood and Kyra wants corn. 

T wanted a cheeseburger but ended up eating all of my crab cakes...I got the burger.  Go figure. 

Me and my littlest.  

Long run on the beach, yes please!

Post run dip in the ocean. 

Italian ice. 

We had a live concert too! 

Marathon training update.

I am trying not to flood the blog with running craziness but right now it's a big part of our lives and will be for a few months so, here it is.
I am in week four and averaging anywhere from 15 to 20 miles a week.  I am feeling pretty good, I occasionally ice after runs just as precaution.
I have truly been blessed with friends from our church who love me enough to allow me to run to their houses on my long run mornings.  This means they are getting up early, and driving me back home a sweaty nasty mess (thanks, humidity).  They even love me enough to hydrate me!  That is truly love.  Especially when their kiddos are not early risers and I am at their house before or right at 6am.
This Sunday is a 9 miler, the longest I've ran on this training program, so we shall see how it goes.  That will bring this weeks miles to 19.

I've come to a few conclusions during these last few weeks.
1) I desperately need new shoes.  Did you catch that word DESPERATELY?  I'm looking at these, these, these and these.
2) I would love to have a running watch, like the Garmin Forerunner 10.
3) When your iPod STOPS working and you use your iPhone for music in the middle of summer and don't have anything to hold it, do NOT wrap it in a small plastic sandwich bag and place it in your sports bra.  I suffered for days from cuts on my chest, that burned from the sweat after other runs that week, I didn't realize where there until I stopped running.
4) I still hate running in shorts.  I tried it again and I just can't do it.
5) Yoga is an amazing thing.  I already knew that but it has helped me from becoming tight and the means I will likely be less prone to injury.  If you are in the Belmont/Mt. Holly area and want to try out the yoga scene, one of my dear friends owns a yoga studio that fits any fitness level.  It's called Simply Yoga and I get there as often as I can.
6) I'm looking into compression sleeves or socks.  Zensah and ProCompression are the front runners right now.
7) I will be collecting money via Crowdrise to achieve my goal of $1200 for the Getty Owl Foundation.  You can donate any time between now and November 16th.

 

Running partner.

You know when I wrote about not being a fan of running with people but then my mind changed some? Well, I changed my mind a little more last weekend.  I had THE best running partner ever.  We ran, we drank our water, and then of course we had to stretch.  

Teagan was so excited to get up, put on her running shoes, and run with me before church on Sunday.  We ran only to the stop sign and back but we could have ran to the end of the driveway and I think both of us would have been satisfied.  It was such a sweet time with my big girl.  

"When my skates are open wide"

I love when Teagan learns a new song.  The lyrics of this song are "I wanna sing, sing, sing, I wanna shout, shout, shout and praise the Lord.  When the gates are open wide..."  Teagan's version is a bit different.  

*you probably need to turn it up a little to hear it*

Legacy.

We started a new sermon series at church.  A series on the life of Joseph.  The Joseph with the rainbow coat and the dreams, not the Joseph who was Jesus' earthly father.  While I enjoyed Pastor Brian's sermon on Sunday, something he said was like a kick in the gut.  It reminded me of how I was and how I can sometimes still be.
I am a "recovering church-goer".  Now, simmer down for a minute and take a few breaths.  This is not something that is meant be taken offensively.  Hear me out before you tune out.
I was raised in church.  I was in church every single time the doors were open.  I went sick but not contagious.  Sundays, Wednesdays, and a lot of other days.  I am blessed that I was raised in church.  The foundation was laid but I misinterpreted the message.  I thought that BECAUSE I went to church every time the doors were open, BECAUSE I knew all the songs the choir was singing, BECAUSE I memorized enough Bible verses at church camp, BECAUSE I was the "good girl", that I deserved (did you catch that? I thought I deserved) God's favor.  I have always enjoyed reading the story of Joseph.  I have never thought it applied to me.  Looking at myself growing up and looking at myself now, I see it applies.  Oh boy, does it apply.
Pastor Brian talked about when we rely on ourselves, when we rely on the idea that we have "done it all right" we do one of two things when that idea fails because trust me, that idea fails.  We either fall into a pit of despair or we blame God.  I might be an outlier in the equation, because I did both.  I spent a lot of my teenage years and early twenties thinking God didn't love me because I was doing everything "right" feeling like I wasn't getting what I wanted or hating him with a passion for not giving me the things I wanted or thought I deserved.  I mirrored Joseph's arrogance and ignorance in his early years.  I failed to realize that even though, like Pastor Brian said, I DO have a part in His story, I am NOT central.  This is something I still struggle with.  I am NOT the lead role in my story because it's not MY story.  It's HIS.  I might never have a role that places me on the proverbial stage.  I may always be behind the curtain making sure certain players actually get on the stage.  Supporting them.  I enjoy that and I'm good at that.  The "stage" is truly glamorized and it shouldn't be.  I have to realize, and pray for this realization daily because sometimes even though I enjoy the supporting role I have the urge to jump on the stage and scream "I AM HERE WORLD!"
I am so thankful for the growth I have been able to see in myself over the last few years.  I also know how much more work needs to be done.  I am far from complete.  I am far from perfect.  I am thankful that those things are okay.  My sweet Savior died for me so I may have free grace to screw up and be far from perfect.  Wow.  Just wow.        

  

Shorts.

I don't like shorts.  I have MAYBE 6 pair.  1 running, 2 of those cotton kind that I wore (still wear) to volleyball practice in middle/high school/college, and 3 pair (2 of which I don't wear) of casual shorts.  I just hate them.  Give me a pair of running pants any day over a pair of shorts.

Today I ran in shorts.  I have a pair of Nike running shorts.  I don't hate them for hanging around the house or a Target run but not to run in.  Don't get me wrong, I like the material, they have a millions colors, they stay cool, they have built in undies and a small key pocket, but they are not the shorts to bring me to the dark side.  However, if you are a shorts person I would recommend these shorts.

*I was NOT compensated for my review.  The opinions above are completely honest and my own.*