13.1

So about a year ago I got an email telling me if I signed up for the Canyonlands Half Marathon a year in advance I would get to pay a discounted price. Well I had recently had a baby and needed something to motivate me to try to get back in shape. Of course I didn't want to do it by myself so I called Lindsay who was currently pregnant with triplets and talked her into letting me sign her up too.

Throughout the year I ran a little bit then around December it hit me that I really needed to get my butt in gear. And I tried as hard as I could. With my hubby in school it was hard to get away to work out. I also keep pulling muscles in my neck/back. I had to deal with illnesses and tests and Young Womens and SAA. Not to mention I was trying to train on a treadmill most of the time (did you know that when it snows in the Denver area it snows A LOT). I was blessed with some wonderfully warm days and a wonderful and supportive husband but I did end up asking myself why I thought I could do this on an almost daily basis.

Anyway, last week we headed to Moab. Because Andrew didn't have any required classes on Friday we got to go over a day early. The weather was perfect for a picnic at the park with bubbles and kite flying (well technically the weather was only kinda okay for kite flying).

I promise my dad knew the picture was being taken, guess his food was more important.

Alex and Mckenna were so happy to be at Grandma and Grandpa's house! Alex was singing and dancing in his chair as we pulled up. 

 Mckenna's favorite part was Grandma Marie's treat bucket she spent as much time as possible with her head stuck in it.

 Grandma and Grandpa opened the candy every time she handed them a piece that she had found.

One of Alex's favorite things about Grandpa's is the egg sandwiches that Grandpa loves to make!

Anyway on to the run (please don't call it a race, I was not racing anyone!)

Alex came over and told me when I do the run 5 more times he will do it too, but he will beat Lindsay because he is way faster than her.

I have been having some pain with a muscle in the top of my leg but it didn't hurt that bad and I had been working so hard to train so I decided to run anyway. After chasing Lindsay for the first mile I tried to settle into my own pace but I felt so slow because everyone kept passing me. Turns out I was actually going a bit faster than my goal pace. My two goals were to not walk and to get between 2:10 and 2;20. Mile five felt really good but by mile six I was struggling with major pain in my hip. (Probably because I was running differently to keep the strain off my leg). I was way frustrated because I have never ever had problems with my hips before. I ended up walking a bit and wishing the run was over. I ran most of the last mile and was surprised to see that my time was under 2:23, I had felt like I was doing way worse. I was so happy to see Andrew and Alex cheering for me at the end and crossing the finish was so rewarding. I still kinda feel like I failed because I didn't make either of my goals and I wish that I had been in better shape so it wasn't so hard.Plus my hip hurt so bad I almost cried leaving the park. I was able to keep smiling throughout the miles of pain, the temptation stop where guys handed out beer and burgers and twinkies had me laughing out loud, I waved and smiled at the Tyko drummers and by the end I was waving and trying to get any cheers of encouragement from spectators along the road. 

I now have a dead toenail, a fever blister, sore muscles in my legs, back and abs, a sore hip, shin splints and I still have this annoying pulled muscle at the top of my leg. Not to mention I could barely walk for about three days. Yet a part of me wants to sign up again so I can prove that I am not a failure. Then the other part of me tells me that I am CRAZY!

Thanks to Lindsay for letting me talk you into the run and my wonderful hubby for encouraging me and to Dad and Marie for making the weekend wonderful and supporting us and playing with my kiddos while I barely moved for the rest of the weekend. 

Spring Break and Sick Days!

Andrew had spring break two weeks ago. We had a list of fun things we wanted do such as: visit the candy factory and have a picnic at the Platte River and Megan getting in one last good run before the half marathon. We also had a list of things that we needed to get done such as: Andrew getting some of his shadowing hours done, cleaning out the closets and getting the oil changed in the car. We did get the closets cleaned out and we got the oil changed, then disaster struck in the form of the stomach flu and most of our plans were thwarted.

Alex was hit the hardest and spent the day crying because he was throwing up or was about to throw up. Mckenna was on a off and seemed fine most of the time. She did have a  diminished appetite, so we kept trying to get her to eat, then we quickly regretted that when it all came back. I always slept in my mom and dad's bed when I was sick so I thought it was adorable when Alex finally fell asleep on my bed that evening. Andrew's form of cleaning is to first make a huge mess, as I was trying to go through boxes Mckenna tumbled off a tote she had climbed onto. I was holding and trying to soothe her when she threw up all over both of us, a lot. While running a bath and stripping out of my disgusting clothes Alex came in and told me he had thrown up a little on my bed. Yeah try a lot. 

Thinking we had put the yuckiness behind us we went to Hammond's Candy Factory a couple days later.

It was great! We saw a video then got to watch the candy makers in the kitchen. Alex and Mckenna both thought the free sample was the best part.

We got to spend time shopping, really exciting stuff, you know a new vacuum and carpet cleaner (since some spots in our apartment smell like throw-up). Plus we went to Outdoor world, where Alex was super excited about the fish and where I struggled to get a picture of him and the big catfish. 

Sadly by the time we got home I had come to the realization that I had not escaped the stomach bug. After an evening of grossness I got up in the night and was so sick I passed out briefly, the only thing that made the world stop spinning was laying on the floor. I called Andrew to come help me, he stood by my side for a moment then washed his hands and slipped back to bed without a word. Thank you so much Student Dr. Alton. When I stood up to wash my hands and saw how pale I was in the mirror I was so scared, I can't believe he wasn't more concerned about me. 

Anyway I then spent the next two days taking it easy and did not get to do my final long run. We didn't get to make the most of Andrew's final spring break as a student and I think I need a do-over.  

I'm working on a list of things I want to do before Andrew started rotations so I guess that will have to do. 

Life Right Now

This is just a post about what my life looks like right now. School is stressful (sometimes I think it is way harder on me than it is on Andrew). I am struggling to train for a half marathon when it is snowy and cold or I can't go to the fitness center because Andrew has to stay at school. Sometime life seems kinda hard but sometimes it is beautiful. Sometimes I get to see my handsome man snuggling with baby girl and sometimes we get to go swimming or we have unseasonably warm weather and get to go play at the park. And then sometimes I catch my kiddos being adorable and I remember that the ups and downs of life are wonderful. I am trying so hard not to wish these years of school away because I don't want to miss out on these beautiful moments of my life right now. 

 Some moments look like this and that is ok too...

Because then there are some that look like this.

New Beginnings!!!!

I just want to brag a little about the wonderful young women I get to work with. When it came time to plan New Beginnings the leaders started forming ideas but when we met with the girls they had their own ideas about what they wanted to do. They had seen the "Up" theme done and they knew exactly how they wanted to carry it out.  It turned out to be wonderful and a perfect way to introduce the theme for the year! I'm so proud of the girls! Lets all "Embark in the Service of God!"