Drumroll Please!!!!

Ladies and Gentleman,

I am pleased to announce that I have walked 69 miles for the month of January.

Now this means that I missed 17 miles. I definitely need to work on getting my walks in during the weeks that I have the kids. Also, I missed one mile last night. Since this was due to the gym closing, I feel it was a sign from God giving me permission to end a mile early and go get a hot fudge sundae. The fact that the Sonic's ice cream machine was broken did not deter my belief in this fact one little bit! (It just postponed my hot fudge sundae consumption for a day.)

On to February and all the blisters, sore muscles and long talks with Robin!

"In the fast paced world in which we live, the exercise of walking provides a way to actually slow down, to talk with a friend or family member, or to just be alone without noise. For many, it just seems to be the right activity at the right moment in time."



                                                            ~John Jury

Training Schedule

I was asked today (due to my numerous Facebook posts regarding my long days of walking) what I was training for.  I was also asked what the training schedule was.

So, here's the link to the training schedule Robin and I are following. We would love people to join us! Especially on the 12 mile days!

http://walking.about.com/cs/breastcancerwalk/a/avonwalktrain.htm



You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is.

                                                       ~Ellen DeGeners

Let Thy Will Be Done

"Lord, let Thy will be done."

The hardest prayer that I think anyone will ever pray.  The wisest prayer, though.

I don't always want to pray that prayer. And, I will admit, I sometimes tack on my desires to the end, something like, "Lord, let Thy will be done; and, just in case You were wondering, I would REALLY like this or that to happen."

Sometimes it has worked. God's will has lined up with mine, and I'm granted whatever blessing I was hoping to receive. Other times, it didn't work that way. God's will was not my will. And, in more than one instance, I was pretty upset about that fact. But--and here's why I keep praying the prayer--in hindsight--in most of the cases where I've prayed this prayer--I can see where my will would have not placed me in as good of a position, or, honestly, I would have been miserable. And, in the rest, I have confidence that God just isn't ready to show the reason for His "no" yet.

So, again, Lord, let Thy will be done. You know what my heart's desire is, but I know that You know what is best for me. I just ask You give me the strength and patience to wait on Your answer!

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

 

                       ~Matthew 6:10

Righting Your World

Everyone needs someone that can right their world.  When you feel you have been turned upside down and backwards, that person that can make everything normal again--or at least manageable--is a blessing.

If we're lucky, the first "righters" are our parents. Through bad grades, lost friendships and broken hearts, our moms and dads help us to believe that it will all be okay.

Then we have our friends. These are the people that will either ask you if you are okay and then never say another word about it (This appears to me to be the man version of support.); or the people that will offer to inflict bodily harm, help devise evil plans, or provide chocolate and caffeine as needed (Definitely the female version of support.)

And then you have your lovers. These are the ones that can say, "It's gonna be okay." and you have full confidence in their words. Or just a strong hug and a kiss from them makes you take a deep breath and helps you to think clearly again. And, for those who are super lucky, you will have that someone where, upon hearing his or her voice, life becomes better.

Thank you to all those that right my world!

"You make me feel right when all is wrong. You make my heart grow just like the Grinch's. You aren't perfect, but you're perfect to me."

Thawing Out

The other day I walked on the dirt road at my mom and dad's place. I enjoyed being outside instead of on a treadmill, and overall had a good walk. It was a wee bit cold, though, and I was sorely under dressed. It took me several hours to completely thaw out and feel warm. During the thawing process, I felt bad--almost as if my body was punishing me for repairing myself.

Sometimes I feel I'm emotionally thawing out. There are days when I become frustrated, because I'm neither numb nor am I pleasantly warm. I'm in the middle, still thawing, still aching. I know eventually I'll be better, and as each day goes by, I see a little bit more of myself and the good that is being accomplished. But, on especially hard days, I catch myself wishing I could have stayed numb.

But, to stay numb would mean to be dead to myself and to those I love. And, like I said, I can see how I'm changing for the better as each day ends. So, I'll keep thawing out--enduring the aches and pains--until I become the woman I'm supposed to be.

Thaw with her gentle persuasion is more powerful than Thor with his hammer. The one melts, the other breaks into pieces.
                                         ~Henry David Thoreau

Rainy Days

I love rainy days. The sound the rain makes on the roof as I'm curled up in bed is one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard. The smell and taste of my morning coffee seems just a little bit sweeter. The robe I wear feels like the softest piece of clothing on the earth at that moment.

Rainy days brings back good memories. Memories of snuggling up in bed with someone I love. Memories of sleeping late, reading a good book and watching old movies. Memories of sweet conversations and laughter.

I really do love rainy days.

Don't like small talk, love rainy days.

              ~Melissa Gilbert

Content

I'm sitting here watching one of my dogs sleep. She seems so peaceful...so content.

Contentment. It's a state that doesn't get enough props in life. You hear a lot about happiness. You hear tons about love. But contentment. Not so much.  Maybe because contentment has become synonymous with boredom. It seems that people feel, to accept contentment, you are "settling" for a less-than-full life.

For me, though, contentment is synonymous with faith. I have faith that, despite mistakes and missteps, God will continue to be there to support me through it all. I have faith in my love for my children and theirs for me. I have faith that, through any ups and downs, I will be able to be me.  None of this makes me bored...it makes me content.


“When you can think of yesterday without regret and tomorrow without fear, you are near contentment.”

“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.”



                                     ~Buddha quotes

Deep Breaths

Well, my babies are growing up. This became a stark reality within a short 24 hour period.

First, my son came home from a school carnival that he and his buddy attended. In discussing all the cool games and the prizes that my son won, my son mentioned the fact that a young lady around my son's age described him as "attractive."

HUH?!?!?! My baby is attractive?! Well, okay. Granted, he has some incredibly beautiful hazel eyes surrounded by long, dark eyelashes. And he's got some serious muscles on him for an eleven-year-old. And, okay, he is rather cute in my he's-my-baby-boy sort of way. But attractive? To a person of the opposite sex? And he's happy about it? (Deep breaths. Deep breaths.)

Next, my daughter informed me that she would like to re-paint her room green, because that is her new favorite color. Okay. I can do that. Perfectly normal for a little girl to outgrow pink. It was the next statement that made me a little uncomfortable. "And, then, I want you to write Justin Bieber's name all around my room in pink and purple."

WHAT?!?!?! Okay, perfectly normal for a child to have a crush on a celebrity. And all little girls put up posters of their favorite entertainers. But a 16-year-old boy? And my baby girl has a crush on him? And wants his name written all over her walls? (Deep breaths. Deep breaths.)

My babies are growing up. Every day they are less my little boy and girl and more my young man and young lady. Which is good. I want my children to grow and mature and become the wonderful persons that God has planned for them to be.

But, every once in awhile, I wish for time to slow down long enough for me to take a few deep breaths and hold my babies close--for just a little while longer.

Grown don't mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown? What's that suppose to mean? In my heart it don't mean a thing.
                          ~Toni Morrison, Beloved, 1987

New Wings

Someone once told me that, a person who's been through a divorce is like a bird that has a broken wing. The bird may be able to survive, but it will never soar again. This statement may be true for some, but I don't think it applies in my situation.

Sticking with the animal planet metaphors, I really feel that my situation fits more with the caterpillar to butterfly scenario. I lived my life, plugging along and making do in this world. Then I closed up into myself, withdrawing from everyone and everything, willing myself to heal. Now I've grown new wings, and I'm ready to soar!

The funny thing is, soaring to me doesn't mean going to exotic places or being wild and crazy on the weekends. Soaring to me is being able to enjoy giving myself to those I love without any inhibitions. Soaring is feeling like I can be myself and this will not make others unhappy. Soaring is just being able to be home and be content and at peace.

Yep, I'm definitely more the butterfly type.

Just like the butterfly, I too will awaken in my own time.


                                           ~Deborah Chaskin

Too Many Thoughts to Think

There are days when I can't think. Not that there isn't tons to think about. There's just TOO MUCH to think about.

Babies and work. Work and babies. Throw in a little financial juggling during the month. That's where most of my focus goes. Most of the time, I have no problems shuffling the thoughts around in my mind to give the most pressing fire the most attention.

Today, though, there were just too many thoughts to think. It was like a radio in my head, where all I could hear were bits and pieces of thoughts through the static of other thoughts. And like I do with a radio station when it becomes staticky, I had to shut off my thoughts for the night.

Maybe with some sleep and a new day, I'll be able to again find a way to juggle all the thoughts.

"Thoughts are the shadows of our feelings - always darker, emptier and simpler.”



                                       ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Little Inspiration

Well, I did pretty well this weekend. I walked my four miles on Saturday, and then I walked my ten miles on Sunday.

I have to say, by the end of the ten miles, my thighs and feet were screaming at me. Luckily, I had a partner (Robin) that I was able to talk to for 2 1/2 hours. And I also had a little inspiration named Alex.

Alex is the toddler son of my friend and co-worker Kristy. A happy, sweet, smart little boy, he's something of a little miracle. When he was first born, Alex had to remain in the NICU for several weeks as he would stop breathing when fed. The doctors could not explain the reason for this scary condition, but, eventually, Alex was sent home with a laundry list of medical tests to be conducted on him in the future.

All was well for awhile, up until Alex should have been hitting the scooting, crawling, pulling up and walking milestones. He just wouldn't. Kristy told me that he wouldn't use his legs. When he started crawling, he would army crawl around. For the longest time, he wouldn't pull up, or even stand when stood up by someone.

Then, one day, during bath time, he had a cup of chilly water dumped on his head to wash out the shampoo. Apparently, this ticked Alex off so much, he grabbed the side of the tub and pulled himself up! Now, in order to insure this wasn't some sort of fluke, the poor boy had to endure several more dousings--all of which ticked him off and caused him to pull up. Kristy and her husband, Greg, were thrilled (and Alex had an aversion to baths for a few days!)

Slowly but surely, this sweet little boy has made strides towards walking. This weekend, he started walking behind a walker. He'd fall down, he'd get back up and start walking some more. Knowing this-- knowing how many prayers have been prayed, how many tests have been run, how many anxious moments this little man's parents have endure--knowing this made me grin from ear to ear! It also inspired me.

God blessed me with the ability to walk, and I have faith that He will grant this blessing to Alex in the near future. No walkers, no braces, no nothing. I just know that God has amazing plans for this boy, and I'm so excited to see what they are!

Until that time, I will be keeping Alex as my little inspiration as I train for my walk. Maybe, when he's old enough, I'll be able to talk him into training with me!

The more difficulties one has to encounter, within and without, the more significant and the higher in inspiration his life will be.



                                              ~Horace Bushnell

To Sleep...

I couldn't sleep last night. Just laid there thinking I really didn't care if an English couple bought a house in Sweden, but watching HGTV was better than staring into the dark.

Luckily, I had some friends who also couldn't/ wasn't allowed to sleep. At least I had a good time talking to them!

Of course, now I need more coffee!

"Who said nights were for sleep?"

                       ~Marilyn Monroe

A "Dumb" Blond

One of my absolute favorite movies of all time is Some Like It Hot starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon.

A predecessor to such movies as Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire, the story revolves around two musicians who have to flee Chicago with the mob on their tails after witnessing the Valentine Massacre. The fun starts when one of the guys (Curtis) decides the very best hiding place would be an all-girls band. All goes well for awhile, until Curtis's character falls for Monroe's. All sorts of insane and improbable shenanigans ensue.

The movie itself is just fun to watch. But I really enjoy Monroe in it. She was a very talented actor who became a sex symbol, a "thing," and, as such, never truly received her due while she was alive.

She also had some pretty magnificent quotes that I REALLY like. So, with no further ado, I give you the first of several quotes from "the dumb blond."

"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."

Bidding

Okay, I'm sitting here watching "Storage Wars" on A&E. I just watched a guy blow his and his wife's whole auction budget on one locker. He got caught up in a bidding war.

How often do we do that in life? Bidding wars, power struggles, or out-n-out fights, it seems we are always "blowing" our relationship budgets trying to beat out the other guy. Sometimes these struggles are necessary; but most of the time, they are the unnecessary consequence of our desire to win.

How much happier would we all be if, instead of being determined to be right or to obtain dominance over a situation or person, we let someone "out bid" us? We just refuse to be drawn into the game, instead standing true to our own game plan? Maybe, just maybe, by "losing" every now and again, we will actually win such prizes as self-respect, love and confidence. And when you have those, you can't lose.

"It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it."



                                     ~ Dale Carnegie

Distractions

Distractions are funny things. Sometimes they can be bad. For instance, when your child "got distracted" going to the bathroom to brush his or her teeth, so teeth aren't brushed. Or when you are distracted from completing a list, and, when you go back to complete the list, you can't remember what you need to write.

At other time, distractions can be very, very good.  You hear this a lot when someone has suffered a loss of some kind. To give yourself time to heal and move past the pain, you distract yourself with a hobby or with a work project or with focusing on someone else.

So, being an overachiever in distractions, I've decided to do all three of the above. Now, if I get to the point where I forget to brush my teeth,  I'll start decreasing the amount of running I do. Until that time, though, distractions are my friends!

“You can always find a distraction if you're looking for one.”



                                             ~Tom Kite

WAR EAGLE!!!!

Would post something profound, but the BCS National Championship is on. I'll be profound tomorrow!

Auburn

"War Eagle!"

War... Eagle, fly down the field.

Ever to conquer, never to yield.

War... Eagle, fearless and true.

Fight on, you orange and blue.

Go! Go! Go!

On to vict'ry, strike up the band.

Give 'em hell, give 'em hell;

Stand up and yell, Hey! War...Eagle win for Auburn,

Power of Dixie Land!

And Now I'm Tired

I am incredibly proud of myself. I completed one week of training in full, although it kicked my butt today!

Tuesday I walked four miles, as well as Thursday. On Saturday, Robin came over and we walked my neighborhood together. I have to say, that was a heck of a lot more fun than walking by myself!

And then, there was today. Eight miles. Over two hours of constant walking. UGH!!! I admit, I was fading by the six mile mark. Luckily, my baby girl came in and brought me a piece of brownie pizza. Since I burned 884 calories, I feel that a little brownie pizza was perfectly acceptable. (I'm so good at this rationalizing!)

Now, I'm going to attempt to remain warm during the winter weather storm that we are having right now. My car is safely parked in the garage where it will remain until I get the all clear, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for no power outages. There's a National Championship to watch tomorrow night after all!

Goals are dreams with deadlines.

 ~Diana Scharf Hunt

Songs for the Week

This week was pretty entertaining in terms of music. Not the music itself, but which songs spoke to me.

Hope you like them, and, for those of you that know all the back stories, I hope you get a good laugh!

Be careful in the winter weather and WAR EAGLE!!!!

How to ....

As Robin and I sat eating our supper last night in Applebees, we came to the realization that we really could write a "How To" book on many subjects. For this reason, I have decided to start a series of blogs dedicated to teaching some of the more important--yet less frequently taught--information.

Today's guest blogger is Robin with the topic: "How to Completely Kill Any Chance for a Second Date".

10)  Talk negatively about your date's BFF.
9)  Pick your nose all night.
8)  Get so drunk your date has to drive you home.
7)  Make jokes about raping your date.
6)  Make negative comments about the race/ culture of the party at the next table.
5)  Refer to your date's profession as "stupid."
4)  Reveal that you are homosexual in the middle of a formal date.
3)  Blatantly and dangerously disregard traffic laws and/ or hot wire a car.
2)  Tell your date that her natural hair looks fake.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...

1) Ask your date if she approves of your attire. Then say that you will let your mother and brother know since they selected the outfit.   

"A man on a date wonders if he'll get lucky. The woman already knows.”



                                        ~Monica Piper

4 Miles Down, a LOT to Go

Walked 4 miles today. Burned a lot of calories. Whoohoo!

My next walk day is Thursday (another 4 miles), swiftly followed by Saturday (4 miles) and then Sunday (8 miles.) Now, if I stick with my quest to up to 65 miles, I will need to add an extra mile somewhere. That will probably be Saturday, but we'll see.



“The sovereign invigorator of the body is exercise, and of all the exercises walking is the best.”



                                       ~Thomas Jefferson

Just Like Old Times

Yesterday I talked to a life-long friend of mine. For two hours. About absolutely nothing and about absolutely everything.

My friend and I hadn't actually spoken in a couple of years. There had been the exchange of Christmas cards and a few Facebook "Hey!" messages, but not a real conversation. Then, yesterday, we started talking, and it was like we had never stopped.

Granted, I had a lot to catch her up on (divorce) and she me (She became a runner. WHAT THE HECK!!!); but then we just started talking. How her folks were, how my folks were. Congrats to my brother regarding his upcoming nuptials. How big her kids have gotten. In-laws, old school friends, work, the momma taxi--you name it, we talked about it. It felt like the afternoons spent in the yearbook room after school; except now we weren't talking crushes and tests and teachers, but kids and houses and... okay, teachers, but our kids' teachers.

When I hung up the phone, I realized how much I had missed my friend, and I swore to myself I wouldn't let another two months go by without talking to her. But it was comforting for me to know that, no matter how much my life changes or how much time passes, I will always have someone to help me make it just like old times.

"Happiness is time spent with a friend and looking forward to sharing time with them again."



                                           ~ Lee Wilkinson

Strive for 65!

Looking at the training program for the Avon Breast Cancer walk, I realized that I will be walking a total of 62 miles the first three weeks of the training. Now, don't ask me why it bothers me that this number is rounded up or down, but it does. I would rather walk 60 miles or 65 miles. So, on the theory that more is better as far as exercise goes, I will be adding three extra miles during the first three weeks. At least I will try!

And, since I couldn't find any quotes I really liked having to do with walking for 65 miles, I'm just going to add some quotes I love from the Great Philosopher. The just seemed appropriate today.

If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.



                                             ~Winnie the Pooh
                                                                         Winnie the Pooh, Disney Pictures
 
Pooh, promise me you won't forget about me, ever. Not even when I am a hundred."

Pooh thought for a little.
"How old shall I be then?"
"Ninety-nine."
Pooh nodded. "I promise," he said.


                                           ~Winnie the Pooh
                                                                                             The House at Pooh Corner

Welcome 2011!

Christmas decorations down (mostly)--Check
Black beans and greens consumed--Check
Harry Potter movie watched in theater--Check
Register for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk--Check!!!!!

It's official official now. I'm a "participant!" Whoohoo! So, I will be walking 8 miles tomorrow and eating Tylenol the next!

I'm now officially excited! Welcome new year!

You can't stay in your corner of the forest, waiting for others to come to you; you have to go to them sometimes.



                                             ~Piglet (Pooh's Little Instruction Book)