Monday, September 30, 2013

Six more sleeps...

I can't believe I am six more sleeps away from my first marathon. I have clocked well over 400 miles, and the day is almost here. 26.2 miles.

Fear. Excitement. Nerves. Joy. Trepidation. Shock. Horror. Gratitude. It all depends on when you ask me, but these are a few emotions that run through my brain and body as I think about Sunday. I have come to a conclusion that bodies are not meant to run 26.2 miles. But, with the love and support of friends and family, my body will hopefully run 26.2 miles in six days. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a time goal, but let's be honest, I will be THRILLED to cross that finish line no matter the time.

Running with Team World Vision has been an amazing experience...I will NEVER forget these past few months. I have met some incredible people who have inspired me to push my limits both physically and spiritually. More importantly, this community of runners is serving God's Kingdom through running. I have raised a little over $1500 (click here for my page), but our team together has raised over $200,000. That is 40,000 people with clean water my friends! And the amount of people who have prayed for me or supported me financially is simply unbelievable. I am overwhelmed by the support and cheers. I am blessed to do life with extraordinary people.

And my brother. That's a whole different blog post. But it's safe to say I have the best big brother. Ever. Hands down. Thankful for him and his entire crew. 

Six more sleeps, my friends. Six more sleeps.

A few snapshots of my road to the marathon...





Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Joys of Running Through Sprinklers

Now that I am tapering, I am running shorter distances and bringing the kiddos :) We had the chance to run through a bunch of sprinklers, and we EMBRACED it!

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Sunday Snuggles


My life is busy. It always will be because that is how I operate. However, one thing I excel at is being able to just ignore life for a bit to fully embrace a cuddle or snuggle. (I'm even better when it involves being able to ignore a messy house!) After a SUPER busy Saturday, I needed to recharge. I asked Griffin to join me for Sunday Snuggles. These one on one conversations keep me going. They remind me how precious their childhoods are. They help me remember to LIVE in the moment as best as I can.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Happy Half Birthday, Grayson!





Today Grayson is 4.5 years old...well on his way to five! As proven by the above pictures, our little man is always full of spunk, and you are definitely in for a laugh whenever he's around for more than five minutes. Grayson truly is the life of any party. He walks into the room and everyone is instantly happier. Truly. His happiness is evident in everything he does. For example, each morning we drive over train tracks to get to day care. EVERY day, he responds with a HUGE smile and lots of giggles. It's like it's his first time each and every time. I love it.

You might also notice that our little man is getting bigger. He still weighs less than most kiddos his age, but he is starting to grow taller. In fact, he can no longer wear any 2T or 3T pants! 2T shorts...those are another story thanks to his skinny little waist :) In the middle picture above he is eating GF chocolate peanut butter cups from Trader Joe's. They were a gift from my friend Nikki. By the way...LOVE their mac and cheese!

Over the summer, Grayson attended preschool two days a week through the SLP school district. He loved going to school, and for once, he is truly interested in learning...while also sitting still :) He knows all of his letters and can write most of them, but more importantly, he actually ENJOYS writing, drawing, and coloring now!

Just last week he also started RUNNING!!! We went on a two mile run, and he stayed in the stroller for less than a mile of that run!!! His little legs are adorable, and it is simply amazing watching the two of my boys run together and cheer each other on. Grayson starts something called Amazing Athletes tomorrow night. Each week covers a different sport, and he is stoked to finally participate in activities just like his big brother. He would love to play tennis, but he has to wait until he is five :(

Bedtime is a STRUGGLE right now. He is back to taking naps at day care, so he can't fall asleep at night. It isn't uncommon for him to be singing away in his bed at 10:00 PM. Thankfully Griffin falls asleep easily and sleeps through his antics :)

My favorite story to share is something he said just this weekend. He looked to me while playing with legos and said, "God and Jesus are the only ones who can save people. They are the BEST super heroes." Melt my heart.

As always, Grayson knows how to pack a punch into that little body of his. He is full of energy and life, and he constantly reminds me to love the little things in life. He is the perfect fourth member of our family.