Some things are just worth repeating....

TOP OF UTAH 2009!

It actually happened!! (Despite the incident with my toe, if you read that post.) True, I worried so much about my toe and the cold that I caught that I went TOTALLY psycho and didn't sleep for a week. I ran the marathon in my mind about 1000 times, day and night--I just kinda went nuts for a while (my family can vouch for that one, sorry family). So it ended up that my toe was not even an issue, thanks to a good tape job and some really good numbing cream. I think the lack of sleep/lingering cold had more of an affect......I didn't do my best running that day (not even close), but I finished! I came pretty close to my goal, and now I can look forward to NEXT TIME!
This is the very CUTE poster that Becky and Suzanne brought to me the day before the race. I'm so grateful for good friends......Julie was my counselor for four months while we trained...... Becky supplied me with GU at 10:30 one night when I realized I didn't have any and had a 21 mile run the next morning.....Suzanne drove us up clear up Blacksmith Fork canyon one morning VERY early......Leigh brought me some "toe tubes" that saved my life.......Jessica and Becky and my sister-in-law Pam all came and ran with us at the marathon.....there are many more little things, and I just couldn't have done it without such good friends!

And here is my cute family, cheering along the way (but really wondering what the heck they were doing sitting out in the hot sun all morning watching a bunch of crazy people). They were so cute and it lifted my spirits every time I saw them along the route.

I wish I had a picture of Kelly (he was the one taking the pictures). He should have received an award at the finish line as well! He put up with a lot over the last couple of months.....He was so patient and supportive, I just love him!

What a good feeling that was! That's the scary part, all these endorphins are a bit addicting. That has a lot to do with my current attitude--I'm going through withdrawls!

So to sum it all up.....some things are just worth repeating! Even though I've wanted to accomplish this goal for a long time, I always somewhat dreaded the idea. I thought I would do it once and check it off the list for good! I thought I would be totally burned out of running by the end of the training...not so! Just the opposite, I felt so good and loved it more and more! And even though the race itself didn't go as well as I pictured, it was still such an awesome day. So much support from my family and friends (thanks so much!), even complete strangers cheering each other along. It was inspiring! So if you're considering a little adventure such as this, just know you can do it, and once might not be enough!

Annual First-Day-of-School Pictures (late, as usual)

I was looking through my pictures and realized I never documented the ever-so-exciting First Day of School! It is the annual tradition at our house to take these important pictures in front of our huge, out of control flower bed......which means that I have to start planning for these pictures in May (when I plant the zinnias--and it can only be zinnias forever more because they create such a big flowery backdrop) and then I have to cross my fingers that the flowers will grow! Luckily, this year the flowers grew tall and wild like they usually do, so here's another year bigger in front of the flowers!

Starting with poor little Isaac, who could feel the excitement in the air--he knew something fun was going on, and soon realized that the fun didn't include him :( Istead, he had to hang out with boring old mom all afternoon and then take a nap. He sure misses his sisters, but I have to say, he and I have spent a lot of time out in the sandbox playing and watching the big Parsons trucks drive by our house. We've had some good bonding time!

Emma grew up a lot in one day! She went to school and came home feeling so smart and grown up, and she's acted that way ever since. I didn't cry when I sent Madison to her first day of Kindergarten--I was too excited along with her. But this year I realized how I just sent Madison yesterday, now I'm sending Emma today, and tomorrow it will be Isaac. I cried a little this time around. But Emma looked so beautiful and happy and brave going off to school, and she will be make an awesome Kindergartener!

Madison began her 2nd grade year with a new look and much better vision! We got her glasses right at the beginning of the school year and she loves them. She takes such good care of them and wears them with pride. She takes such good care of Emma, making sure she gets a good seat on the bus and does her best handwriting during homework time, etc. Madison wasn't so excited to start school (mostly because she doesn't like to work, and she knows school means homework, structure at home a.k.a. CHORES, piano practice, etc) but she jumped into the routine and is doing awesome. As usual, she still has way too much fun with all her friends, so life is good.

Here is Emma, Austin, and Sarah. They all live right next door to each other, right in a row. Not a day goes by that they aren't outside yelling into each other's front windows or riding bikes around the driveways. It has been so fun watching these three goof off at the bus stop every day (plus about 10 others in our neighborhood that just began Kindergarten).

This one is hard to see, but this is Madison and Emma yelling out the bus window on the first day coming home. It just made me smile, seeing the two of them sitting together, instead of sitting with their friends. They were holding hands coming off the bus--so cute! They really are friends! (sometimes their behavior says the opposite and I wonder....)

I still miss them both while they're off at school, but now that the routine is setting in a little, I've found an hour of the day that is SILENT! Isaac goes down for his nap while they are gone and I have about an hour to myself--that part hasn't been so bad! If only I could freeze time right now--I can handle them starting school this year, but no more! Stay little! (I wish)

A Little Too Ironic

I'll start with a little background information. I guess you could say that I like to run. Especially lately. I've always liked going for little jogs, ever since high school. It wasn't until after I had Madison that I really started running, thanks to my awesome friend Becky who dragged me out with her. After a while, there were a few of us that could be found outside together in the wee hours of the morning, getting some "therapy" time, as we call it. It's therapy, but it's more than that. I've gained some truly great friendships through running--and we have plenty of time to talk about plenty of things out on the road. It is my "me" time--to sort out my thoughts, sweat out my frustrations, and just renew some energy for the day ahead. Especially after these last few months, I have found that running is just as beneficial for my emotions and my brain as it is for my physical body.

And so, in-between babies, I've kept running.....meaning I've had to start from scratch a few times, but that is part of the fun of it--seeing that all that hard work pays off. The other fun part is training for a race here and there. It is such a sense of accomplishment to run farther or faster than you ever have before. The first half marathon I ran was so awesome. Thirteen miles sounded SO long! I could not even fathom the thought of going twice that long......but there has always been a little goal in the back of my mind to someday attempt 26.2.....somehow. I watched my running friends complete their first marathon a couple years ago and still could not fathom the thought! But after watching them do it, that little goal in the back of my mind moved toward the front a little more. And all the sudden at the beginning of this summer, I realized I feel good! I'm not pregnant, I feel good, I'm in pretty good shape, and I could possibly do this!

And so we started training--it's just been Julie and I this time around, and boy am I grateful for her--she is awesome! I could not have done the training by myself! It's actually been very enjoyable and hasn't seemed that long. But running for four months with one goal in mind....... completing some very difficult runs, changing some eating habits along the way, mentally channeling all the positive thoughts you can muster at times, contributing lots of time and effort in the REALLY early hours of the morning--it has definately been a challenge! And strangely, so FUN! We've gotten all the way through the training down to the last few small runs, tapering and resting a little for the big event.....

......And that is where I am right now mentally, emotionally, and 99% physically--I am at the marathon! There is only 1% of me that is not there. It happens to be my little baby toe, which at this moment is sitting in a bucket of ice (my whole foot, actually, and it is cold!) So finally we're to the IRONIC part, excuse the excess of background info. It all happened really fast....while teaching piano lessons I jumped up to catch some books that were falling and kicked the leg of the piano bench really hard. It didn't hurt that bad, but then it started tingling in a strange way and I looked down. I knew then and there that it was broken. I waited until after lessons to freak out. It's been a roller coaster ride for me since.

So yeah, I've never broken a bone in my body. I can't remember the last time I stubbed my toe, even. Great timing. Isn't that just a little TOO ironic? I'm trying not to wonder too much. I'm still not sure what will happen, if I will run the race, if I should, if I can.....I don't know. I'm just giving it time right now but I don't have much of that! I know lots of people would think I'm crazy to even consider running still, but after all that training and excitement it is so hard to switch gears in my mind! Last night I was feeling like I would be fine if I couldn't do the marathon. And this morning I want to throw a big tantrum again.

So we will see. My apologies for this LONG and somewhat pessimistic post. I just had to get some of this of my chest! I'll keep you posted on the outcome....nine days until the big day! I still really, really hope I'll be there!