Lean not on your own understanding

This is a picture of my Half Marathon training schedule. Back in August of 2010, I was at Marie's baby shower when some of my friends, 2 of whom are runners, started talking about the Half Marathon in Seaside in March of 2011 and how fun it would be if we could get a big group of girls to go. I laughed at this idea and repeatedly told my friend Amy, with her positive peer pressure, that I do not run! I am not a runner, don't enjoy it, won't and can't do it! Somehow on my long walks with Daniel in a jogger stroller and Campbell on a leash, I started doing walkjogs, I would walk a little, then run a little, and so on. My friends were serious about signing up for the race and the night of the baby shower there was a lot of enthusiasm which turned into reality. They even made a yahoo group to send out emails about running together. So one day, back in September, I asked if I could join them at 6:00 am! We all have small children and had to be home so our husbands could go to work. To my surprise, I was able to keep up with them, for the most part, on a 3 mile run. I had to walk some, but never let them get out of my sight, and then would run to catch up with them. So I started meeting with them regularly twice a week at 6am. They kept asking me if I was going to do the race and I half heartedly would say yes, but never registered. One morning on a run, I learned that the race was full and I was so bummed because I knew that registering for that race (and forking over $120)would be the thing that kept me accountable to running! I decided I would still keep running with them in the mornings because my sister's wedding is coming up in May and so that would be my new motivation. On January 18th, 120 more slots opened up for the race, so after Bible study, I went home and signed up! I was nervous and excited! My sister, Ashley, also got in that day too. So from then on, it was serious, I was commited and accountable. Having my running partners, L.A., Caroline, Alicia, and Danielle has been such an encouragement to me! It's like a social hour to start the day, we can talk (in between huffing and puffing) without being distracted by our children. Plans started taking shape to stay at L.A.'s aunt & uncle's beach house close to the race, and make it a girls weekend. FUN FUN!! At one point there were 17 of us going, 9 runners and 8 cheerleaders. I really have enjoyed, MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, the training. The results of the hard work are wonderful! Caroline and I were saying this past Saturday that we are talking crazy talk! To hear ourselves say, "We just ran 10 miles" is crazy! I couldn't even run 1 mile without stopping this past August! It's been challenging too, running in 30 degree weather, running with a cough that's lasted 8 weeks, running gimpishly with my bum knee (that happened after 8 miles). But my attitude changed from I can't and I won't to I can and I'm excited to run this half marathon on Sunday, March 6th!! But God has other plans for me...like I said, I ran 10 miles this past Saturday and felt wonderful Saturday and Sunday, my knee was ok, and I was feeling confidant that I could do the 13.1 without a doubt! But Monday I woke up with my back hurting. I have had back problems off and on since my teens so this is nothing really new for me. I took Ibuprofen around the clock on Monday, ran a bunch of errands, got new running shorts for the race and some enegry goos, but the pain just got progressively worse throughout the day. I laid my running clothes out Monday night for my run on Tuesday morning, but when my alarm went off I could hardly get out of bed and then I couldn't stand up straight or walk, it was excruciating! I laid awake for awhile just waiting until 8:00 when I could call the Doctor. Thank goodness Mike stayed home to take care of me and Daniel, he did everything- dressed me and Daniel, took care of the dog, meals, driving us, everything! After seeing the doctor and the physical therapist on Tuesday, I was advised repeatedly not to run the race this Sunday. And not just not to do it, but that I wouldn't physically be able to do it. I was DEVESTATED!! I cried all day long, everytime someone would text or call me to say how sorry they were or to check on me, I would start crying all over again. Daniel said to me at one point, "It's ok mommy". He was so sweet as I was laying on the floor, he brought me some toys to play with and hold, he helped me drink my coffee from my turvis tumbler with a straw, and gave me lots of hugs and kisses. I don't know why this had to happen the week before the race, but the verses I've been thinking about alot since Tuesday are Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, an he will make your paths straight." So Wednesday I decided that I was going to have a positive attitude and no more pity parties for myself. My goal was to get feeling good enough to still go on the girls weekend and I will cheer on my sister and my friends with gusto! My friends and my husband have been AWESOME helping me with Daniel, picking up prescriptions, tidying up my house, offering to do anything I need, sacrificing their time, they are AMAZING!! Thank you all for your support, encouragement and your prayers! God is answering our prayers, because I do feel much better than Tuesday for sure! There are so many much worse things than not getting to run a race. There will be more races in the future, and I have surprised myself with what I have accomplished, by God's grace!

The Last Discovery space shuttle launch

My husband is a huge fan of all things space related! Ever since I've known him, he has wanted me to see a space shuttle launch, something I've never seen before. For the past 8 years, I've resisted every time he suggests we spontaneously drive down to watch a launch. I can come up with a slew of excuses as to why I can't or we shouldn't go, but as the space shuttle program is coming to a rapid halt I knew it was inevitable and I was going to have to give in. I don't really know what my problem is, I'm not too good at spontaneous for one thing. :) So last week when he proposed the idea of us going to the Discovery's last launch this past Thursday, I relented and said yes. So down to Titusville we drove on Thursday with plans to come right back here that night (it's a four hour drive each way). We got to Titusville with about 2 hours to spare prior to launch time. It took us a while to find a parking spot and walk down to the water where we could get a good view. There were people EVERYWHERE, it was like a HUGE tailgate party! Daniel made friends with an old dog while Mike scoped out the best spot for us to park our stuff.



It was pretty windy where we stood, behind a huge high rise assisted living building right on the water, with a view across the Mosiquito Lagoon part of the Indian River to the 3 launch pads and the vehicle assembly building (read HUGE building!). Daniel was having a blast running around in the parking lot after being cooped up in the car for 4 hours! He is a very good traveler, ate lunch and napped in his car seat!



I could tell everyone around me's excitement was mounting as the clock ticked closer to launch time, and then there was a scare that it may be delayed or canceled due to a computer malfunction but the smart people at NASA must have gotten that taken care of just in the nick of time! And before I knew it, I saw a huge billow of smoke and then next thing I saw was the shuttle off the ground!



I must admit, tears welled up in my eyes as I watched the shuttle climb higher and higher and people all around us were cheering. I was holding Daniel and Mike had the camera. At one point when everyone was cheering, Daniel was clapping and smiling and he said, "We did it!" Love that boy!! In this last picture of the shuttle, you can kind of see the rocket boosters falling away from the shuttle.

I was surprised how quickly it was all over! So we made our way back to the car along with thousands of other people. This is when the fun went in a not so fun direction. :( Our plan was to drive to Orlando for Mike to attend a viewing for one of his donor's wife. But, it took us an hour to go 2.5 miles and we sadly watched the GPS add time to our ETA to Orlando meaning Mike would miss the viewing completely. At this point, it is getting to be dinner time and with a 2 year old, we decided maybe we should turn around and try to go find something to eat. As we drove in the opposite direction, I think both our hearts sunk as we saw the enormous amounts of cars we were passing. I was starting to get huffy and I had to pee, so we pulled ever so slowly into a Walgreens. While I had a moment by myself, I figured, there's no reason to get huffy about being stuck in traffic with 200,000 other people, we're all in the same boat! With a new attitude and on our way again, we came to a carry out Pizza Hut. So we ordered our pizza and played in the parking lot until it was ready. Then we had a little picnic on the steps of the Love Covenant Word church next to a Gun store in a strip shopping center. FUN MEMORIES! Ha ha! It really was fun. 3 hours after the launch, the traffic had finally thinned enough we got back on the road.


We got home at 12:30am, it was a fun, spontaneous trip and I'm glad I got to see the space shuttle launch! Thank you Mike for wanting me to have this experience and see new things! Daniel loved it too!

Joy to the World

I haven't been able to keep up with my blog for many reasons, but I felt compelled to write this post. Below are several of my favorite pictures from this Christmas. I felt so blessed to be surrounded by my parents, in-laws, sisters, & sister's fiance (Shannon), this Christmas. One of my favorite memories about this Christmas was singing Silent Night by candlelight at our church's, Christmas Eve service, with our whole immediate family standing with us.



Mike got stone crab claws for our appetizer for our special Christmas Eve meal.



Chef, Jean Michel (said with a French accent, AKA, my very talented, aspiring chef husband), made AH-MAZING Carolina crab cakes with tomato gravy, roasted garlic smashed red potatoes, and sauteed asparagus for our special dinner. DELISH!!!




My sister, Laura's (and Mike's sister Carol - although she couldn't be with us this year)birthday is on Christmas day, so we had a cake (my prize winning chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and peanut butter and chocolate glaze)for her. We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus, and then to Laura. This is the first time we have sung Happy Birthday to Jesus, but I wanted to do it because Daniel totally understands birthdays, and we have been talking about Christmas day being Jesus' birthday.




My sister's Ashley, and Laura, being silly on Christmas Eve. Ashley gave Laura and me matching pajama pants! Love having my sister's here!! They are so much fun to be around! And they are hilarious!!



Here is Daniel trying out his new scooter from Mimi and Papa.



This year, more than any other year before, I think I grasped a little of the true meaning of Christmas. 2010 has been hard in many ways, emotionally draining, faith stretching and building, and good all at the same time. I will try to give a highlight of some of the good and the hard things I've experienced this past year, probably unintentionally leaving some things out:

Good
Multiple friends had healthy babies
A husband who loves his job
Being able to stay home most of the time with Daniel, working less at the hospital
Celebrating Grandmother's 90th birthday (mom's mom)
Celebrating Grandfather's 80th birthday (dad's dad)
Making new friends
Sister's engagement
Serving at church this Christmas season
Watching our small group generously love a financially hurting family
Baby Jacob coming home from the hospital to spend Christmas at home with his family!

Hard
Friend's baby died, 1st Christmas without him
Friend's divorce
Multiple friends going through financially difficult times
Friend's MIL sudden death from stroke, then FIL hit by a car, remains in critical condition out of town
Watched in-laws close friend's lose their spouses
Our unsuccessful attempt at IVF
(I was going to add that one of our best friend's sister's unborn baby is suspected to have a probable genetic abnormality, possibly incompatible with life, but just received and email right before Christmas, that prenatal labwork and genetic studies point to hopefully good news,either cysts that will resolve on their own, or a rare genetic disorder).

This year I have seen people I love go through incredibly painful circumstances, and I have also gone through a more emotionally draining and disappointing circumstance myself. How can people who have so much hurt have joy at Christmas? It's a celebratory holiday, yet SO many people have SO much pain and hurt in their lives. (I am realizing this more and more the older I get and the more I allow myself to love others).

Our pastor preached a sermon on December 19th that was eye opening to me from Luke 1: 26-33. I will try my best to tell you what I got out of it.

The angel said to Mary, "do not be afraid, there is plenty of joy."
Your life may have much fear and little joy,
the angel brought a "good message"
The angel told Mary her son would be great- greatness is produced by humility, dependence, and service. Phil. 2, He made himself nothing, the road to glory came from laying down his rights.
Out of a place of deep sacrificial love, he poured himself into others, through denial, humility, and sacrifice for others (Phil. 2:5-9, Mark 10:45)
The angel proclaimed: we are hopelessly unable to save ourselves
He instructed Mary to call her baby Jesus...why?
His name signifies his work, He will make a complete purchase of your life, you can't reconcile yourself, he will save his people from their sins. (salvation is not based on good works or merit, it is by Grace)
Much of our anxiety and sadness is because we fail to understand how totally loved and accepted we are by Jesus.
Our pain is proof that we still live in a broken world, not that God has turned his back on me, this is not our eternal home. The world I want is still coming.
His blessing is going to be as extensive as far as the curse is found. (Joy to the world, He comes to make his blessings known as far as the curse if found!).


So even though we celebrate Christmas, Christmas is the sufferers holiday. Christmas guarantees that God has, does, and will continue to address what I'm going through (and everyone who has pain and suffering and hard stuff happen to them). He came to end death. And even though happiness feels good, it is fleeting, but joy can last forever.

All that being said, to be completely honest, I still don't understand/am confused at why hard, terrible, painful stuff happens to people I love, and even to wonderful people I don't even know. I mean I know we live in a broken world, and these things should make me long for my eternal home, but they are still hard, and I think that Jesus understands why I am sad about these things.

So to all of us who are hurting, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 (This is one of my life verses!)

We have had a wonderful, exhausting Christmas with lots of family and traveling, tons of good food and thoughtful gifts, but I can truly say, I am most thankful for the gift of my salvation, that came from Jesus' life, his death on the cross to pay for my sins, and his Resurrection.

Happy 2nd Birthday Daniel!

Dear Daniel, I can't believe you are 2 years old today!?! It seems like just yesterday we were holding you for the first time.
A year ago we were celebrating your 1st birthday, cowboy style. You have grown so much since then, physically and developmentally.

This weekend we celebrated your second birthday with your favorite characters, Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story. You are much more into opening presents this year than last and I think you understand that today is your birthday, you say, "I two."

Some memories I love about you that have happened or you've done recently are:

Climbed into your rocking chair to read Bible stories all by yourself (I was doing my homework for my Bible study and I think you were imitating me)

Your daddy picked you up out of your crib when he got home from work & you were already asleep and he rocked you because he didn't get to see you much that day.

You said, "Good job Mommy" when I helped you build a train track for your choo choo trains. You love to play choo choo trains, one night you and Daddy played with them and built a track before bed, it just melts my heart to see you two play together.

You get a wildly excited look on your face and come running into my arms when I pick you up from the nursery.

You are starting to say, "I do it!" alot now, and exerting your desire for independence.

You know how to get a chair from your little table and push it to where ever it is you want to go to reach something or see what I'm cooking.

Your modes are run, run, run, or sleep. You also like to jump and climb.

You love Buzz Lightyear, tractors, lawn mowers, bicycles, & trucks!

Your favorite food is Macaroni & cheese, you also like apples, grapes, & bananas, cheese sticks, goldfish, and cookies. :)

You weigh a little over 25 pounds.

You are still sleeping in a crib, but you climbed INTO your crib about a month ago so we will be transitioning you into a big boy bed soon.

You still love your pacifier, you call it a "pappi" - Daddy would prefer you only have it at bedtime and naptime, but sometimes Mommy isn't as strong as Daddy and gives in, mommy is working on this.

You are a very friendly, happy, energetic, little boy and we are so in love with you! You bring us so much joy and you also make us see our weaknesses. We are at times humbled by you and also get a glimpse of what God must think of us when we disobey and also a smidge of the love he feels for us too. We couldn't imagine life without you Daniel and are SO thankful God blessed us with you! We LOVE you SO MUCH, to infinity and beyond! Happy 2nd birthday little buddy!

Please pray

Hi anyone who reads. I am writing tonight to ask you all to pray for our friend, Amy and her unborn baby, Jacob. Amy went to school with Mike, kindergarten through 12th grade. I met Amy and her husband Tyson at their 10 year highschool reunion. Our family actually stayed with them on our vacation last summer and they were extremely hospitable to us and showed us all around their city. Amy is 24 weeks + 5 days pregnant with their 3rd child and has been bleeding off and on since she was 11 weeks. She was diagnosed with a marginal placental abruption and placed on bedrest at 18 weeks. She checked herself into the hospital at 24 weeks (the point of viability) to hopefully give her baby the best chance of survival when something happenens. She has started a blog and really tries to have a positive/cheerful attitude. Today she shared that the placenta is in bad shape and not only tearing away from the bottom but now also the top, and that the doctors are talking about delivery in days, not weeks or months, like she originally thought. She has received steriod injections to help speed Jacob's lung developement along. Please pray for Amy and baby Jacob. You can read Amy's story here.

Unintentional Blogging Hiatus

So I have gotten questions and comments very recently like this..."I'm really sad you quit your blog" and "you've given up your most recent hobby already?!" Well, it wasn't intentional that I stopped blogging for ummm, well ALL summer! It just happened! I feel like we had one of the busiest summers ever this past summer and we only have one child who is one, how could it have possibly been so busy you ask? Here is a run down:
May
Grammom's 90th birthday party in West Florida
Memorial Day weekend Gulf coast beach trip with friends
June
pool days with friends
yoga on Wednesdays for 8 weeks
Tuesday morning Bible study for 6 weeks by Priscilla Shirer called He Speaks to Me
Helped with registration and crafts during VBS
Team taught Kindergarten Sunday school with another couple for 8 weeks
Surprise curb appeal for my Dad, who returned from 3 week Ugandan mission trip
Mike to Omaha to watch the Seminoles play in the College World Series
July
Vacation to Atlanta for the 4th & then to the N.C. Mountains the following week
swimming lessons 1 hour/day 4 days/week x 2 weeks
My birthday weekend trip to my hometown, shopping trip with friends, and beach
My mom, Grandmother, and Aunt came to visit for a week to take care of Daniel while I worked but I ended up getting called off both days I was scheduled
August
Baby shower for Julie
Family reunion in Blue Ridge, Georgia
Baby shower for Marie
Baby shower for Suzanne
Birthday parties
Trip to hometown to visit with overseas relatives
Mike out of town for Republican Primary party for Steve Southerland for Congress

By no means am I listing all this stuff to proclaim, "Look at me, Look at what all I've done!" I hope you don't get that impression of me, it's more for my memory because I view this blog as kind of my journal or scrapbook, so it's to help me remember, because I have a terrible memory! I'm so thankful the Lord has blessed us with so many fun opportunities, a wonderful family, and wonderful friends, all which made up our wonderful, crazy busy summer! I have pictures from a lot of the trips mentioned above but I will just leave you with one picture because I appreciate a post with at least one picture. I will try to post more pictures soon.

Strawberry Pickin'

I have fond memories of picking strawberries as a little girl with my mom. My preschool teacher mom usually takes her class to a great strawberry farm each year and I have been wanting to go for awhile. After reading my friends, Emily and Kristie's blog post about their picking experience, I was dying to go this year, I could almost taste those juicy strawberries! Well last month, on the way to visit my parents (while Mike was out of town), Daniel and I stopped at the farm my mom has told me about for years. My expectations were met exceedingly! It was one of the best afternoons I've had this year so far! I think I'll try to make it a tradition.


This strawberry lady greets you as you arrive at the farm.


Even though it was the middle of May (typically late for strawberry season), the bushes were still laden with the juicy goodness.



As soon as we got to our assigned row, Daniel knew instinctively what to do, almost before I could get my camera out, he had picked two strawberries, and you can tell by the picture, they were SO juicy. (He has crazy hair because of sunscreen:), and this is a camera phone picture, I snapped it to send to Mike so he could see what we were doing).


We were given this flag to mark where we stopped so the next people who came behind us, would know where to start. Daniel of course thought the flag was for his pleasure. Haha!




They were SO sweet and juicy! Mmmmmmm, Mmmmmmmm!



So irresistible! And just so you know, we were allowed to pick and eat, I guess they figure that into the price. :)


Taking a quick rest until he spotted.......



this! A "tractor" (or a Gator Utility Vehicle-I know this because I am quickly being educated about all the different types of "tractors", we have a couple books about them. If you're around Daniel long, you'll learn in no time tractors are one of his favorite things!)



He wasn't that far from me, so I just let him play on the GUV while I finished picking. He was SO happy to sit on and pretend to drive it!



SOOOOOo I don't really know what I was thinking or why I thought I had to fill up my basket COMPLETELY and almost overflowing??? I picked 2 pints (that is approximately 32 cups). It did come out to be less expensive than buying strawberries in the store. I had 2 days to do something with all these strawberries before we traveled again and I didn't really want to freeze them. I much prefer fresh strawberries to frozen.



This strawberry farm also had livestock. We took a look at the long horned steer, I enjoyed feeding him a clump of clover, a treat for him according to the guy working there. Daniel didn't want to feed him.



More tractors!



There were goats, turkeys, a pig, some calves, a peacock and several other caged birds.




Daniel was in tractor heaven!! Haha!!





Can you just about hear Daniel saying, "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooo?" He was very excited to see all these cows, and they were very curious about him, a lot of them came over to him. Momma wasn't too sure about the close proximety to all those cows and it was time to head to Mimi and Papa's house so we loaded up and said goodbye to the best strawberry farm I've ever been to. (I really haven't been to that many but I think it is wonderful and would highly reccomend it!)



I had planned to make strawberry jelly with all the strawberries. My grandmother makes the best strawberry jelly every year and I really wanted to try it. I have never attempted to make jelly or can anything before. I asked my grandmother for her recipe and she told me she just uses the recipe for "freezer jam" on the box of Sure-gel. I needed to triple the recipe for the amount of strawberries I had. This is basically the recipe that I used. If you want to try this, I would follow the instructions that come inside the box of Sure-gel, and remember, do not put glass jars in the freezer, they will break. I don't really know why you would want to freeze this because it is so good you will just want to gobble it up as fast as you can!



It is VERY tasty on homemade biscuits (Bisquick version) as evidenced by the next three pictures.







Next year, I will plan to make this with some of my freezer jam.