What I've Learned from Training for a Marathon

I know those of you (all two of you) who follow my blog have just been dying for another post so here it is- Only about three months later!

I have been training for what seems like a lifetime for the Chicago Marathon. Now that I am only one month away I was thinking about what God has been teaching me during this long long training period and just wanted to get it written so I could share it with the kids someday.

Physically-

I cannot believe that God took a person who had never been involved in any sports, and turned her into a real athlete! I actually finished running 20 miles a couple of weeks ago and just wanted to cry because I never believed that it could be me who was able to accomplish something so amazing. I think God has taught me that discipline is the key to turning a body into a machine that can endure even when I thought it couldn't. It was all the mornings of getting up before dawn and going to bed early that got me this far. I am so amazed at the human body and what all it can endure and am addicted to the high of running even though it was so incredibly painful sometimes. I also discovered I have asthma during this long training period- Who knew???

Mentally-

• I learned how to talk myself into pushing further and further even when my body was telling me to quit. I am extremely competitive so this part was not really hard.


• I learned to take the time to look around me for once- I know God used running to quiet my mind and soul to see things that he had created. There was so many cool things along the way that were part of living out in the country, but I had never noticed them before. I passed by everything from deer, cows, horses and frogs and of course dogs. I had so many encounters with dogs that were funny I cannot even begin to list them all but one that was the best was the day that a blue heeler ran behind me for at least 5 miles and nipped at my heels everytime I slowed down. I guess I looked or smelled like a cow. I saw this amazing enormous hawk that sat on a telephone wire every morning and would just watch me as I passed. It has been really beautiful just seeing what God has created and appreciating it as I pass by rolling farmland every morning as the sun rises. God is truly amazing!

Spiritually-

In a nutshell I think God used running as the time that He could finally speak to me and I would listen. I truly think that my life was going in so many directions at such a fast pace that he just wanted a chance for my spirit to be quiet so he could whisper and I would hear.

I know that in the hours that I run God convicts me of sin daily. He lets me know that my insecurities and paranoia are not from him but from the enemy and that when the world lets me down I need to depend on Him only.

He has called me to bigger things in my life and I have heard the call while I was running. I was listening to a sermon on my ipod one day and I knew after, that God was calling me into a ministry for exotic dancers here in my city. It was nothing I ever thought I would want to do but it was clear as anything that God was telling me to be obedient and do it. So here I am in the beginning of this ministry with 10 other women and God is blessing that obedience.

I have also had some of the most amazing worship experiences during my runs. I listen to a mixture of music but I have worship stuff in my mix and sometimes a song has struck me so deeply that I literally wanted to raise my hands while running. Those who know me know I am not normally a hand raisin' kind of gal so I have really been moved by the Holy Spirit. I am sure cars going by would love seeing a charismatic crazy runner!

So I thank God for the ability to run and turning into a time to praise Him and get to know Him more deeply. It has been an amazing journey!

ALMOST ONE MONTH FROM THE CHICAGO MARATHON!!!!!!

WE LOVE SUMMER!!!

I LOVE this shot. It was a fun day of picking strawberries at Galerines in Shelbyville

Picking apples and finding bugs at Nana and Papas

It was oh so cold at Southland Pool in Lexington. Greyson is not mr. aquatic.

The girls chilling on a turtle.

Lilly riding the wooden shoes with Josh and Sherry. We always love the "Chingdom" Somehow Lilly gets Chuck E Cheeses and Kentucky "Chingdom" mixed up all the time.

Emme being cute Emme.

The cousins (minus Greyson who was home with Daddy and Zach who does not like to pose for pictures).

Playdate at our house with 17 kids, one nasty dirty kiddy pool and lots of popsicles.

Greyson doing his crossdressing while watering my flowers for me.

Maddie trying to give me one good pose as I was trying to get a good picture of all the kids for Fathers day to no avail.

This is what I gave him for Fathers day- not the best but it was cute. I also gave him the first picture.

Steve's Ordination

The elders and their wives laying hands on us and praying for us. A very powerful moment.

Pastor Buddy giving Steve the charge of eldership. Yes I know this is extremely blurry. We will forgive you dad for taking this blurry shot! You can't even see poor Pastor Buddy's face.

Not only do we celebrate Steve today for being a great father to his kids- we also celebrated his calling to be an elder of our church. He was ordained today which made Fathers Day extra special. We both feel humbled by the leadership role and consider it both a joy and a heavy burden. We are amazed that we have only been at Adventure for one year and within that year so much has happened: we adopted Greyson, we made amazing friends and got deeper into the Bible and we began to feel God calling us deeper. Steve accepted the charge to take over missions at our church and will be returning to Africa in the fall- this time to Kenya.

I had been feeling like God was calling me to something more also. It was an ever present tugging at me but I couldn't place it. I kept praying just wondering what God wanted me to do as I kept trying to be obedient being the best mom and wife I could be (often failing). Then through much prompting by the Holy Spirit I knew it was time for me to be bold. Through a ministry that already existed in Lexington, I found out about Bruised Reed, a ministry that serves women in the exotic dancing industry. I kept thinking about these women and thinking about these women and God would not let me go. So here I am starting the same ministry here in Louisville and wondering how exactly I got here! I knew my heart was with orphans in Africa but God also had something else in mind for me. I find that it often works that way!

So here Steve and I are on the day of his ordination knowing it was no accident that we ended up at a church called "Adventure" over a year ago. We often wonder what God will call us to do and feel scared but excited at the same time to see what it will be. I always pray for a spirit of boldness and that God will place people in our lives daily that we can love and show Jesus to in very practical ways.

If you read this blog and have a story I would love to hear it! I love to know how God is using other people- So don't just lurk-share your stuff!!!

Family Reunion/Birthday Celebration

Here are some more pics from our fun Saturday with our family at our house for a cookout. I am a dork and can't figure out how to take my uncles pics and make them bigger without messing up the resolution. Hmmm....

Happy 2nd Birthday Mr. Greyson!!!

Greyson showing his "birthday suit" to the world

Look at that new big boy haircut-how cute is that?

Loving his Spongebob cake!

I can hardly believe Greyson is two. It seems like just yesterday that we brought him home from Ethiopia and celebrated his first birthday. He has not only skyrocketed off the growth chart (mainly in weight-chicken nuggets will do that to ya) but he has grown into a little boy instead of a baby. He now talks all the time, sings songs, dances and copies everything Maddie and Lilly do. He is so full of love and is always wanting to give Steve and I a bear hug and a big snotty kiss. (his nose is ALWAYS running). It has been so fun to watch him change in the past year and develop this fun personality.

Happy second birthday little man. We fall more in love with you everyday!!!

May Memories Montage

Me and my best friend Melanie at the soggy Oaks

Dinner with grownups- what a concept!

Steve and I making some two dollar bets

What a great view of the muddy track!

The last days of school- Maddie and her best friend McKenzie

Maddie at her little desk- isn't she big?

Maisy and her new do.

Just the girls hanging out at Mayfest.

Maddie and Mrs. Lawson, the best Kindergarten teacher in the WORLD!

Maddie doing her model pose in Gratz Park

Lilly squishing my earrings into my head-

Okay my camera has been in limbo for a good month without a working USB cord so I finally get to download all my May pics and share with the three people who regularly read my blog (if you are a lurker please comment occasionally- I am lonely out here in cyberspace)

Brownie

Today Maddie and Lilly were chasing Greyson around the house and were yelling "Brownie" at the top of their lungs. He was laughing hysterically and they were too. It took a minute for Steve and I to catch on to what they were saying and realize how completely inappropriate it was because we had just woken up.
It is one of those moments that you are trying to correct your kids but you are about to start cracking up yourself. They are so innocent that they just don't realize how awful it would sound to someone in public. I asked Maddie why they were calling him that and she said matter of factly " because he has brown skin and he likes it when we call him that" After trying to explain to her why it was not a cool thing to say- I had to go into a civics lesson and remind her about what she learned about Martin Luther King Jr. etc. etc.
It was a moment that reminds me how innocently kids think- He looks brown so lets call him brownie!!! You know the angels in heaven love to watch kids.

So you had a bad day...

Let me give you the synopsis of my very bad day-

• Got up way too late and did not get to go to the gym but got in a very short and dehydrated feeling run.
• My house was a wreck from the night before from having friends over from dinner so being the anal retentive personality I am, it all had to be cleaned before we could go.
• Had to run about a million errands with three little kids which means endless buckling and unbuckling of car seats and one time I got down the road and realized I had not buckled Lilly in.
• Lilly had to pee every five minutes because she must have the bladder size of a walnut. So i would have to pull over and let her pee in her little baby potty seat (thanks for this tip Nicole- it is a lifesaver that keeps us out of nasty germ ridden potties in gas stations- I know Britney Spears likes these kinds of places but they are not cool with three little ones that like to touch the toilet seats)
• We got McDonalds in the car and greyson dumped all his stinky greasy french fries on the floor. Being the good mom trying to build up his immunity, I blew on them and gave them back to him.
• Got to the video store where my kids proceed to try to touch every video case and move them out of order- This video store luckily loves me because I am there every week and they seem to feel my pain.
• Took all three of them and myself to get a haircut because poor Melanie ( my bestest friend) was dealing with pink eye and was not able to keep Greyson for me. We were almost a half hour late and as I proceed to go the wrong way through the ATM and am trying to get my wallet out it drops in the little potty that still had pee in it. Are you feeling my pain yet????
• We get to the haircut place and the kids were surprisingly well behaved as i got my haircut first . It was Greyson's turn next. His hair had gotten beyond nappy and although people always tell us how cute he is we decided it was time to cut the fro. I had to hold him on my lap as she proceeded to torture him and shave his hair. He is strong as an ox, so much so that it is a bit scary- so it was quite the exhausting experience but the results made it worth it. HE LOOKS PRECIOUS. I will post pictures soon if I ever get my USB cord from China or Taiwan or wherever in the Orient it is coming from ( can you tell I have had a bad day yet)
• Okay so the girls get their hair cut and before we leave I go in the restroom with Greyson and Lilly and proceed to knock and entire shelf off the wall and break some shells that were on there. I had to try to put it together and keep Greyson out of the toilet all at the same time. (oh and there was no toilet paper either)
• Okay so here is the clincher of the story. We leave the haircut place and are going to the car that is parked on the street in very rural Taylorsville. I got Greyson and Maddie in first because they were on the passenger side next to the sidewalk. Little did I know that Lilly had slipped away from me and was walking toward her side- The next thing I hear is a horn honking and everything went in slow motion as I ran to her screaming to stop. It was horrifying to say the least. As I scooped her up and was telling her never ever ever to do that again this redneck guy gets out of his car and proceeds to SCREAM at me "what kind of mother are you? You almost let a horrible accident happen- You need to watch your kids ..." As I was about to start bawling and my face was getting hot and red- I let out some words that I am not proud of (not cursing but I did let him have it). I had to apologize to my kids when I got back in the car and tell them that is not how mommy should talk even if the man was mean to me.

I think that is about all.... I really feel like God uses these days to grow mothers into more mature and patient women. It isn't any one incident that brings you to your knees, it is often the culmination of them that humble you and realize you can't do this job without God's strength and grace.

Can i get an amen???

Islands in the Stream

I have been looking for some way to use a Dolly Parton song as a title for my post and here it is. We have been having much fun with nature lately- streams, ponds, dirt, sand and lots of bugs. Ah how I love spring and summer.

If anyone knows of any good stain removal tricks please share!

Spring Break 08

Jumping on the beds before we left my sisters

The play place/toystore in Cinci

Emme and Maddie loved playing cashier in this play store

And doing ballet moves in this play studio

The princesses in front of their castle

At the zoo eating lunch

A great shot of Greyson at Nana and Papas

Me and my big girl

Lilly fishing for leaves in Papas pond

Me and my girls at Jacobson Park

Maddie's legs glowing in the sand

Chuck E Cheese fun kicked off our week

Our internet was down for a LONG LONG time (it was painful for me) so I am just now getting maddie's wild and woolly spring break pics up. We did have a great time even though I did many of these activities with a fever.