Training Truths

So I'm signed up to run my first half marathon in a little over a month. For those of you who aren't really sure if that distance, it's 13.1 miles. Thirteen long miles. The more I train, the longer the race seems. I'm not sure if that is how this training thing is supposed to work... But here I am a little less than 5 weeks out from the half marathon and I am totally unmotivated to run. And I mean totally. I've been fighting this feeling for a few weeks now. Running is such a mental sport and I'm being challenged mentally for sure right now.

As part of this half marathon training, I go out every Saturday morning for a long run, which gets increasingly longer each week. On these runs I have a lot of time to think. Sometimes I think, sometimes my mind is just blank and focused on what I'm doing and sometimes I'm singing along with my iPod.

I figured I should share some of the truths I've thought about on these long runs, in case any other crazy person out there is looking to me for inspiration in running one someday.

+ Part of my incentive in training for a half marathon was that it would help me get rid of the last 10 or so pounds of baby weight. And even if it didn't help me lose the weight, it would at least make it look better on me. Maybe. Well, it's done a pretty good job with that. So now I should just be done, right?

+ Why am I really doing this? To prove to myself that I can run for a really long time? Well, I've realized that I can. So maybe I should just call it quits now. 

+ There are so many other things I could be doing in these 2+ hours on a Saturday morning. Like sleeping? Sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee?

+ I can't run that same long route again. I just can't. Even in reverse. There are only so many neighborhoods I can add on to this route to make it longer and I'm just not interested in seeing more gigantic houses. And speaking of those gigantic houses, we're talking like mini mansions, what do all of these people do for work? And do they ever get to spend any time in the house they work so hard for? There are just so many big houses! I'm curious!

+ I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller... Oh wait, that's just my iPod playing :)

+ I don't even want to go out running during the week most of the time because it's not sporadic anymore. It's planned and scheduled. I've got to do so many miles on certain days. It takes the fun out of running! No spontaneity. 

+ But I do go out for my weekly runs. And I take the kids in the stroller most of the time. And they're pretty good about it. As long as we stop to visit the horses and get some ice from Cumberland Farms.

+ Changing up my long run route IS helpful and has made the latest long runs more bearable. Less hills and heat might help too.

+ I am so much more disciplined about exercising than I ever have been while having kids, which is a good thing!

+ I'm also getting less sleep because of this exercise discipline and having to wake up extra early to accomplish other things around the house because I'll be running later. 

+ Overall, I'm glad that I'm training for this half marathon and I know I'll be so proud of myself when I cross that finish line. Because I WILL get there! 

I think I can officially say it's Fall

We went to one of my [our] favorite places today. And we wore sweatshirts. Matching ones if you must know. I've been going to this place pretty much my entire life. My mom often tells the story about when I was young and playing at the playground while a field trip was there. I said, "What are all of these kids doing on MY playground?" I guess I was used to having the whole joint to myself. What place am I talking about? Brookfield Orchards. Open year round and home of the happy apple. Do I sound like an advertisement? Well, I did spend every weekend during harvest season there for both my sophomore and junior years of high school. I just love the place!

Anyways, we went and played, got a couple of pieces of [what used to be] penny candy, and of course picked some apples. It was a perfect fall day! Crisp air, cloudless blue sky and an abundance of apples to be picked. So glad we did it. Here's a little glimpse at our day.

A welcoming sight to enter into. Penny candy, here we come! [Did I mention I was the penny candy girl  one year? Yep, I was. Countless hours of counting candy...]

Ginger Boy spent a lot of time on the "sings"

Apple loving cousins posing the best they can for the picture. Guest appearance by a non-Ginger!

Picking apples at their respective heights

Mom's asking us to pose for a picture? Ok, I'll put an apple on your head instead

This field is currently laying fallow. All of my growing up years I remember this being full of apple trees. I wonder if my son will ever see trees in this field?

Perfect day. Abundance of apples. So glad we made the trip today. 

Learning through Experience

When Darling Daddy and I bought our current home, the only things we were really thinking about were the location, namely its proximity to both of our places of employment at the time, and its price tag. We wanted to find a place that neither of us would have a long commute and a place that would provide me with the opportunity to sty home with our future children, if we were lucky enough to have any. 

Well, that whole commute plan worked out real well for a year. Yep, one year. Actually less than that. We moved in at the end of May one year and I was writing a letter requesting a year leave of absence just 12 months later. Things happened fast for us. Good thing we had taken the price tag into consideration too. That allowed me to take a full year off from teaching to test out the waters as full time mom and making the finances work. We were able to see that it would work for us long term, which was a good thing since I got pregnant again the following May. May is a happening month for us.

So there I was the following May, just 3 years after moving in to our home, now with a 2 year old and a 3 month old. Life was a cake walk. Ok, that's a lie. Life was anything but that. I had the headstrong and assertive terrible two's of Curly Girl constantly battling me and I was functioning on less than desirable and broken sleep thanks to the terrible sleeper that Ginger Boy was. Life was not easy in those days. There were tears from all 3 of us on many a day back then. I knew we'd get through those difficult days (and obviously we have), but there was always one question that went through my head. Why didn't we decide to live closer to our own parents?

Why wasn't that one of the things we thought of as we bought a house? Sure, it came up a few times, but we could never find anything too reasonable or that we really liked. And commute time was something we were both pretty firm about, so getting much closer to either set of parents wasn't really possible. Where we live now we are one hour from my parents and a little over an hour and a half from Darling Daddy's. It's not the worst thing and we're lucky that we are as close as we are because we know there are others who are much further apart, but it is something that would be so nice.

I often imagine what it would be like to just be able to ask a parent if they could come over and watch the kids for a couple hours on a weeknight so we could go out to dinner alone, just the two of us. Or if they could just come by, or me drop the kids off with them so I could go to the dentist or doctor by myself. Or have someone watch the kids so I could go grocery shopping by myself. Or just to have the ability to have people close by to watch the kids so we could get projects done around the house [like the basement project we've had going for over a year...]

Basically, I wish we had thought about these things before having kids. But how could we have known? You don't know until you're there, learning through experience. Before having kids you don't realize that the bi-monthly haircuts you get will become an absolute luxury [I'm currently going on 10 months...] Or the ability to go out for a run by yourself at any time of day that you please would be a novelty. Or that a trip to Grandma's house would have to become a full day trip because of naps and mealtimes.

If you live close to your kids' grandparents, consider yourself lucky! And if you have their help on a regular basis, even luckier. Use and take the help! Do it for those of us that wish we could have it! The help that we do get from our parents is so valuable to us! We would love to have more of it. But for now, we're continuing to live where we are, so we will just have to continue to cherish the visits and time we get with them as frequent or infrequent as they may happen to be. We know that this is where God has placed us in life right now, and we'll continue to follow His plan.

Thanks to Erica Cole Photography for capturing this one! 

Am I Messing Up My Kids?

Have you ever asked yourself that? Be honest. I know I have. This mom job is not an easy one and I've only got one shot at it. What if I'm going about it all wrong? What if I am really and truly messing my kids up? 

Well, thankfully, there's a book to help you answer that question, as well as many other questions you might ask yourself. It's called, 'Am I messing Up My Kids?' By Lysa TerKeurst. It's the first full book that I have read in over two years. I'm pretty proud of that, though I'm not sure if I should be. But the book has helped me so much in my everyday mom life and answered so many questions and fears that I have about raising kids. I want to do it right. I want to look back at these years someday with a smile and sweet memories, not regret. 

A few of my favorite passages from the book that reassure me in this mom life:

"The reality is that we will all have days where our attitude is not what it should be. We all fall short. But there are areas in which you will have to rely on God and His provision."

"God has a plan for each of my kids. As long as I am depending on The Lord to guide me as a parent, nothing I do or don't do will mess up my kid's future."

"For I have finally realized that, despite my shortcomings, God has made me the mom I am meant to be. And I know, without a doubt, I'm not messing up my kids. And whether you are having one of those tearful, overwhelming days...or one of those celebration award-winning days...or one of those please-don't-grow-up-too-quickly days...you aren't messing up your kids either."

It's written for moms with kids of all ages. Definitely worth the read. Get it. You won't regret it!

Am I Messing Up My Kids?: ...and Other Questions Every Mom Asks https://www.amazon.com/dp/0736928669/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_QOrdub1X084H3

5 Years of Running!

This Monday marks my five year running anniversary. And by that I mean when I first started running and actually liking it and choosing to do it for enjoyment. [Although I should note that sometimes I still don't really enjoy it.]  But I feel as though I should pay a bit of tribute on this somewhat of a momentous occasion.

I did have a bit of a previous running history before my real running started. I played basketball for about 10 years growing up. We ran a lot of laps. Especially in the TCA days. [Thanks to you, Coach L!] Then I did swim team in high school and coach [Shout out to you, Big S!] made us run a lot for dry land training. I'll never forget running from the high school to swim practice at the college. It was a little over 3 miles and I thought I was going to die. For real. I didn't even run the whole thing, and then we had to get in the pool and have swim practice after. Ouch. Oh, and then I ran track for three seasons in high school. I was in it mostly for the sprinting and hurdles, but we did have to do two mile warm-ups. But I still didn't really like running. Then in college I had to take physical education classes as part of my graduation requirement. So what did I sign up for? Running. I really wanted to learn to love it. Well, I got through that class, but I still didn't love it. Darn. 

A little over two years later, I started to work out seriously in order to get in shape for my wedding. I was running a bit, like a mile at a time on the treadmill, thinking that would help. Then I met with a trainer and she told me weights were more important for my goals. Yessss! Another way to get out of running. So I started going to the workout/weight room at the high school I taught at a few days a week after school. This is where I really started to be influenced by others. The assistant principal at school was an avid runner and he had made a goal for himself to run 1,000 miles in a year. So, many days we'd be in there working out together. I'd be lifting weights and sometimes on the treadmill a bit and he'd be running. A lot. He'd make jokes with me about running and encourage me to run too, but I still just couldn't get in to it. I really wanted to though! And he made it look so easy! [Was it really that easy?!]

Then I got married. To a former Division I track runner. Darling Daddy was a runner from early on. He ran on the cross country team in high school and then ran track at a Division I university. He was unfortunately injured during his sophomore year in college which put an end to his running career. After back surgery that summer he was never able to get back to pain-free running. He loved running. It was so much a part not his life. He was a natural at it. So fast. And just so passionate about it. Part of me didn't want to run because I was afraid of how it would make him feel. I knew how much he loved it and wished he could be doing it. But he encouraged me a lot. He made a point of telling me that I had a healthy back And I could tell that he almost wanted to be able to live vicariously through me since he was unable to run himself. 

About a year after getting married, I happened to be working out after school in the workout room who a good friend and colleague. She was also an avid runner, doing about 5 miles a day. That day we had a half day of school because it was open house night that night, and she invited me to spend the afternoon at her house rather than make the 45 minute drive home and then back. I gladly accepted the offer. She said that she wanted to work out [aka run 5 miles] after school, so I said I would too. Well, wouldn't you know, I found myself on a treadmill next to her. We started running together. I ran for 2 miles without stopping! She kept running. I walked for a bit, then decided I could run some more. I did another mile. She still kept running. She did her 5 miles. I ran/walked that entire time she was running and did probably about 3.5 running miles that day. It felt good. I was proud of myself! I wanted to do more! I wanted to be able to do 5 miles like she had! [Thanks CB!]

So that week, I started running. At first, it was hard. I would go out for 20 minutes and be done. My legs hurt. My ankles hurt. My feet hurt. But I pushed through. I was able to run a little bit more each day. I gave myself a quick goal of running my first 5K race just three weeks later. That was my motivation. My goal for the race was to run the whole thing and not stop at all. I did it! I finished in a time of 30:56. About a 10 minute mile pace. Not bad for a beginner!

As time went on I found myself being surrounded by more and more runners. We had friends at our church that ran a lot. Marathon runners, half marathon runners, ultra marathon runners, you name it. Lots of runners. There was no escaping it. I was getting more and more hooked. Not only was I surrounded, but I was enjoying my runs and looking forward to them! I wanted to run more and more 5K races and improve my time each race. Which I continued to do, until I got pregnant about 8 months after my love of running started...

That didn't stop me! I ran until I was about 36 weeks pregnant. Yes, it was pretty slow at that point, but I was doing it! I even ran some races while pregnant. And we invested in a BOB Revolution running stroller for the Curly Girl, so she and I could run together. After she was born, my running slowed down a bit, but I was able to still do it and get back to where I had been pre-pregnancy. I was even able to get faster! Right after she turned one, I ran my fastest 5K time ever, a 25:08. Five minutes faster than I had run for my first 5K! I wanted to get even faster! And then I got pregnant again 3 months later...

Fast forward a couple of years and a couple of 10K races thrown into the mix, I'm still running strong, two kids later! We now have a double BOB Revolution stroller and I go out often with the kids. My running has definitely changed from what it once was, but I still enjoy it. I'm currently training for my first half marathon. Before this training the farthest I had ever run was 7 miles. This morning I did 10.8. Yep, 10.8 miles. I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed it all. It was hard. Today was really humid. There was not a dry spot on me, but I did it! I did it all before 9:00 am. 

Running now is a little difficult at times, but it is something that I have truly developed a passion for. I like the way it clears my mind, makes me feel less stressed, gets me outdoors and is a great form of exercise. Being a stay at home mom of two littles doesn't make it easy though. I don't have family close by to watch the kids so I can run, and Darling Daddy has his own exercise to do in the mornings [remember that back surgery I mentioned? He's gotta keep that back loose and tuned], so my runs have to happen on the treadmill in the basement, at the YMCA, or with the kids in the stroller. It's a challenge at times, but it is something that I think is worth it.

So, I write all this as a bit of a reflection for myself, but also as encouragement for others. I didn't always like running, I actually disliked it a lot sometimes. But look at me now! I've stuck with it and worked hard and am running more and more each week. It's not always easy, and I also need some encouragement at times, but it's something that anyone can do if you really put your mind to it. 

Thank you, to everyone who influenced me along the way. You have changed my life!

The Choices We Have Made

I'm going to be honest. I get really nostalgic at this time of year and have every year for the past three years. Going back to school time. A new school year, a fresh beginning. New things to be learned. New people to meet. More math to tackle and take down. Teaching hundreds of eager students about the importance of the slope intercept equation and how to solve an equation for the missing variable. Ok, I know, I'm about to lose you. I'm getting a little too nostalgic. The students aren't really that eager. But in all seriousness, I do get a bit nostalgic and sad at this time of year. I just can't help it.

I knew that I wanted to be a teacher when I was eight years old. I carried through with my dream and not only got my undergraduate degree in education, but also my Master's degree. I loved it that much. [And the state of Massachusetts also highly recommended that I get that graduate degree within a certain timeframe, but that's another story]. School and teaching were just ingrained in me. They were part of who I was and they defined me. 

I love teaching. And I think I'm pretty good at it, which is why we have made the choice that we have made. That is, for me to take a break from formal classroom teaching, to take on the even more important role of raising,nurturing and teaching our children at home while they are young. We look at it as me making a solid investment in our own children rather than hundreds of other children.

Do I miss classroom teaching and high school math? Absolutely. But do I miss it enough to trade in my current role as teacher of my own children? Not a chance. My days here at home are quite often long ones, but there has never been a single moment when I wished I was back at school in the classroom and away from my own children. Not once! That is how much I love this new teaching job that I have been called to. And if I'm being honest again, I think I'm pretty good at this job too. 

Now with this massive choice, we have also had to make a lot of other choices. You see, when you give up a career with a paid income for another career that is unpaid [monetarily speaking], you also have to give up a lot of other things. Like a big house with our own yard. We won't have that for a long time. But do we really care? No. Living in our townhouse right now is perfect. It's enough space and it's affordable. And we have awesome neighbors. You can't beat that! We also had to give up glamorous vacations. Darling Daddy and I had a honeymoon in Jamaica and two Caribbean cruises, along with several other little trips pre-kids. Now all of our vacations are spent visiting our own parents in different locations. We stay for free AND get built-in babysitters. And of course we get to see them and spend time with them. Winning all around! [If anyone wants to offer us a glamorous location to travel to with free babysitting, we'll take you up on an offer too!]

We've also had to make other smaller choices, like having only basic cable TV, limiting our meals out at restaurants and no smart phones. What?!?! Yep. We might be the only two people in their thirties that don't have smart phones. We are getting them soon though, since the prices of both the phones and plans have dropped drastically since we last renewed our contract two years ago. That will be exciting.

But all of these choices we made because we decided that our children being home with their mother every day and being nurtured, loved, cared for and taught by me is much more important than the income I could be bringing in. And we hope that our choice and decision is the right one. For our family, it is. It may not be for your family, and that's fine. That is your choice.

So, what is in store for the future? Will I have to be nostalgic at this time of year forever? We're still not sure. I will probably be back in the classroom teaching math once my children are in school full-time. But that is a long time away. So until then, I'm going to continue to enjoy this career that I've been called to for these early years. I'm going to love it and make the choice to learn from it every day.