Grandparents Day!

Grandparents Day was on Monday! Grandma and Papa came to Rina's school to see her class and meet her teacher.

She showed them how well she can read, she let them look through her Math workbook, and she taught them a fun addition card game.

She gave them special gifts that she had made, like a handprint poem and a note telling them each why they are so special.

8th Grade Band Concert

Last night, we enjoyed Mark's very last Junior High band concert! The students did such a great job! We are looking forward to Mark continuing in band next year at OEHS.

Check That Off My Bucket List!

The Rockford Half Marathon is now in the books! BAM! After 10 long weeks of following the Hal Higdon's training schedule, I've completed my very first half! Friends and family have been so supportive. Friends paced me through long runs. Family members watched the kiddos so I could get my daily miles in. And Ryan even followed me in his car one night, to ensure a safe late night run!


This token was given to me by a good buddy who has overcome some pretty incredible fitness hurdles of his own! He gave me this token to remind me that anything is possible when we set our minds to it. I carried it in my hydration pack during the race.

I ran the first couple miles with a friend and an official pacer. But I lost them at mile 2 when I had to make a quick pit stop at a port-a-let. (Very aggravating! Not sure how to avoid this in the future. When things get moving...you can't help but stop...) So, I was on my own for the rest of the way.

I had been most terrified of running the race alone. But it really wasn't all that bad! I made it through miles 3-9 with no problem, other than sore legs and feet closer to mile 9.

After stopping for a moment to greet my family, drink a little gatorade, and get rid of my heavy hydration pack...I resumed my trot. It wasn't long before my right knee started feeling like it was on fire! Ouch!

Miles 10-13 were the longest miles I've ever traveled. It was painful, I had to walk much of the way, and my body just wanted to shut down!

But encouraging texts from Ryan, my sister, and my friends kept me going. And before long, I could see the Finish Line!!!

I trotted that very last stretch, with my family cheering right along the sidewalk. It was the best moment of the entire race!

Completing this race is something I can check off my "Bucket List." Now, I'm anxious to run another half marathon. I'm anxious to try and beat my race time of 2hrs 47min. One thing I did right was get new shoes, custom inserts, and I hydrated well throughout the week leading up to the race. (I know I did that right, because my mouth was never dry throughout the race). But there were some new lessons I learned that will hopefully help me chop off at least 15 minutes from my time in the next race. Here's what I learned:

1) Train consistently! Don't skip runs.  

2) Stretch better before and after! No excuses.  

3) I didn't need my hydration belt. There were enough water/gatorade stations to hydrate during the race. The belt was just a heavy nuisance. 

4) Pin sandwich bags of pretzels or fig newtons to waist. The "running" beans and the power bars are disgusting and way too sweet for a dry mouth. 

5) Don't psych myself out with nerves! Now that I have physically felt the distance, I know it's doable. Next time I will take time to actually enjoy the run!

I'm so thankful for the support of my family and running buddies. It's was fun to show my kids the process of committing to a challenge and then reaching that goal! At the end of the race, their cheering was more valuable to me than the medal I earned. Love it!

And I'm so happy that my friend encouraged me to do this in the first place. Sometimes we don't even know what to dream for. Her invitation to join her in this race opened a door I was too afraid to open myself. I truly hope I can be just as encouraging to others some day.

When Old Hurts Resurface...

What do you do with pain that you thought you'd overcome long ago? 

Every once in awhile, pain rears its head and tears open wounds that you had so carefully tended until they had scabbed over.

The kind of pain that has resurfaced today is the loss of a dear friendship. I'm not trying to be cryptic here. In fact, the friends I'm referring to will most likely know that they are the subject of today's writings. And I'm okay with that. None of this should come as a surprise to them: I've been pretty honest about my feelings.

The thing is, I had loved these dear friends and spent a lot of time with them. I shared deep thoughts and feelings with them. We celebrated special moments together. Trust developed when difficult circumstances arose.

In my mind, this kinship was lifelong. 

I sometimes ventured to say they were my best friends. (Although, looking back, I realize they never reciprocated that title).

Then suddenly it all stopped. I'm still not quite sure why. It may always be a mystery. But little by little, I started to realize that there was no effort coming from that side of the friendship. No effort to spend time together. No effort to keep up with the important things in each other's lives. We drifted apart, but I was the only one who seemed to care. 

Why did it hurt me so badly? Well, I guess it's like this... 

When you care so much about friends, the loss of their companionship is awfully painful. 

Why weren't they affected by the same loss? Well, in my estimation, the friendship must not have meant the same thing to them as it did to me. Ouch! That's a tough one to swallow.

Did my hurt lessen as I eventually observed these friends repeat the same sequence with others? Not really. It's not fun watching people  either scratch their heads in confusion or deal with awful disillusionment. 

I've definitely moved on. After mourning this loss for awhile, I began to seek out friendships with people who are willing to give equal effort to the relationship. Wow! What a difference that makes!

So, what about when old wounds resurface, reminding me of this painful split? Well, the pain definitely catches me by surprise, because I worked hard to get over it long ago. But when old hurts return, I suppose it becomes a mental battle at that point. 

So, here is what I choose to do. 

I choose to love these dear old friends. I still believe they are very special people. And I choose to hope for the best for them.

Then I choose to put my energy into new relationships that add such richness to my life! I am now extra grateful for true, lifelong friends. 

Moral of the story: Not all friendships are forever. But when you do find that true, lifelong friend -- never take them for granted!