#twoferthursdays

I ran a lot this week. 21 miles to be exact.

I also brought back #twoferthursdays - which I'm turning into a thing. Oh, the power of the hashtag. Admittedly, #twofertuesdays sounds better but I can't run twice on Tuesday and then again on Wednesday and Thursday - so #twoferthursdays it is.

In other news, my kids are out of school for the summer. Are these two things related? Definitely.

I got talked into running a 10k next week. Actually, all I got was a text and the next thing I know I was on the website registering. For a 10k. A 10k that takes place next week.

I ran 7 miles this morning so I know I can do it. It might take longer then I would like but I can get it done. I just have the first post baby race butterflies.

The fact that I'm even talking about running in a 10k race three months after having Baby G is insane. I can't say it enough (and I promise I'm almost done saying it) exercising while I was pregnant was the best. idea. EVER.

A race report will be forthcoming.

#blue4ben

On May 13, 2014, 5 year-old Ben Sauer lost his battle with cancer.

I didn't know Ben personally. I graduated from college with his Mom, Mindy, but we were more of acquaintances then close friends. But his story, his family's story, dug its way into my heart and has not let go. 

Mindy's posts about her son's diagnosis, hospital stay, chemo treatments, and the eventual realization that he would not survive are poignant, heartbreaking, and gut wrenching. There have only been a few times in my life where the words of another person have had such a profound effect on me - this is one of them. 

Her faith in God and in His promises is HUGE. Not your everyday run of the mill let me go to church and sing the right songs and do the right things. No. Her faith allowed her to trust God with her son. Her baby. To know that God was walking and grieving alongside them. To believe that He would use this situation, through Ben, to bring glory to His name. 

And He did. 

Ben's story and the depth and strength of Mindy & Andy's faith has changed lives. 

It has changed mine. 

Her words, her absolute faith in the power of Christ, broke me. God used her, used Ben, used his battle with cancer to convict my heart. 

"God has assured me that His grace is sufficient. His grace is deeper. And His grace is powerful enough to carry me through. We just have to ask for it.

 

He doesn't supply all the grace we need at once. He gives us just enough to get through one day at a time. And in my case, one moment at a time.

 

I really wish we weren't in a position to discover just how deep the depths of His grace are. But we are finding them to be very deep. Very rich. And more than enough.

 

The road ahead is long. It is difficult. And God can't promise that we won't come across more difficulties along the way. In fact, He guarantees that we will. But He will supply the grace. My job is simply to obey. To rest in His strength. And to look for the ways He is trying to bless us through this storm.

 

I'm reminded of these verses:

 

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary

and burdened, and I will give you rest.

²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn

from me, for I am gentle and humble

in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

 

Rest. I like the way that sounds.

 

Thank you, God, that your grace is deep enough to sustain us through even the dark times. We will continually try and rest in You. Please continue to mend our broken hearts as we mourn our loss. Remind us of your mercies. And that You have never - ever - not even once - failed us. Amen."

-Mindy Sauer

Those are words written by a woman who just buried her son. Hers is a faith that could move mountains. It is the type of faith that I want. A BIG, GINORMOUS faith that encompasses all aspects of my life. From the way I speak to myself internally, to the way I interact with my children, my husband, and the world. 

Thank you Mindy and Ben for reminding me that God is here. Waiting. Waiting for me to come to Him to receive healing, strength, or whatever else I might need.  

Thank you for sharing your son with us, for allowing us to come with you on this painful journey. You will never truly know how many lives you have impacted for the kingdom of God.

Rest in peace Ben.

If you would like to learn more about Ben's story you can read about it here

Post Baby Running: Week 3

Give me a moment to brag a little.

I had G in the beginning of March. During the month of April, I ran 21.7 miles. This month, as of May 10th, I have already run 22 miles. There is a very good chance that I'm going to double my mileage this month.

Even I couldn't have imagined that I would feel this good, this soon, after my third C-section in 6 years.

I can not say this enough: exercising during pregnancy was the best choice I could have ever made. I watched what I ate but the time I spent on the road and in the gym made all the difference.

I'm doing the happy dance over here.

A 2:25 half marathon is looking more and more like a reality.

Week 3

Monday: 3mi / 31:39 / 10:33

(this fast run was brought to you by a Mom who needed to get home before her husband took her fair skinned daughter to park day at school without sunblock or a hat)

Wednesday: 3.03mi / 34:45 / 11:29

Friday: 4mi / 45:21 / 11:20

Saturday: 5mi / 1:01:09 / 12:13

jello yoga arms

Oh yoga.

I love to hate you.

When you tell me to go from plank to modified cobra to downward facing dog my arms want to quit.
As the blood rushes to my head, I want to go into child's pose and never move again. When you tell me to breathe deeply into the right side of my lung and shift my left seat underneath my left leg while in triangle pose, I want to scream "that's not possible, Cyborg!"

My ribs are actually sore. I don't think that's ever happened to me before. Muscles that have lain dormant all those baby carrying months are unhappy. Yoga makes them unhappy. But, and that's a BIG but, yoga makes ME happy.

and sore.

Yoga makes me sore.

and makes me feel better about the piece of cake I had in celebration of "no diet" day.

pull ups, Panera, & Post Baby Running: week 2

I had the best of intentions. A picnic lunch at the botanical gardens. My cute kids frolicking among the blossoming flowers. Picture perfect.

Then reality kicked in.

First, as I was pulling E out of her car seat, I noticed it was wet, very wet. Disbelieving that my almost four year old would have an accident, I checked her juice cup. It was perfectly intact. Then I smelled her seat - yep, accident confirmed. Of course, I didn't have an extra set of underwear or clothes for her. Awesome. Thankfully, there was a random Lightining McQueen pull up in my trunk. I'm not really sure why it was there but hey who am I to question these things?

Problem solved.

After we made our way down a flight of stairs with a stroller, we discovered the garden's cafe was closed. By now, everyone is hungry and things are starting to unravel. Oh, did I mention that its like 85 degrees in MAY!

Hunger + heat = ugliness.

We make the wise decision to leave the garden and head to Panera.  However, it was time for baby G to eat. We're all about the schedule is this family. So, I plyed the other children with snacks to hold them over while my husband feeds the baby. Of course, G spits up all over his dad and then all over me. Like down the front of my dress all over me. At this point, W is the only family member not covered in bodily fluids.

Thankfully, Panera's air conditioning and amazing Avocado Chicken Cobb salad reoriented my world and people sat around us so apparently we didn't smell.

Ah, parenting. Not for the meek.

Even in the midst of life's drama, I still managed to get my miles in this week, including my first post baby run with my running partner!

Monday: 3 mi / 39:30 / 13:10

Wednesday: 3.01 mi / 35:09 / 11:40

Friday: 3 mi / 34:08 / 11:23

Saturday: 4 mi / in my semi sleep deprived state I forgot to charge my Garmin so I have no data for this run but I can tell you it was slow. and hot. I think my days of late morning / early afternoon running are numbered.

I'm hoping to get a 5 mile run in sometime this week but with end of school year activities out the wazoo,  I'll let you know how that goes.

Just joining the party? Here's how Week 1 went...
Post Baby Running Recap: Week 1