I’ve got a feelin’. Woo hoo.

I had forgotten how much I loved that feeling.  Craved that feeling.  The one where you can feel the finish line pulling in you faster, stronger to cross over it.  That feeling of giving everything you have, wondering how you will ever make it.  And then it hits you.  This rush, it sends tingles all through my body and forces my mouth into a smile.  This is the moment I love running for.  It’s a high, a rush, this adrenaline.  It happens again when you are approaching the finish line.  Even though you have given everything you have, somehow your mind makes up for the lacking and you propel yourself through it trying to drink it all in.  Not the crowd, or even the clock.  It’s that power.  The feeling that you pushed and worked hard enough.  You finished. 

I have always been a runner.  I have always loved it.  But you might recall last January, I ran a race my mind and body wouldn’t soon forget.  13.2 excruciating miles without proper training.  It was awful.  I hated running that day.   I wondered when that would wear off and I would hit the pavement again. Today is 7 months.  I can honestly say I hadn’t felt that tingle, that drive to run for 7 months. 

Today I felt it.  It was somewhere deep inside that I felt that urge.  To get home as fast I could, and get on the treadmill.  And I ran.  For a whopping mile, before I puked.   The assumption that a couple miles would feel great was quite short lived.  I ran one more mile and vowed to do better tomorrow.  I know I will get there.  I miss that wonderful sweaty feeling of adrenaline flowing through my veins. And I will run that half marathon again in January.  And this time I’ll be ready. 

Doooo your ears hang low….

We have had this competition conversation between children many times before.  Can you flare your nostrils?  They then proceed to flare their very best nostril flare, and can you curl your tongue? And all the little tongues get a bit crazy then ultimately it ends up with the master of all facial wiggling… who can wiggle their ears.  Oh the whole back seat tried their darndest, but  everything but the ears were doing the wiggling.  This is Lainy’s very favorite part, for she can wiggle her little ears.  And after a humble display she mentioned that when she is sad, she puts her ears down like Flapjack. 

When I grow up

Lainy was creating something important with magnetics and Jared was at her heels trying to swipe them to make his own creation.  She quickly pulled them out of reach and said, “Hey! I am going to be a scientist!”  Pause. 

“Or a cowgirl.  Or a nail polish painter.” 

She just may end up being all three!

Too much can kill you.

Some rain can be a good thing.  In fact, it’s a necessity.  But too much of a good thing?

There are times when it feels like a steady rain giving just enough discomfort to form annoyance.

It seems manageable enough, it’s just a little rain.  You grab your umbrella and continue on your way. 

It doesn’t get any heavier, that’s good.  Just a constant drizzle.  Harmless right?  No breaks, but not the worst you’ve seen.  So you keep going. 

After a while you realize it’s getting harder to move around.  Takes more effort to walk in the same constant drizzle you thought wasn’t so bad.  So you put your boots on. 

Ok, boots help.  The rain hasn’t stopped.  Or gotten worse.  So now you are wearing boots and carrying the umbrella and going about your normal business. 

Soon you notice it’s up to your knees and it’s starting to flow making your progress a bit harder against the forming current.  Still the rain isn’t coming down any harder, but not letting up either. 

So you lean forward and keep going.  You still have strength left.

The longer it rains, the higher it goes.   Your waist, then your chest, until eventually you’re up to your neck in this once seemingly bearable water. 

You realize you must now find shelter or you will drown.  Why didn’t you do it while you had the chance?   Somehow this small task of walking in the rain has become this huge burden and you didn’t even notice until you nearly drown.