10k Walking Marathon - 1 hour and 48 minutes later...
...we crossed the finish line with a bunch of joggers that were most likely finishing the 1/2 marathon. We were not the last walkers for the 10k - close mind you - BUT not the last.
The marathon is over and now we have a year to train for the next one. Yes, we had so much fun we thought we would try again. I had a couple of goals for this marathon (besides actually doing it), was to do it under 2 hours and during the marathon it was to pass the lady in front of us. We did both - though I think we past the lady only because she stopped to get a stone out of her shoe.
Maybe if we hadn't visited so much, laughed so much, talked to the volunteers along the way, joked about having a motorcyle escort - we might have been faster but we wouldn't have had so much fun - so I'm glad we did it the way we did.
No pictures of us crossing the finishing line -unfortunately our family and friends chose to sleep in instead of cheering us on. But no hurt feelings about that - I would have probably done the same in their shoes! Getting up at 5:30am was sure hard!
It was great experience and I'm really glad I did it, especially with my dear friend Arlene.
Reading: The book of Romans, One Good Knight and still reading Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.
Looking forward to: July holidays and my stack of books to read during my holidays
Feeling: Annoyed
Monday, May 28, 2007
Monday, May 14, 2007
God sent a baby to comfort me…
Woke up this morning to a Happy Mothers Day email from my niece. She wanted to share from a book she had read and here is the excerpt she sent me.
“For there will come a time when the lucky child who felt enough to weep then will at last be able to smile and say ’Remember when mommy read me those stories, remember when she danced, remember when she made my costume.’ When the friend who thought she would never recover from grief, when the husband or wife who thought his own life was over, will cease to cry, will be able to take pleasure in saying: ‘Remember how she used to lean her head back when she laughed?’ ‘Remember how he loved to garden, out there way past the last frost’? ‘Remember when she cut all her hair off and was so sorry?’ “
Daniel paused, a long pause. His voice when he spoke again, was soft, nearly a whisper. “And feel the pleasure in having her there again. In bringing him back to life for those moments. A new life. Truly a life after death.”
His face seemed to tighten. “Because if metaphor is one of the ways we have left to approach God, to begin to understand faith, memory itself is a living metaphor for the eternal life.” He paused, then slowly said, “Loss brings pain. Yes. But pain triggers memory. And memory is a kind of new birth, within each of us. And it is that new birth after long pain, that resurrection – in memory - that, to our surprise, perhaps, comforts us.
“It comforts us. And that comfort-and even joy-the comfort that rises within each us by the grace of God: that comfort teaches us something, here on earth, about eternal life. It makes us all feel something we can believe in about its promise.”
“In this world, God gives us pain. But He gives us memory, too, to change that pain to laughter, to joy. To bring the dead back into our lives. To comfort us. To make us understand, by this living metaphor, His tender power… “
I confess I was preoccupied by other things Sunday morning to stop and think about my mom that is until our minister said a prayer to and about mothers. Mentioning people who had lost their mothers made the emotions of my lose swell up in me again and a few tears to my eyes. But the good Lord had arranged for me to sit behind Monica and Linaya. I was originally headed for a seat next to Ruby but Sarah asked if we could sit with Bev and Nicole in the back row so that is where we ended up – right behind Monica and Linaya. At the end of the prayer when I was trying to control my emotions and thinking I wasn’t going to be able to, I looked up into Linaya’s big eyes, her big smile and giggle, and her fingers pointed at me. How could I cry when there was this beautiful baby smiling at me? So I wiped the tears from my eyes and smiled back.
It reminds me of how much my mom loved babies, holding them, talking to them, and memories of mom holding my daughters as babies. I remember the time my brother brought a new baby into the house and announced he was the father. While the rest of us stood there with our jaws on the floor, mom just picked up Kyle, talked and played with him.
Yes, there does come a time when we smile and laugh at the memories instead of cry. When the memories of the past with mom over rides the memories of when she died. I won’t say I’m totally there but I’m getting there.
Woke up this morning to a Happy Mothers Day email from my niece. She wanted to share from a book she had read and here is the excerpt she sent me.
“For there will come a time when the lucky child who felt enough to weep then will at last be able to smile and say ’Remember when mommy read me those stories, remember when she danced, remember when she made my costume.’ When the friend who thought she would never recover from grief, when the husband or wife who thought his own life was over, will cease to cry, will be able to take pleasure in saying: ‘Remember how she used to lean her head back when she laughed?’ ‘Remember how he loved to garden, out there way past the last frost’? ‘Remember when she cut all her hair off and was so sorry?’ “
Daniel paused, a long pause. His voice when he spoke again, was soft, nearly a whisper. “And feel the pleasure in having her there again. In bringing him back to life for those moments. A new life. Truly a life after death.”
His face seemed to tighten. “Because if metaphor is one of the ways we have left to approach God, to begin to understand faith, memory itself is a living metaphor for the eternal life.” He paused, then slowly said, “Loss brings pain. Yes. But pain triggers memory. And memory is a kind of new birth, within each of us. And it is that new birth after long pain, that resurrection – in memory - that, to our surprise, perhaps, comforts us.
“It comforts us. And that comfort-and even joy-the comfort that rises within each us by the grace of God: that comfort teaches us something, here on earth, about eternal life. It makes us all feel something we can believe in about its promise.”
“In this world, God gives us pain. But He gives us memory, too, to change that pain to laughter, to joy. To bring the dead back into our lives. To comfort us. To make us understand, by this living metaphor, His tender power… “
I confess I was preoccupied by other things Sunday morning to stop and think about my mom that is until our minister said a prayer to and about mothers. Mentioning people who had lost their mothers made the emotions of my lose swell up in me again and a few tears to my eyes. But the good Lord had arranged for me to sit behind Monica and Linaya. I was originally headed for a seat next to Ruby but Sarah asked if we could sit with Bev and Nicole in the back row so that is where we ended up – right behind Monica and Linaya. At the end of the prayer when I was trying to control my emotions and thinking I wasn’t going to be able to, I looked up into Linaya’s big eyes, her big smile and giggle, and her fingers pointed at me. How could I cry when there was this beautiful baby smiling at me? So I wiped the tears from my eyes and smiled back.
It reminds me of how much my mom loved babies, holding them, talking to them, and memories of mom holding my daughters as babies. I remember the time my brother brought a new baby into the house and announced he was the father. While the rest of us stood there with our jaws on the floor, mom just picked up Kyle, talked and played with him.
Yes, there does come a time when we smile and laugh at the memories instead of cry. When the memories of the past with mom over rides the memories of when she died. I won’t say I’m totally there but I’m getting there.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
DRESSES!
There is a store in Lawson Heights mall that is now my favorite dress store. Any time my daughters need a dress that is the first store we are going to. Why you might ask? Even if you didn't I'm about to tell you...
Kristie needs a dress for the winter banquet - we hit every store in the city with no luck. Finally end up at Lawson Heights - go into this store, 2nd dress she tries on is THE DRESS. Not the "I guess it will do because there is nothing else and we are running out of time" but THE DRESS. She loves everything about it. I'm excited, she's excited, high fives in the dresses room, smiles as we leave the store.
Sarah needs a dress for grad. We hit every store at the Midtown (and I mean every store, every dress). Props to Sarah for trying on all those dresses. Found nothing, and I mean nothing. I'm starting to pray to God please let us find a dress she likes that looks good on her. Happened to be by Lawson Heights - hit every store - found one that was a "well if I can't find anything else". Finally go into the store mentioned above. Guess what? Yes we found THE DRESS. She loves it, loves the color - high fives in the dressing room. Mom tells the young lady at the till how much she loves this store - we leave with smiles. Thank you Lord!!
On a personal note I love my sister. For my birthday gift she came over on Friday and cleaned up, put in some good dirt, and fertlized my flower beds. Put in a yellow rose bush (I love rose bushes), some other plants and left me with some other ones for my flower pots. I've had little to no motivation to do this so it was one of the best birthday gifts I've ever received!!
I love my friends, that endured a cold Friday night to watch my daughters soccer game. The team lost but I think it was because they were so busy trying to stay warm that it was hard to concentrate on actually playing the game LOL Next late night game, I'm packing a sleeping bag to keep me warm!
And...I'm blogging from home ... it worked today for some reason, don't know why, don't care, just glad it worked....
Listening to my daughter wish me a Happy Mothers Day.
There is a store in Lawson Heights mall that is now my favorite dress store. Any time my daughters need a dress that is the first store we are going to. Why you might ask? Even if you didn't I'm about to tell you...
Kristie needs a dress for the winter banquet - we hit every store in the city with no luck. Finally end up at Lawson Heights - go into this store, 2nd dress she tries on is THE DRESS. Not the "I guess it will do because there is nothing else and we are running out of time" but THE DRESS. She loves everything about it. I'm excited, she's excited, high fives in the dresses room, smiles as we leave the store.
Sarah needs a dress for grad. We hit every store at the Midtown (and I mean every store, every dress). Props to Sarah for trying on all those dresses. Found nothing, and I mean nothing. I'm starting to pray to God please let us find a dress she likes that looks good on her. Happened to be by Lawson Heights - hit every store - found one that was a "well if I can't find anything else". Finally go into the store mentioned above. Guess what? Yes we found THE DRESS. She loves it, loves the color - high fives in the dressing room. Mom tells the young lady at the till how much she loves this store - we leave with smiles. Thank you Lord!!
On a personal note I love my sister. For my birthday gift she came over on Friday and cleaned up, put in some good dirt, and fertlized my flower beds. Put in a yellow rose bush (I love rose bushes), some other plants and left me with some other ones for my flower pots. I've had little to no motivation to do this so it was one of the best birthday gifts I've ever received!!
I love my friends, that endured a cold Friday night to watch my daughters soccer game. The team lost but I think it was because they were so busy trying to stay warm that it was hard to concentrate on actually playing the game LOL Next late night game, I'm packing a sleeping bag to keep me warm!
And...I'm blogging from home ... it worked today for some reason, don't know why, don't care, just glad it worked....
Listening to my daughter wish me a Happy Mothers Day.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Soccer and Walking:
The youngest is in outdoor soccer again this spring. Been several practices which have given me the time to go walking for the hour. The route I walk when she is at practice is about 5k and I do it in just under an hour - which is really good for this couch potato...still having shin problems with the one leg which totally annoys me and doesn't make the walking all that fun for the first 1/2 hour.
First soccer game was last night - why is it that the parents always have to sit on the side which looks into the sun? Must remember to bring hat next time.
Anyhoo, they WON. Sarah did some awesome goalie save in the 2nd half, some great stealing from the other team (during the 1st half when she played defense) - heck she even ran down one girl and stole the ball from her. Mother and Father were most proud! (oh... just to clarify I don't mean she ran "over" the other girl, just caught up and got in front and stole the ball...). The team did some great passing, lots of kicks at goal, stealing the ball, etc etc.... Next game this Friday.
Reading: The book of Acts; Having a Mary heart in a Martha World.
Listening: to another Canadian Idol and 3 Days Grace on my daugthers Ipod (I finally got my own playlist on it - hee hee)
Computer: Still can't log unto blogspot from home - bummer!
The youngest is in outdoor soccer again this spring. Been several practices which have given me the time to go walking for the hour. The route I walk when she is at practice is about 5k and I do it in just under an hour - which is really good for this couch potato...still having shin problems with the one leg which totally annoys me and doesn't make the walking all that fun for the first 1/2 hour.
First soccer game was last night - why is it that the parents always have to sit on the side which looks into the sun? Must remember to bring hat next time.
Anyhoo, they WON. Sarah did some awesome goalie save in the 2nd half, some great stealing from the other team (during the 1st half when she played defense) - heck she even ran down one girl and stole the ball from her. Mother and Father were most proud! (oh... just to clarify I don't mean she ran "over" the other girl, just caught up and got in front and stole the ball...). The team did some great passing, lots of kicks at goal, stealing the ball, etc etc.... Next game this Friday.
Reading: The book of Acts; Having a Mary heart in a Martha World.
Listening: to another Canadian Idol and 3 Days Grace on my daugthers Ipod (I finally got my own playlist on it - hee hee)
Computer: Still can't log unto blogspot from home - bummer!
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Unable to blog from home:
We had to wipe our hard drive at home and since then my stupid computer won't let me log into my blog to post ... sob sob sob.
So until I can figure out how to do that (I am posting from work computer during the lunch break) I won't be posting for a bit; unless I have some really brillant thought that I feel inclined to send to my work address in an email to post at work, or finally get the home computer to let me login.
If anyone knows what my problem might be (ie computer not letting me login not a personal problem!) and has some suggestions, I would love to hear them.
On a personal quick note - youngest is off to camp for 3 days which means just me and the hubby ... wait.... just realized I might have time now that Sarah is off the computer to actually spend time trying to fix the problem WOW!! or I just may use the time to go walking...
We had to wipe our hard drive at home and since then my stupid computer won't let me log into my blog to post ... sob sob sob.
So until I can figure out how to do that (I am posting from work computer during the lunch break) I won't be posting for a bit; unless I have some really brillant thought that I feel inclined to send to my work address in an email to post at work, or finally get the home computer to let me login.
If anyone knows what my problem might be (ie computer not letting me login not a personal problem!) and has some suggestions, I would love to hear them.
On a personal quick note - youngest is off to camp for 3 days which means just me and the hubby ... wait.... just realized I might have time now that Sarah is off the computer to actually spend time trying to fix the problem WOW!! or I just may use the time to go walking...
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