What Else is New?

When I take these long breaks from blogging, I always feel the need to catch folks up on what is happening.  Probably, none of these items will come as a surprise, but here they are anyway!

• I'm reading a book about running.  I don't like it, but I can't seem to put it down, either.  I'm not sure that the author is telling truths about herself and her life, the beginning seemed to drag on forever, and there are way too many details about who she thinks people resemble.  Although I think some of her accomplishments are inspiring, I find myself too distracted by her rambling writing style and by rolling my eyes at some of her stories to actually feel inspired.

Dandelion Growing Wild

• I'm not running my first full marathon in a few weeks.  I finally decided to switch to the half after reading the advice given to Shut Up + Run blogger, Beth, by her coach, Andrew Kastor.  In more eloquent language, he basically said that training for a marathon is the hard part.  Running the marathon is the reward.  I remembered how true that was for me when I trained for my first 13.1 mile race, and I realized that I don't deserve the reward of completing a full marathon yet.  I haven't put in enough training time or hard work, and I feel like I would be cheating, in a way, by crossing that finish line without having properly prepared myself.  I don't want to run a marathon just to say I've done it.  I want to challenge myself, become a stronger runner, and I want to give it my very best.  Toeing the starting line sort-of injured, half-trained, lacking confidence and drive, and with the mantra "Slow down and walk" running through my head is not the way I want to be there.
• Rip Claw is amazing.  He ran his 3rd 5k race in a year, and set a PR by more than 10 minutes!  

34:39

The results board showed that he was in 3rd place, earning an age group medal.  However, once the official results came out, he ended up in 5th place.  Fast forward past the crushing disappointment, tears, anger, and shout of, "It's not FAIR!" and you'll find him proud and smiling again.  He asked if Charming and I would make something for him to replace the medal he thought he earned.  We agreed, and he said that he will "love it no matter what it is or how good it looks, because it's not something you buy, it's something you make special just for me."  After the race, we came home and relaxed for a while before going to his first ever Flag Football game.  He played magnificently.  He even scored a touchdown!

Charming and I have always agreed that tackle football is too dangerous for our kids to play.  I still believe that, but I must admit, I had a brief, "What if, maybe..." thought after watching him catch the long pass, dodge "tackles" and speed into the end zone.  I love watching football, and it didn't ever really occur to me that a Pee Wee league game could be more exciting than an NFL game.  I wanted more, more, and more.  It was awesome to watch, and he loved every moment of playing, too.

• Kids who go to day care tend to get sick more often than those who don't.  Cupcake started going to baby school 2 days a week in early February, in order to free up some extra days for me to pick up substitute teaching jobs.  She has been sick 3 times in the past 4 weeks, and only twice in the previous 22 months.  The good news?  I learned that the after-hours pediatric clinic nearby is actually a pretty decent facility.  Also, I learned what the rash that comes with hand, foot, and mouth disease looks like.

The first time she has fallen asleep on my lap in more than a year!

• I'm off Facebook for a while.  40 days, to be exact.  I don't do Lent, but our church asks the goers to do something similar every year around this time.  We're to make a few commitments, like attending services for 6 weeks, memorizing some verses, etc., and to sacrifice something that occupies our attention so that we have more time to spend cultivating our relationship with God.  As I told my friend earlier, it's going to be tough for me.  Not like 40 days of fasting alone in the wilderness before being betrayed and crucified tough, but still.  Mostly, I'm excited to break the habit I have of checking FB every time I pick up my phone, and keeping the tab open every time I'm on the laptop.  
• I have a horrible cough.  I keep reminding myself that it has been this bad before, and it always goes away eventually, but it's still awful in the meantime.  I think I used to get my yearly cough in the late Fall/early Winter months.  Some years, I had it more than once.  No matter when it comes to visit, I loathe it.  It's embarrassing, gross, painful, annoying, and unpredictable.  Here is how it sounds, in words:

UHK UHK UHK UHK UHK UHK

CAH CAH CAH CAH CAH CAH CAH

breath

BLECKAGH BLECKAGH BLECKAGH BLECKAGH

gasp

GRUCKECK! GRUCKECK! GRUCKECK!

ughaghKACH ughaghKACH

Repeat, repeat, repeat, sometimes for as long as 30 minutes. 

• I really enjoy doing volunteer work.  I've done several different types, too, so it isn't as if I just need to find a paying job doing the work I volunteer to do now.  Obviously, serving others and being helpful is rewarding in its own way, but I also like the freedom that not getting paid offers.  I can refuse to do things, if I want to, or leave early if I must.  If you have any free time, try it out.  Volunteer at a local race, or help feed hungry people.  I bet you'll be happy you did!

So.  What's new with you?