My coach is thrilled with this photo.

I have been ‘blessed’ with allergies to pretty much everything under the sun and asthma brought on by those durn-blasted things AND exercise, so I have never considered myself an athlete. My gym teacher in elementary school never liked me much (for various reasons) and thought I was always fake wheezing as I was sucking on my inhaler. While I’m not quite ready to call myself an athlete yet, I can feel myself getting there.  That is pretty awesome. And, I am pretty happy with how everything ended up yesterday.

I had a light strawberry kale soy protein smoothie 2.5 hours before the race (which was fortunately approved by my coach – after the fact). Loaded an awesome running mix onto my mP3 player, and warmed up a bit before the race. As the gun went off, I was WAY behind the start/finish line, but suffice it to say that there was at least 30 seconds between me and the start time due to a miscalculation on my part. Never mind. Lessons learned. Won’t happen again.

The run was tough, and I didn’t meet the 3/1 run/walk goal I set for myself, but I DID finish under my goal time. I am planning to train a bit harder for the next time (already looking online for another 5k) so I can see if I will better my time on more even terrain.  Looking forward to my training for the 13.1 this fall as well.

Huh….me, a runner.

Mrs. C will never believe it.

My husband and I talk about getting rid of things, but don’t have the time or the desire to appear on “Help us get rid of all our *Stuff*”.

We recently went away for a bit.  Before I left, I took some of the things off the kitchen counters.  I remember thinking that it looked very ‘stark’ when we came back home – like we had just moved in.  Not sure if I like that.  Perhaps I just need to change the lighting in the kitchen.  (My husband’s eyes just glazed over).

We recently visited friends that have adopted the minimalist lifestyle, too.  They have one car by choice.  We have one car because our 2nd one died and we refuse to buy another one on credit.  So, we are saving our money until we can pay cash (or until we move somewhere that we don’t need a 2nd car).

Their home was very calming and inspiring – only surround oneself and decorate the home with things that are truly loved.

Simple.  Nice.

I have been inspired while reading Leo’s blog http://mnmlist.com

I gotta tell ya – he KNOWS how to move to a new house 100′s of miles away.  Sell everything and bring only what you can carry on your back or in a couple boxes that you ship later.

He challenged himself to possess only 100 things.  In February, he cut the list in half and now owns less than 50 things (not including shared family items).   I am not sure when I will get the list to 100, but I am shooting for the end of the year:  12/31/2010.  I am sure my husband’s eyes are gleaming as he thinks about all the t-shirts I will no longer own.  I won’t tell him yet that the kitchen items don’t count.  Although I AM going to pare down the amount of plastic and “Tupperware”-like objects we own.  You’re welcome, honey.

I know he thinks I am crazy as this is another project that I am adding to the list which includes finding time to exercise, losing weight, and homeschooling – but I think the first two go hand in hand with “lightening up” …

I think I am finally ready to begin.  So, I should go – I have a drawer to empty out.

As a newborn, I was christened into God’s family with the usual drizzle of water.   As a teen, I chose on my own to call myself a Child of God and was Baptized  – this time wholly immersed.  No, wewere not Baptists, but if it was good enough for Jesus….

I laughed and then cried when my brother fell into the lake as a toddler.  Twice.

The bond of trust was strengthened as – at the age of 7 or 8 – I was allowed to venture out to the pier on my own promising not to enter into the beckoning waves until I heard my mother call to me from the living room window.

My husband took swimming lessons when he found out I was pregnant so he would be able to splash and swim with our children.  I love him so much for that.

Summers of my youth found me:

*swimming diving skiing tubing

*eating breakfast on the boat as we drifted along listening to the preacher on the shore on glorious, sun-kissed mornings

*eating popcorn and cuddling under a blanket as we watched fireworks arcing in the midnight darkness of July

Summers now just taunt me – the heat and humidity is overwhelming and mocking.  I miss being on the water 24/7!  What is the point of 90-degrees  if one cannot cool off by jumping off a pier?!?!?   I am so thankful to my parents for sharing their love of water with me and later, with my husband.  They continue the tradition with my child.  My husband didn’t grow up on the water, but in our dreaming, we talk about moving closer to a lake.  He is so good to me.  My water glass runneth over.

We will visit my folks  a few more times this summer so that I can get my water fix.  I can’t wait.