Showers of Blessings

Some days I feel like God is just pouring out challenges all day...but today he was pouring showers of blessings. I wanted to take the time to remember them before tomorrows challenges come!

This was the temp today as I stepped out of my car for my long run...bliss since it has been pushing 95 with 100% humidity for about a month now!

• As I was running along the beach, it was the most beautiful sight...the clouds were sucking up the water and it left streams of light going up towards the clouds. It was the kind of sight that makes you stop and smile.
• A great, confidence building long run...I ran 11.2 miles in 1:39 which puts me right on track for getting a time under 2 hours for my next half. Bonus is that I felt great and ran the last quarter faster than the first!
  
• The hubs let me go out for my long run which I know is a sacrifice for him since he then has Emma duty.
• The chance to see cousins I haven't seen in almost 8 years...Em and I went down to the Cape to celebrate my Aunt and Uncle's 50th wedding anniversary. The bonus was that we were all together again which is a feat considering we are coming from all over the country. Emma had a blast and it was so fun just laughing and enjoying each other!
• Water at just the right time...There is a restaurant on the beach and they had put out a cooler of water today which I found just when I needed it this morning!
• My Dad is getting sassy with the nurses in ICU which means he must be feeling better! They had to cut out a large ulcer from his intestines and reconnect everything again.
  

Take time to be showered by today's blessings!! Goodnight!

This Moment

{this moment} Inspired by SouleMama - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Strong Momma!

First let me say that I have been a bad blogger...looked today at my blog and realized it has been way too long! Life sometimes just gets away from me and I'm not sure how. This week I am teaching a course at a local college, actually where I got my undergrad, and time is flying! I have decided for the rest of August that I am going to make a conscience effort NOT to waste time and soak in each day of life! I don't want to wake up three years from now and say, "Where did the time go?"

Anyways aside from my rant on time ticking away, I realized yesterday something very interesting that was a shocker to me. When I was younger, I always thought I had to do everything I wanted to do before I settled down and started a family. I even went as far as to think that after I had a child, my racing days were over. I thought that before was the time to be fast and after children I could run races but would never be as fast. **I was never super fast mind you!** Well yesterday I ran a local 5K and again broke the 25 minute mark with 24:20. Slower than my PR but still a respectable showing. The impressive part was that for the first mile I must have had visions of winning because I stayed with the front 1/4 of the pack and ran it in 7:01!!! What? Needless to say, the heat, pea soup thick air, and just general lack of oxygen slowed me down after that but I was happy with myself. Today looking back over my race times I am kicking my pre-Momma's butt!!! And by about 3-5 minutes!!! All of my PRs have come after I had Emma. I'm not sure if it is because I have been kicking my own bum trying to get back into shape or because I am accustomed to running while pushing 28lbs but whatever it is I'll take it! Next 5K I am going to try to get under 24 minutes...I won't however attempt to hang with the elites!

Jill was my "pit crew" this race instead of my partner in crime so she snapped a pic of me before the race....not sure what I'm doing with my leg. Probably thought it would make my leg look thinner! Silly!!!