she's got legs, she know how to use them...

Did I get the old ZZ Top song stuck in your head? For some reason, that song came to mind while I sit here nursing my sore legs. Why now you ask? well when my wonderful husband left, the kids and I left to visit family and friends for a few weeks. Well now we are back. I did keep up my running, even increased my running while in AR to 9 miles, and in TN to 8 miles (instead of the usual just over 7). I am not one to that sits around trying to figure out how the elevation affects my runs. I try not to even have the thought cross my mind. I really don't want any thought to taint my run in any way. I know this sounds a little strange, but it is me trying to fool myself. While running here, I try not to think of the mountain sides I am running up, I just run. Now I am beginning to sound like the old Nike Commercial, "Just Do It." BUT, though I am not telling my mind, I guess I forgot to not inform my legs. My legs are trying to voice their discomfort. They had taken a vacation from hills and such, but now they are back from their time off and letting me know their frustrations. Then the wind...ah the wind. Love the way it sounds rushing through the trees, and how it feels on a hot day. Adore the sound the wind chimes make...BUT for some reason, running into it isn't the best thing when your already tired legs are screaming their displeasure. The positive thing? Well there is ice, oh and a lovely weekend that I am going to take full advantage of and sleep in!

The Road less Traveled

Today marks 16 years of marriage to my wonderful husband. What amazing and fun filled years we have had so far. They have flown by so quickly...makes me think of the old beginning of the soap my great-grandmother used to watch. "Like grains of sand in an hour glass, these are the days of our lives." Well, I can't lie our life together has been filled with a little bit of drama over the years...BUT you know I wouldn't trade our worst day together for the best day without my wonderful husband. He knows me, he knows how to make me laugh, and when to make me laugh. Unless you count the time when I was in labor with our first. He was trying to get me not to think of the contractions so in that failed attempt he said, "The doc is going to come in and say you are dilated to only 2." And when the doc did, I think the look I gave him was one that could have killed (I had been in labor for several hours, hooked up to pitosin, no epidural...yet). That same day he was watching the contract-o-meter and trying to encourage me by stating, "Wow, that one must of really hurt." Okay, I am laughing now, it is pretty funny looking back on it.

When we married, we were pretty young. You know I wouldn't change a thing. I would marry him over and over again. I guess I have done that already, we have renewed our vows twice since then. Once soon after we had eloped. We were having a formal wedding, and the officiant asked aloud everyone if knew we were already married. Several of us joked that if they didn't they "do now." Yes, everyone did know. We had planned on keeping it a secret from my family. But once married I was so proud to be married to him that I couldn't keep it a secret. I felt like yelling it from the roof tops. I am sure I did something similar, maybe it was more yelling it out my window of my little Toyota I had back then. Since I was young and in college and that was the thing to do.

Well dear wonderful sweet husband of mine, I love you MORE!!!!!! Thank you for each day! Even though we are a 'few' miles apart, it feels like you are here with me. Thanks for 16 years, heres to many more!!!!!!!

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference

Rain

12 days ago, my wonderful husband headed out to war for the second time. I remember that day well. It was raining. All of us went into the airport and found out that there was an hour delay on his flight. So my wonderful husband decided we needed to leave the airport for a bit to pass the time (he is just so smart!) So where did we go you ask? But to a military surplus store of course (I did enjoy it mind you, don't know if I am just a warped wife of a Marine). We just looked around since all needed gear for the deployment had been purchased, packed and shipped over. So it was more out of curiosity that we chose that place. So after our all too short jaunt out we had to start weaving our way back to the airport. Once there we parked and ran into the airport trying to dodge the rain drops(it didn't work). When we got back it was time for goodbyes. Of course, "Thing 2," and I started to cry. But, "Thing 3," was too young to understand (so I thought), and, "Thing 1," was trying to be as adult about it all as best he could. So in a haze we said good bye and that fog followed us out into the downpour. None of us noticing that we were getting drenched. None of us moving quickly, but more like an unconscious being drifting here and there not knowing what to do or where to go. Lost. We sat in our truck trying to make sense of it all. Trying to grasp for something to draw us away from the pain. I did eventually begin to drive, and somehow we made it out of the parking lot. The rest of the day we just spent as a family. Not wanting to share in our sadness.

Eventually we all were able to be around other people again. So what did I decide to do, but to torture my already hurting kids. I took them shopping. What did I go shopping for? A purse. Now if you are a woman reading this you know the importance of finding the right kind of purse. It has to fit everything just so, no other purse will do. You want something like the one you have on your shoulder, but the one on your shoulder just doesn't work, because it isn't like the one you have in your head. SO if you are a man reading this, you are totally confused. I am sorry, a woman's mind is a little complicated, but we know what we want. It is just hard to get to find that perfect thing we have figured out. Anyhow, I did find a purse that was close to what I had in mind, and settled on it. After I figured the kids had been punished enough we ventured out to Chuck-E-Cheese. It was a little strange because when I think of CEC, I think of a well oiled operation. This was not the case this time. It left me wondering if this little place had suffered from our economy. But the younger two didn't seem to notice, and had a good time. "Thing 1," hung around and helped out where he was needed. I love it that he will go play with the other two, saying he is going to keep an eye on them. But in reality he wants to play too.

We did eventually make it home after our trying day. The kids miss their wonderful daddy, and I miss my wonderful husband, but we are surviving. :) During the days since I have thought that I have heard him driving his jeep down the road to our home and have to stop myself from running to the door to greet him. You know I was a nut case before he left, so things haven't changed much since. :) But God's grace is sufficient!