Marathon Training

I have decided not to participate in the April Marathon. Between volleyball, baseball, senior year, 10 month old granddaughter and grandbaby number two due in July life is pretty dang hectic. I can't seem to find enough time right now to get everything done and while I've been getting my workouts in, they take longer and longer and everything else is suffering. So as mom's tend to do, or should do, in my opinion, I have put what I want to do on hold till summer and will dedicate my time to my family and their needs/wants. It's not really the choice I want to make, but it's the right one and I am okay with it. I mostly wish I could do it all, but I just can't. I am not supermom. But I will let you know of my escapades while training.

Conversations with Whitney

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Whitney's caption under this picture said "Alexx never saw it coming. Muahahahah."

Remake

A friend of mine went and saw George Strait and Reba McIntyre last Friday. She loved it. I like George okay, but when it comes to paying for concerts I'm pretty picky who I will spend $55+ to see and hear sing. Steve did get Nickelback tickets for May 14, (SCORE) and I'm kind of excited because I'm a die hard rock and roll girl. I have always loved rock and roll music and remember my favorite songs for ever. This has gotten me in trouble with my son on occasion. There was one time we were in the car and I was singing along to "Land of Confusion" and Nate says "mom, this is disturbed". I don't think my singing is that bad, but then I found out Disturbed is the name of the band that remade Genesis 80's version. Sonic drive thru a short time later I'm singing along "word up, every body say" when it is pointed out to me that I am singing a Korn song. There is nothing redeeming about any Korn music. I thought it was Cameo, again from the 80's. But the one that sticks the most is walking through the mall singing "personal Jesus" and getting told that that was Marilyn Manson. If you don't know who he is, don't look him up. Please. I thought I was singing Depeche Mode. Most recently I knew every word to the new Carrie Underwood which made me intensely cool. She remade a Randy Travis song. Now there is a man who can do country music right. Are the remakes better than the original? In some case yes, in some no.
Some things in my life get remade on a regular basis. My bed, my hair color, some things I keep pretty true. My fashion style and love of inappropriate footwear. I am going to be one of those old women who wears what she likes regardless of how it looks. I pretty much do now.
My life has been remade several times. Many have been out of my control. I was remade from a single woman into a mother, from a single mother into a wife and stepmother. I wouldn't change these remakes. I was remade from a sinner to a child of God. Another remake I am so glad to have.
I am so glad to have a remake every morning. His mercies are new every morning. Praise God for that.

Training Week 10, Marathon 2

Due to a raging fierce cold I did not do any training this week. I was going to today, and my usual would be the alternate time of exercise for the amount of miles I was supposed to run. I spent that time today blowing my nose.
I start back up tomorrow. Looking forward to it.

Conversations with Whitney

Whitney: I heard that Miley Cyrus signed with Playboy.
Maddie: I heard that too.
Me: If you are getting money for being naked you are doing something wrong.
Whitney & Maddie: laughter
Me: I'm serious. Dancing, prostitution and having your picture taken naked are all wrong. Nothing good about it. If you are getting paid for being naked it's wrong.
Whitney: What if I'm a nudist protesting Satan?

And once again, she left me speechless.

Medicine Head

I went to the Y Friday night feeling great. I came home and sat down on the couch and my throat hurt, my nose was running and I couldn't stop sneezing. My nose has not quit running, I think I've lost four pounds of mucous. I look like Rudolph. I am now using an old tee shirt to blow my nose 1. because it's softer than kleenex and b. because it's bigger than kleenex. Steve brought me cold medicine last night. After taking Whitney's cough medicine I was pretty out of it and didn't realize till this morning that I let two alka seltzers dissolve on my tongue instead of in a glass of water so I could drink it. If you think that sounds pretty nasty, it really is as nasty as you would imagine.
I am trying not to take too much cold medicine because I feel loopy, and then I realized I hadn't taken any for 6 hours, so maybe the cold is what's making me feel loopy. I did have to work, I had contract negotiations, so I sat in the back of the conference room with a box of kleenex (wish I had my tee shirt) a bottle of water and a pump bottle of germ X. There are a few people I thought about breathing all over their desks, but there is no one I dislike enough to wish this on.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE. I'm not contagious virtually.

Conversations with Whitney

Whitney: Mom, you're older than Dad. Does that make you a cougar?

Nothing at all. Not a word.

It's rare when I don't have anything to say. Not something poignant or meaningful or deep or thoughtful, nothing at all. But that's where I am. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
I've been a bit introspective this last week (or two) and not really sure I like looking closely at my internal self. I mean I'm all about the self improvement if it doesn't require reading a self help book. And if it doesn't require too much change. But as our youth pastor Sean says, "if nothing changes, nothing changes." Very deep.
I've been looking at the future and changes that are coming and some of them I'm not looking forward to. I'm not worrying, but some future stuff has to be planned for, and I can't stop it, and really wouldn't want to, but I'm very aware of the passage of time right now and I'm trying to hold on to little moments the best I can. God has always allowed the next phase of my life to be better than the one I'm in. But the sweetest little two year old sat down on my lap the other night, it was completely unexpected, and something about the way she sat down reminded me of Nate and they way he would always just sit down on me, totally and completely sure that there was nothing in the world more important than he was and that I would always make time and room for him. He was right then, and it's still true today. Most of the time kids don't remind me of mine, but there was just something so familiar in the way this happened.
However, if he keeps drinking all my coffee in the morning before I get to my coffee pot, we may throw down.

Training Week 8, Marathon 2

I worked up a sweat aqua jogging. Went to the downtown branch of the YMCA Friday night and I had a 5 lane 50 yard lap pool all to myself. With a lifeguard. I put on the floatation band around my waist and ran for 100 minutes. My thighs burned. My calves cramped. I finally have figured out how to make this a real workout. The lifeguard had turned on the boom box because I was all for the distraction. And it seemed to be a good workout, because on Saturday I was so hungry I felt like I had ran ten miles.
I do need to get a new swimsuit. My "mom" suit, which is a real swimsuit, but the top is a cami and the bottom is a skirt attached to a pair of granny panties gets all wrapped up around me. It's two years old and I'm swimming in it (HAHAHAHA) because I am losing weight at the rapid pace of about one size a year. I do have another suit, it's very cute, but it also has a skirt and the top just ties around the neck. Afraid I might lose it. Thinking speedo type one piece with spandex shorts over it.
I am finding out that the alternative training is making me go to the gym (even if I could run we've had a lot of ice, so I wouldn't be running outdoors) and I'm doing more strength and circuit work, so lots of good things going on there.

Conversations with Whitney

Setting: Sweet Basil restaurant on North Woodlawn, waiting for the rest of our party

Waiter: Here's a menu and the wine list.
Me: Thanks
Waiter: What can I get you to drink?
Me: I'll just have water.
Whitney: (laying the wine list down) I'll have a glass of the house Chardonnay.

The waiter brings her Dr. Pepper.

Misadventures in Parenting

I don’t typically get asked to help with concessions at the school on the nights the baseball team is working. Twice this year, and both times at the last minute. The first time I was otherwise engaged, but my parents went and manned the concession stand in freezing rain at the boy’s soccer game. They really support their grandchildren, and they have two that play baseball for Heights, so double duty. The second time was this week. I got a call when I was on my way to the Y and asked if I could help. I was glad to skip my work out and go sell hot dogs and nachos at the school.
I know the lady that called me, know her well enough she has my cell number. But the other two mothers that were in the concession stand were from the girl’s soccer team. When asked who’s mom I was (this question always gets me, Who’s mom are you? Like that is how I’m defined. We all know once our kids get left in the church nursery we cease having our own identity and we are from that point on someone’s mother.) I got the first name, Nate, out of my mouth before I heard, “Oh we just love Nate. He is such a great kid.” My son is well known and loved by mothers of daughters of all ages. He is very much a people person, or so I’m told. These women don’t know him and love him the way I do. As I was hearing this, I was thinking of the 5 words he said to me yesterday. “Is there anything to eat?” That is the complete and total verbal communication I had with him. This may be an exaggeration, but not by much. I probably said more to him, but I’m not sure he responded. I usually tell people that of course Nate has a lot of self confidence. He got his and mine, which he sucked out in utero.
In raising children I have listened to advice from other parents, and if applicable and when it suited me, implement it. The lady that told me to layer my sheets with lap pads or towels when I made the crib so when there were accidents I just pulled the sheet and towel off and I had a whole new fresh bed for the baby. Great idea. To use my clothes to soak up baby vomit or toddler blood. Much easier to launder my clothes or buy a new shirt than it is to clean blood and vomit out of the carpet/couch/bedspread, etc. When we are busy to feed them on paper plates. They will remember the fun we had, not the fact that we didn’t use the Sunday china every day. Or ever.
I did filter advice as to when it was okay to take them off the bottle, start them on solid food or potty train them. Nate ate his first chicken leg at 6 months old. By that time he had 10 teeth and I was scared to take it from him. Tortilla chips at Carlos O’ Kelly’s followed soon after and he has been eating ever since. (A text from his gf’s mom last week made me laugh, she fed him chicken tortilla soup and he loved it. She said, and this is a quote, “I don’t think I have ever found anything Nate won’t eat.” And she has been feeding him for three years now.) I avoid asking for parenting advice on facebook. I don’t let someone else’s philosophy on television watching, time with friends, video games, etc. become my philosophy because all kids are different. I do believe less is best of these things, but it’s a child by child decision. When I have severe issues with my children, there are a few select people I will listen to. But the main criterion is they have to love me enough to say the hard things, and it also helps if they know my children.
I love this quote by Robert Brault by way of Melissa Dinsmore "As parents, we strive to raise kids certain of our love and confident of their next meal, which, let's face it, means giving up a little leverage. ...” I got this one down, I have no leverage.
My idea of successful parenting used to include high school diploma, no pregnancies while you are still in high school, proper respect for your parents and other adults, good work ethic, communicating with parents (letting me know you are out of lunch money before the school calls and says you are -$8.50 in your lunch account. This also translates to letting me know before the day of anything is due, such as graduation supplies, sports fees and physicals, more than two days notice to make a Russian peasant costume for Fiddler on the Roof, I could go on and on). I would also include not more than one wreck and one moving violation each. I have built this list in hindsight, but these are things that I would have thought were fair. Guess what? I am a very unsuccessful parent.
So now I am readjusting.
My idea of successful parenting is raising kids that know their father and I love them and accept them unconditionally, but will still tell them the truth, even when it’s hard and it goes against their behavior.
It is raising kids that know who Jesus is and that he loves them and created them as unique and LOVABLE individuals and that he paid the cost for their sins to secure their eternity. He is the ultimate authority and the one who sets the standard for behavior and morality, and if they have any questions about what that is, it can be found in his book. THE BIBLE.
It is raising kids that grow up to be self sufficient and that MOVE OUT of my house when the proper time comes. And this is long before age 30. Or 25. Or 21??? I’m flexible on the age.
It is raising kids that know how to have successful adult relationships and how to parent when the time comes.
I definitely have taken many missteps parenting. My kids have taken missteps in life, in the short time they have lived. We all continue learning and growing and becoming the people we were meant to be.
Philippians 1:6 says “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Teamwork

I found this video doing some computer/blackberry housecleaning. One more baseball analogy...

Nate is the first hitter, and his hit moves Eric to second as gets on first base. Dylan hits behind Nate and moves Nate to third base and scores Eric. Justin is the third hitter and scores Nate and moves Dylan to third.
We are not on our own when we are part of a team. Two runs scored for the team, but it took 4 of the team members to do so. I think we do ourselves a great disservice in life by not asking for help and sharing our need for assistance.
I am guilty of this, the day after Steve had shoulder surgery I had one car with a dead battery that I went to jump at the school and Nate and Sam didn't know how and I wouldn't ask the two male coaches that walked by (who didn't offer to help), I actually left the car and went back for it. Then the other car was over heating and the thermostat needed to be replaced. I bought the thermostat and gasket, and went back for the sealant and then went back to Auto Zone a third time for anti-freeze. I went out to change a thermostat. Me. Yep, I was gonna do it. But STeve wouldn't let me, he came out and between our 3 good arms we changed the thermostat and with only one stripped bolt. I put the anti-freeze in it, and got the dead battery in the other car jumped and all was good. There are several people who would've changed that thermostat for me. Brother, father-in-law, even could've taken it to a shop, but that's ridiculous for a $30.00 repair. Anyway, I didn't ask. I'm not sure if it was pride or not wanting to wait for someone else's timing, but I feel the need to take care of things. I know how little I ask for help when Steve takes something away from me and with extreme exasperation in his voice says "just ask for help".
On his baseball team Nate didn't look at Eric on second base and say "Dude, do it yourself". He didn't get to first base and look back at Dylan and say "I'm good". They use terms like "pick me up" and "he's ready for you" and "work together" and "back him up".
They know each others baseball gloves and when a player is left base after hitting, which is commonly referred to as "leaving him stranded", another phrase alluding to team work, Drew brings his baseball hat and glove to him and the coach takes the batting helmet back to the dug out. They work together.
I could share this same principle with Whit's volleyball team and maybe I'll share a video later of this, because when I was watching her video's, there are times where she never hits the ball. But you see her move into position to back up her team mate. You see her high five someone or hear her say something encouraging. This is why I'm such a huge fan of children being on teams, whether it's sports, robotics, music or drama. Everyone has to do their part to move things forward. Learn how to support someone, be a back up for someone, take their turn in the limelight and take their turn in the support position.
I have a good team.