Thank God For Friends

One of many training runs

It's obviously not "news" that I'm running my first half-marathon, but it's definitely on the top of my brain right now. Seriously, from someone who was NEVER a runner and never going to be a runner, this is HUGE! I can't believe I'm doing it and it's less than 11 days away! So, why am I thanking God for friends? I would not be anywhere near ready for this if it weren't for friends, I never would've signed up if it weren't for friends telling me to, and I never would've considered the idea of running 13.1 miles if it weren't for watching friends do it (and then inspiring me!).

My always dependable running buddy, Bailey

I am now running distances that I never would have believed to be possible. I realize that many people in this world are runners and run A LOT, but I just ran my first 10 miler the other day and it felt awesome! Yes, I realize I'm behind my training schedule and I should be running longer distances, but I'm psyched enough with 10. No, I didn't run the whole thing "non-stop" and I'm okay with that. The point is, I set a new PR (runner's code for "personal record") for distance and I'm very pleased with that. I expected to be extremely sore afterwards but, to my own surprise, I wasn't. I was definitely tired though. I spent most of that day resting. I was so happy when Matt decided to postpone our trip to Mankato so I could spend the day on the couch, in my element, watching football. It's just too bad it was the Vikings' bye week.

October is breast cancer awareness month
get out and run for a loved one.

In addition to training "physically" for my race, I'm also training mentally and nutritionally. Running is absolutely a head game. No matter how hard you've trained or how far you've gone, your body can always go farther, it's your head that makes you stop. In my last few runs, I haven't given up "mentally" at all. I've set goals for my runs and achieved each of them, even surpassed some. In terms of nutrition, a friend mentioned doing the 24 Day Challenge again and both Matt and I jumped on board. Not only did we both need to cleanse again, but I figured it would be the perfect time to avoid unhealthy foods and focus on clean eating leading up to the race.

There have been a couple runs where I felt like I was running low on fuel but fortunately, I'd packed some healthy snacks to take with me. It was the best thing I've ever done. I've become a fan of my fuel belt, only for the long runs, but it sure has come in handy. Not only do I have water or another electrolyte enhanced drink, like Rehydrate  accessible, but I also pack fruit that is easy to pop in my mouth like grapes or a peeled Clementine. I've also read that peanut m&m's, granola or gummy bears are convenient foods to keep on hand. Many experienced runners use gels or specialty granola bars. Unfortunately I have not trained with these so I'm not going to switch anything up before my race as it can cause serious digestive/bowel issues while running. I'm not willing to try anything new right now so I'll just stick with my fruit.

One reason I run

So as I enter into my last full week of training, I will train smart, start to lay off the higher miles (after one more long run), and I will supply myself with the right fuel. As I run, I will remember the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, I will run in honor of those who can't-due to breast cancer (or any other cancers, diseases, ailments, etc.), I will remind myself that I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me and I will thank God for the friends and family who got me through this.

I have one last request to those friends, family and acquaintances- find a race and volunteer to help. There are so many great organizations out there that need helpers, and trust me, the runners wouldn't be able to do what they do without the hundreds of volunteers. Thank you in advance! And by the way, I'm sure the Mankato Marathon still needs help. Having volunteered last year, it gave me the bug to actually take part this year. ;)

Running

Sorry it's been so long since my last post, the end of summer got away from me way too fast. There are so many things I could write about to conclude my summer vacation, and maybe I'll do that in the future, but what I want to write about today is running. Why? Because I have seen so many changes in so many people's lives, thanks to running. It has sculpted and defined me (as well as many others I've met) in so many ways.

Let me start a few years back. I HATED RUNNING! I HATED it in elementary school because I was slow, I HATED it in junior high because I was lazy, I HATED it in high school because it was used to condition/punish us in sports (I realize now it wasn't meant to be punishment but that's not how I viewed it at the time). However, in all of these occurrences the only thing I knew and understood were fast twitch muscles. Sure, I'd heard of slow twitch muscles, which was clearly the only kind I had because I was slow, right? Well, yeah, kind of. Though that may not exactly be the reason but there is some truth to it. A few years ago when I was so unhappy with my appearance thanks to the extra 50lbs I was carrying around, I decided it was time to try running. Guess what? I HATED IT. I tried the Couch to 5k, and quit. I tried it again and again throughout the year, didn't stay with it once. Then I found Insanity. I LOVED IT. It truly is insane but I got great results. It boosted my cardiovascular health and I felt like I did back in high school sports.

After my cardio was better I tried Couch to 5k again and this time it worked, sort of. You see my problem was that I always got stuck around week 5 or 6 but since my cardio was in better shape I skipped the beginning and started at week 6. It was the best decision I ever made. Not only did I cruise through my first 5k a couple weeks later but I've been hooked ever since. Just me and my slow twitch muscles. Now sure, I've fallen off the wagon plenty of times and I hate the "dreadmill" so I don't do much running in the winter (that's when I find myself cussing out Shaun T. during a grueling Insanity workout). I've even taken lots of breaks this summer, for no good reason. My goal is to complete a half marathon, now how does one do this when they're inconsistent with their training? Easy, you set a low expectation. It may sound like a cop-out and that's okay. Not everyone can go out and run 13.1 miles any given day. My goal for my first one is to...finish! Yep, that's it. Sure, I have a "time" in mind that I'd like to finish it in but that's just a number in the back of my head. If I don't make it I'm not going to give up, maybe next time I'll do better. So in 6 weeks I'll be doing something I never would have given the slightest thought about a year ago.

As I write this, I'm mentally prepping myself for the Warrior Dash which we'll be doing in about 3 hours. We get asked lots of questions about why we do them, how do we train, do we ever get our clothes clean, etc? Why? Because they're fun! Come on, there are so many of you that loved playing in the mud as a kid and would get in trouble for it. I yell at my kids all the times for making a mess but this is the one time you can get dirty without reservations. Sure they're a test of endurance and they have some pretty fun obstacles but overall, it's just "clean" fun. ;)

Down and Dirty

In the last few years I've met many people whose lives have been changed by running and I applaud them for their hard work and dedication. Many of them have a similar story to my own. I have friends, family, acquaintances and strangers who I talk with about running on nearly a weekly basis. I never would have dreamed of having these conversations but it's become such an important part of my life. Now some of you may not believe it but I am not a die-hard runner, I'm very far from it. Everyday I could wake up and say, "Nah, I'm not gonna to run today," and be just fine with it.  Unfortunately that just makes the next run a little more difficult, which isn't a bad thing. It's a reminder to me that I need to be more consistent.

Consistency is my biggest problem which is going to make achieving my goal of running my half-marathon an extra difficult one. I'm happy running a couple days a week but I'm not happy about getting up at the crack of dawn to do it. Unfortunately, with the unseasonably hot weather we're having, it's my only option. Now I just have to get someone to help me be accountable with my training (I don't think Matt's going to be happy when I start waking him up to help me). I've been training off and on for a long time but it's time to really focus now. Thankfully my family will be great help through this process. The difficult part will be dividing my time and between family, work, school and all the kids' activities. I guess it's a good thing I know how to juggle. ;) So I guess to conclude my thoughts, wish me luck as I embark on this adventure.

Tough Times

As I watch the summer fly by and I'm enjoying "most" of the moments I have gotten to spend with the kids, I'm reminded (by tragic events) that I need to cherish the good times with the bad. Sure we've had plenty of sibling rivalries, selective listening and times when I have felt I've needed a timeout, but overall it's been a blessing to have had another summer where I've been fortunate enough to stay home with the kiddos (which is a huge shout out to Matt for making this possible). Sadly, it is a horrible event that has reminded me how important it is to cherish the good with the bad. A family in our school district unexpectedly lost a child to illness at the young age of twelve.

It is such an extremely difficult loss not only for the family but the classmates, faculty, team members, church family, and the list could go on and on. I know this from personal experience. Something that many of our Minnesota friends don't know is that I lost a sister at a very young age to a car accident. She was 15 and I was 10. As a high school sophomore, she went to homecoming in Emmetsburg (a neighboring town) with her boyfriend. After the dance they went for a drive around the countryside where the tragic event occurred. The car hit a bridge on an unlit gravel road and landed in a ditch about 6 feet deep. The accident resulted in a broken neck for Amy which killed her on impact (considering her tolerance for pain was about as good as an albino tolerates the sun, this was a blessing) and her boyfriend, Tom, suffered a dislocated hip, broken jaw and many bumps and bruises. 

People are quick to wonder if alcohol was involved but no, my sister Amy was the perfect example of a "good kid" who was involved in many extra curricular activities in our small town. She was extremely faithful, always rooted for the underdog and was a great example for the kids in our community. As a 10 year-old, it was pretty special to have an older sister who was a cheerleader, a lifeguard, and had lots of cool friends. So how did a 10 year-old, my 14 year-old sister (her best friend), our college-aged brother and my parents manage to deal with the loss of our "Pretty Pink Rose"? It was a challenge for everyone. She touched the lives of so many people from Bible camp, the dock boys up north, and to cousins from Michigan to California. The community took the loss equally hard. Amy was a favorite among teachers, staff, elementary students and classmates. Her goofiness and concern for others were some of the more memorable traits. The best way for me to work through the loss was to talk about her, and we did this a lot! We had an in-home counselor come to our house weekly and anyone that wanted to was able to come and talk about our memories of Amy. This brought many people together. We laughed and we cried, we learned things about her we never knew and we found that we could all rely on each other. Sometimes all it took was knowing that I could go find one of her friends to get a hug, any time I was having a rough day. 

I hope the Misgen family can find comfort in each other throughout these tough times. I hope the NRHEG 7th graders can seek each other out when they're having a rough day or if they just want to talk about Markus. I hope the faculty can do their best to provide direction and understanding to those impacted by his loss. Most of all, I hope that everyone who needs the help, is willing to ask for it, whether it's in the middle of class, during a football game or at the end of a crazy week. It's too easy to let the emotions fester and build-up resulting in a negative outburst of some sort. It is the responsibility  the adults, no matter how hard it is, to be an example for these kids. Ask them how they're doing or if they need to talk, show them that it's okay to cry and be emotional and listen to them, even if they're not saying what they really want (or need) to talk about. Be an ear, a shoulder and a support system.  Admit that it's one of the toughest things you've ever had to endure but realize that it's tough for everyone and do the best you can to get through those days. 

Amy (aka-G'town's Pretty Pink Rose) and Tom
September 28, 1990

Fourth of July "Stay-cation"

Initially we thought that it would be a little bit of a bummer not going back home for the 4th of July weekend since we're so used to spending that time at "The Lakes" (for you non-Iowan folks that's Okoboji, Spirit Lake, etc.).  Instead, we planned a camping trip with some friends up here and we were looking forward to trying out a new campground.  Well, plans changed and instead we ended up having a pseudo-camping trip or rather, "stay-cation". It was a GREAT (LONG) weekend, making memories, meeting new people, and attempting to re-live our bounce-back easy younger years. I would just like to say that we all learned we are not in our early twenties anymore. Ugh! I need a few days to catch up from my stay-cation. I guess that's a good sign. :)

 

Anyway, it started out on Monday with an unexpected but great trip to a lake house with some friends. The night consisted of hanging out in the jacuzzi, tubing and having a few drinks. The kids had a blast and asked repeatedly, "When do we get to go back?"  Matt and I greatly enjoyed the relaxing evening and we continue to be floored by how generous so many people are in this community. Wednesday night we met up with our pseudo-camping family and played at the beach and watched the fireworks on one of the small, local lakes. It was a nice change up to the typical firework show. It is put on by the families who live on the lake. They put their own money into purchasing their own fireworks and each take turns shooting theirs off. Though it doesn't go as smoothly as a normal show, it lasted a lot longer. This was late night number 2 for the week and we still had a long way to go.

 

On Thursday we met up with our camping family in Blooming Prairie for the 4th. They have a car show, tractor pulls, parade, vendors, etc. We caught the last few minutes of the car show, just in time to see a friend take 1st place in his class. We spent the rest of the day eating "fair food" and waiting for the parade to start. Ninety degrees feels a LOT hotter when you have no shade, zero breeze and trying to tough out an hour and a half long parade. Needless to say, the lake felt pretty darn good after that long day. Our plan was to swing by the lake house again for a little while, then head home, grill out and watch St. Olaf's fireworks from our deck. It's a good thing we're flexible, because once we were welcomed by their family, there was almost no way we were going to be able to leave without eating, taking part in their family time and letting all the kids play. Every time we tried to leave we heard, "No, there's so much food, you have to stay and eat!" :)  That part probably felt the most like being at home. Whenever my mom throws together a party, it's always filled with so much food that everyone invited could eat for at least 2-3 days. So after another late night (that's the third one in 4 days---it's getting ridiculous right?) we enjoyed sleeping in and having no agenda Friday, well at least not until that evening.

 

We took Friday to spend a little time together as a family. We loaded the bikes up and heading to the Blazing Star Trail in Albert Lea. Elsie is always so dramatic when it comes to biking. She can never keep up and she spends most of the time complaining about how hard it is. A picnic lunch, a nice cool breeze and a promise to swing by Walmart to get her a new helmet was enough to keep her semi-focused. Due to obligations that evening, we didn't ride very far, which was probably a good thing because another LATE night was about to occur. The long-time principal/wrestling coach of our high school retired this year so our school board president threw a huge party in his honor. The ladies danced the night away while the guys chatted it up and held their ground close to the beer tent. It was a gorgeous night and their backyard is right on the lake which made it even more beautiful (and walking distance was definitely a plus, too!)

 

On to Saturday, another day of perfect weather and our 5th day of being out and about. I'm not sure we're going to recover anytime soon. We had a birthday to celebrate and did so with gusto. Bean bags, a homemade slip-n-slide, bocce ball and ladder golf filled the afternoon. It's a miracle that none of the kids ended up with major injuries from the slip-n-slide but they had a blast. There were times when all 17 kids were on it and I'm so disappointed I didn't get any pictures throughout the day. We spent the night by the bonfire playing silly games, telling stories and cracking jokes. So in the end, it truly was like spending the entire week camping. We were barely home, spent all day going, going, going, met lots of new people and became more acquainted with others.

 

We are extremely blessed to have found such an awesome community and great people to spend our time with. We've had a few discussions lately about the variety of people that we have met and how each "group" has their own awesome traits. Everyone is fun in their own way and we wouldn't trade that for the world. We wish we had more time to spend with everyone and still manage to make time to get back home to catch up with family and friends there, too. Now that summer is nearly half over, it's time to slow down and not take these days for granted.

Summer lovin'...

having a blast... Isn't that what summer is all about?  Well let's see, summer break started two weeks ago and so far we have completed basketball camp, gymnastics camp, the first week of swimming lessons, celebrated a barn wedding, a trip to the zoo on Father's Day started our sand volleyball league, sleepovers, attended multiple baseball games, had my parents up for a few days and spent the weekend camping with friends. I'd like to think this week may slow down a little but when I do the math, I realize I'm way wrong. It's basically just a repeat of last week.

Father's Day supper at Famous Dave's

It was so nice to have some decent weather this week, FINALLY! For those who don't live in Minnesota (or the Midwest for that matter), we have been pounded with rain this spring/summer. Last year we were in a drought and now this year I just got my garden in this week, only 2 months behind last year's schedule. The rain has made everyone's lives difficult, I can't imagine what the farmers are feeling right now. So anyway, we had beautiful weather all week (at least during the daytime). Sunny with seventy and eighty degrees were wonderful while the kids were at swimming lessons, we managed to get all the scheduled baseball games in, Riley and Papa got some fishing done and it only stormed at night while we were camping.



Father's Day at the Minnesota Zoo



The mornings were beautiful. I got a few good training runs in and I'm starting to work on building some mileage. It's not too difficult when my dog thinks he needs to run countless miles every day. I was excited for all of those runners who ran at Grandma's this weekend in Duluth. I had multiple friends running so I was anxious to hear how they did. It just gets me more pumped about my own race in October. I honestly don't care about my time (though I do have a goal but I'm sure that could change between now and then), I only care about finishing it.

Back to summer lovin'...Now that both my parents are retired, they can conveniently tour the nation to spend time with the grandkids. We didn't tell the kids they were coming because the whole trip was based on catching some of Riley's baseball games and going fishing. If the weather hadn't cooperated, they wouldn't have been able to go fishing or watch baseball so I'm glad it all worked out. Papa skunked Riley the first day out, I'm not sure who was more disappointed Riley or my dad.  The second day they were both happy to bring some bluegill home to add to our fish supply in the freezer. Yum!

Speaking of our freezer, I got home from swimming lessons today to find the top half of its contents to be partially thawed! What?!?! Oh no!!! Thinking as quickly as possible I started making room in our refrigerator freezer and put as much in there as I could, afraid that we would lose all our meat and have to buy a new deep freeze. Luckily, Matt came home about 10 minutes into the project to find that the breaker had just been tripped. Phewww...What a relief!

Have I told you how much I/we love camping? We spent a gorgeous weekend camping with great friends, and their great family:). We've been so fortunate to meet people who enjoy the same pastimes that we do. There is a local campground in Blooming Prairie, MN called Brookside. We have camped there twice already this summer. It's a nice small site where you can trust the kids to walk around together without getting lost and there is little fear of anything happening to them. Of course we have rules for the kiddos like stick with a buddy and always let us know where you are going. They also have a nice pool, playground and game room for the kids. The best part about it is that it's only about 25 minutes away so we can leave on a Friday after work and be set up before supper. The short return trip on Sunday is equally pleasing.

So here's to a great rest of the summer... Hopefully it will be filled with fishing stories, trips to my parent's cabin, camping excursions, bike rides, days at the beach, races, mud runs, some great volleyball games, parties, fair time, etc. I hope you all have an awesome summer too!!!

Riley-the bonafide Chipmunk Whisperer        I love the smell of line-dried clothes!

             Bailey loves to take a dunk in the lake on the way home from our runs.

Making a Commitment!

Well, I've decided I'm going to do it.......wait for it......I'm going to sign up for my first HALF MARATHON! I'm stoked, scared, nervous and excited all at the same time. The one I'm planning to run is in Mankato in October, so I have LOTS of time to train and mentally prepare myself. Which also means I have LOTS of time to psych myself out, get nervous , attempt to give up, become unmotivated, talk myself out of it and get injured. Oh, the possibilities...(Okay, enough with the negative self-talk!) I can do it, I know I can! (Phew, that's more like it.) 

So my first step will be to find a good half marathon training program. I know there are lots of them out there but based on the many reviews I have read on websites, etc. the best one to go with is Hal Higdon's. He is a long time marathoner, coach, trainer and motivator. I'm sure some of you have heard of him and others probably dislike him or his training but my thought is...I've gotta start somewhere. If any of you have a program you swear by, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I'm going into this as a newbie and could use really use your advice.

One previous thought I had was to complete a sprint triathlon (a shortened triathlon) and I haven't ruled it out yet but I'm thinking it'll be easier to train adequately for a run than it will be to swim and bike. Since I'm still hoping to find a part-time job this summer, I should be able to work a running schedule into my routine in addition to playing chauffeur for the children and their many activities. So here is my verbal "commitment" that I fully intend to do a half marathon, ahem...that's 13.1 miles, by the end of the year. Whew...that's so unbelievably crazy to hear coming out of my mouth. I'm nervous already!  

Running is not a favorite past time of mine. If you asked my best friend in high school if I would ever become a runner, she probably would've laughed in your face. She was a cross country runner and ran everywhere, all summer long. I, on the other hand, hated running and went out for golf so I could avoid track. It wasn't until 2 years ago that I decided to become a runner and that was only because of the Amy Jensen Memorial Run (Team Amy).  Her devotion to running, God, and her mission to live an incredible life despite cancer's harm to her body, forced me to believe in myself. If you ever have a chance to go online to Crossroads Church in Estherville, IA, take the time to watch Amy's message, you will be amazed at her strength and devotion. 

One of my all time favorite running quotes...because it's so true!

When I'm having one of those days, I need to remember that I should go for a run because I'll never regret the run but I will regret the cookie, extra piece of pizza or that banana split I just finished :P ...Oh well, it was really good... ;)

Questions and Answers

I have been trying to come up with a way to make my blog more interactive. I love that I have followers but I'm pretty sure this is only because I share my blog on Facebook and Google+.  I hope that one day I will have real "followers" who are looking forward to my next post and like to correspond regularly. So now is when I ask, what do you want to see in my blog? I plan to write about inspirational items, quotes, my love hate relationship with running, exercise, health and nutrition, education, working with kids, college, typical "mom" struggles, parenting, etc. I also hope to ask a question with each post in anticipation that you can help me to be a better person and blogger.

I found this on Pinterest this week and decided I needed to display it because I have failed miserably in this area lately. I have dubbed it my inspiration for the week. I had somewhat of a crummy week and my family suffered. I had a great time with my friends who came to celebrate my graduation party, mainly because most of them drove two hours just to let me know how proud they were of me. That made me feel pretty special. Unfortunately, I haven't been the most pleasant person to be around for other reasons and my family has taken the brunt of it. I hope that I can remember that they are not the reason I was frustrated or upset so I need to be more patient, loving and kind toward them. What is it about us (humans) that we hurt the ones we love most?

 

So here is my question...How do you make it up to your family when you realize you haven't been the nicest person to be around?

24 Day Challenge

What is it?  Why do I do it? Does it really work? These are many questions I get about the 24 Day Challenge. I love AdvoCare, it's an incredible product, business and community. By using it, I have met my health goals and I continue to set new goals every couple months.

24 Days of fruits, veggies, lean protein, vitamins and supplements

So, what is it? The 24-Day Challenge is a combined process of cleansing your body of all the toxins and junk it's accumulated over the course of time (and yes, the one question everyone asks is, "Is it a gentle cleanse?" Absolutely, there is no running to the bathroom at a moment's notice.) and teaching yourself to eat clean while resetting your metabolism.

Why do I do it? If you follow the guidelines, meaning avoiding the things they tell you to (pop, bread, processed food, coffee, alcohol, to name a few) and eating lean protein, fruits and veggies, it will help you lose a considerable amount of weight. In my first challenge I lost 10 pounds and 10 inches and that was between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Had it not been for all those Christmas treats everyone kept bringing in, I would've done better. ;) This time I'm cleansing because my eating habits have gotten lax so it's time to remind my body what is good for me and what is not.  Matt has decided to jump on board this time and is seeing great results too. In 4 days he lost 8 pounds and I was down 5. It's common for men to lose more weight and women to lose more in the inches category. Will I keep all this weight off? Yes, at least most of it. Last time I did the challenge I actually lost another 5+lbs in the months following the challenge. Why? Because it really does reset your metabolism and train your brain to eat clean. If it weren't for my love of bread, dairy and occasional baked good, I'd go entirely paleo, but...I can't. I love ice cream, tortillas, pasta, cookies and everything else that is filled with unhealthy carbs too much.

I don't intend to use my blog to push the AdvoCare product on any of my readers, I have just been asked many questions about it so I thought this would be the best way to address some of those questions. I also get a lot of questions about how I've lost my weight, well this is definitely a contributing factor throughout the last 8 months, along with exercise and practicing a healthier lifestyle.

As I am completing Day 10 of the Cleanse Phase, I find myself celebrating that soon I'll be able to eat some whole grain/wheat bread, have a little dairy, and enjoy a glass of wine while I push through the Max Phase. This phase is much easier, in my opinion, because a little ground beef or steak, here and there is okay. Since our weather is finally decent enough for grilling on a regular basis, I can't wait to grill something other than chicken breasts and turkey burgers. Not to mention a slim bun is definitely better than wrapping a turkey burger in lettuce and I'm getting awfully tired of salads for lunch. I could have something other than salad of course, but it's quick and easy to make and I can put it together the night before. The worst part about the cleanse is definitely the fiber drink, I'm a wimp when it comes to drinking anything with weird texture but I've found ways to mask it. The best part about the cleanse is the energy I get (after a couple days) and feeling so much healthier.

Just another before and after

*Update* 

So after our 10 Day Cleanse, Matt and I are both down 7.5-8lbs. That is saying a lot as a trip to the cities for the weekend (at the zoo and Valleyfair) made clean eating very  difficult. We also struggled to eat the right portions when we were eating out. I guess that just proves that eating at home with proper meal planning is always the  best choice.

My educational goals...

To paraphrase what a teacher in our school recently said, "In Minnesota we have two seasons, winter and testing. This year those seasons seemed to run together." As I sit in a room with students who are taking these annual state-required tests, I question my decision to become a teacher. I have been a student for a long time and I haven't even started my teaching program, yet. So you might ask, what keeps me motivated... Well, it's certainly not testing. Testing (and not just state mandated testing) is my least favorite thing in the world. I am a terrible test taker. I get nervous, lack confidence and second-guess everything! This has so much to do with why I am an online student. So now comes the fear of starting the teaching program, TESTS. See, I already lack confidence :( Oh well, I know that I can do it, it's just going to take time and dedication to my schooling, sadly that means I have to miss out on family time occasionally but I have to remind myself that it's only temporary.

Back to testing and why it's ridiculous...teachers don't teach students because they want to see how well their students can do on a test. Teachers teach because they love working with kids and finding new ways to challenge their abilities. There were teachers that I absolutely loved while growing up because I truly learned some cool things. Trust me, if I've retained information from Mr. Worley's random trivia and Mr. Dhyrkopp's late night tv episodes that he always shared with us, then it definitely made an impression. Mr. Ebeling never failed to enlighten my inquiring mind about anatomy and physiology but I'm pretty sure geometry, government and chemistry took a few years off my life.

So why am I'm working to become a teacher? Because it's so natural for me. I've been "teaching" for years, just in different ways. I've taught kids how to make better choices and to look for alternatives to drugs, alcohol, etc. I've taught adults how to work with difficult kids and how to restrain students who get out of control. I've taught classmates scrapbooking, using interval training, stretching sore muscles, baking a pumpkin pie and casting a fishing rod. I've taught friends everything from biking, strength training, running, and pushing themselves to work harder. So it became obvious to me, why not do what I already do??? I just have to dedicate more time to it, not just so my students can do well on tests but so they can have the confidence to rock every test they take. Trust me, there are a lot of bad examples of teachers out there. I'm not referring to anyone I work with or anyone of my own teachers but having worked in schools for as long as I have, I've learned exactly who I don't want to be.

I don't want my students to be unsure of when I'm joking with them and when I'm not, teasing and joking is appropriate, crude sarcasm is not. I don't want to get so stuck in the "benchmarks" rut that I don't take the time to educate my students on important life lessons. I don't want my students to ever get the impression they can dictate what happens in the room (unless positive behavior is awarded with positive outcomes). I do want my students to feel challenged. I do expect them to show respect to everyone in the room. I do want my students to walk away at the end of the year feeling a sense of accomplishment.

I have no idea what age group I want to teach. I still haven't heard yet if I've been accepted into the teaching program I've applied to, but I do know that with support from my family, friends and co-workers, eventually...I will be a teacher.

Count Your Gains and Losses

People often asked me, "So how much have you lost?" Don't get me wrong, it's a great thing to hear, but I think the more important response is how much I've gained.  You see, I didn't start my weight loss as a goal to lose a certain amount of weight, what I started was a lifestyle challenge.  It wasn't just about the weight and fitness, it was about the goals for making our lives better. There are many things that push me to work hard and find reasons to keep going. One of my most inspiring items from my past is a picture that I came across a few years back. It was taken when Riley was a year and a half, so approximately 8 years ago.

 

Then and now...oh what a difference a few years can make :)  

 

In no way would I want you to believe that I (or we for that matter) have lost all that weight in a couple of years. There were many ups and downs in the last 8 years. Following a second baby, a different job (one that allows me time for myself) and following Matt's car accident, I knew that we needed to make our lives better in every way possible. So for the last 5 years, we've worked hard and have gradually gained a lot of things. Matt has gained an education  in the wind field (and is currently pursuing his bachelors in management), I am in school with the goal to eventually get my bachelors in education and we have recently moved to a new state and community which has enabled us to gain so many new friendships that it makes us feel like we never truly left home.

 

We greatly miss our hometown and the many things represented by it.  We are fortunate to be close enough that we can buzz home for the weekend to catch up with friends and family. However, moving here has given me the chance to prove to myself that I have changed and progressed in many ways. I have ventured out of my comfort zone to meet new people and developed new friendships. One of my biggest fears about moving here was the likelihood that I would end up living a hermit lifestyle and gain my weight back. I believe it's very important for others to realize, I didn't do this on my own. I wouldn't have stuck with Insanity, biking or running if it weren't for my friends who were my accountability group. We pushed each other and looked forward to our next butt kicking. Now that we've gotten settled in up here, I've found a few friends who thoroughly enjoy a good butt kicking as well. If it weren't for them I wouldn't be where I'm at today.

 

So I guess the morals to this week's lesson are as follows: 1) Don't be so focused on what you're losing to appreciate everything you're gaining. 2) Take healthy risks and step outside your comfort zone. Even though you may not get the result you want, you're bound to have learned something from the experience. 3) Find a support group. You don't need someone to give you affirmation or a pat on the back for every good thing you do but you do need someone to hold you accountable when you're slacking off and taking it too easy on yourself.

A Woman of Many Hats

I have been blogging, somewhat privately for a few years but thought it was time to take it public. I've had friends ask why I don't blog when I give them recommendations, suggestions and general encouragement. I never had a good answer other than, "I do, it's just not public." My family and I started a blog about 2 years ago to help us set and maintain goals to be healthier. Unfortunately, I'm pretty much the only one that still posts to it so I thought it was time to branch out and see what the rest of my friends and family thought.

In the last few years, I have set and met many goals. The majority of these are health related but as a whole, I have become a much better person (at least in my own opinion). I have lost a large amount of weight, I have become dedicated to live a healthier life, I spend more time focusing on what's best for my family, I have gone back to school with the goal to finish my bachelor's degree (something I started nearly 16 years ago), and I have become a better friend.

So, the main reason for my blog is to document my life better. I set a resolution this year to journal. Needless to say, I've pretty much failed to this point. I have many reasons to journal, some better than others but overall, because I have a pretty awesome life. I'm blessed to have a healthy, happy family. I have lots of advice, suggestions and drive to help people become healthier. I love watching my children grow but hate that I don't remember the "funny" things they said or memorable moments that I want to cherish forever. Most of all, my main reason for blogging is because I want to share my best and worst moments with you so you can learn from my mistakes. Some days my blog may be about the most dreadful and horrible workout (knowing how good it was for me but despising it at the same time) and other days it may be about the perks of working with Autistic children (they truly do say the darndest things). So welcome to my life in a nutshell and I hope you can come with me on my journey. I will do my best to make it interesting and please feel free to comment, post, etc. as it will help me to know what you might like me future posts to be about. 

Thanks~Emily