Summertime

Sometimes a simple change in life is needed. These summer days are flying by as kids and I continue to work on the farm in the morning and Seamus heads off to work at his new job. He accepted an assistant principal position in a town nearby and we are grateful for this opportunity for our family. 

Luckily, we are still finding time for some fun during our summer. Kids enjoyed some flag football and have attended a few basketball camps. We also took a few day trips out of town for family visits and most afternoons include some pool time at home. Summertime is definitely my favorite season and we still have time for a few more memories to make together. #everymomentcounts

Be Resilient

It's been a roller coaster ride the past few months with my health. Just when I thought life got hard, it got harder. 

In December, I fell head first on ice when running. I suffered a concussion and was able to recover. Then, in January, I struggled with plantar foot warts and had to repeat cryotherapy to completely get rid of the infection. In February, I dealt with tendinitis on the top of my right foot that was caused by my running shoes. In March, I found out that my iron levels were extremely low and began to take an iron supplement because of it. Lastly in April, I had a sinus infection that really shut me down for a few weeks. 

As I look back on these health obstacles, I realize that I am resilient. I started training for the Spokane Bloomsday 12k a few months ago and I'm scared to tackle this race. In the past few months, I've accepted that feeling fearful is absolutely okay. But, feeling doubtful isn't. I've trained HARD and SMART and am confident that I can achieve a crazy running goal. As I rest for the next few hours, I’m visualizing myself walking to that start line, mentally and physically ready. 

2022

Happy New Year! We ended 2022 with a hotel swimming, pizza party. These kids never stop and continue to keep going. I thought life would get easier as my kids got older but it just continues to get harder. There’s always something to do or somewhere to be. We are currently on winter break and enjoying the slower days at home. As we look ahead, so many goals are already set in place for 2023. Such as basketball camps and tournaments, sport clubs, family trips, house projects and races. We are all excited for what’s to come and are striving for a New Year full of laughter, gratitude, great physical and mental health and fitness. 

I OWN THIS

In 2014, I ran my first marathon in 3 hours and 40
minutes. Eight years later, I ran my fourth  marathon in 3 hours and 13 minutes. This proves that Anything is POSSIBLE. Even though, I’m happy with these results, I still KNOW that I’m capable of so much more. In five years, I’ll look back and be proud that I never gave up. Consistency was important but now focusing on the goals and putting in the work to get there is more important. It’s been over a month since the Leavenworth Marathon and I’m excited to move FORWARD with resilience and perseverance. 

Live a Great Story

Everyone has a story to tell. That’s what my mother in law would say. During my long run yesterday, I thought about my story and what my purpose in life is. Raising four responsible, hardworking, successful, genuinely, kind-hearted people who continue to follow their faith (with my husband) is what first came to mind. Some days are definitely easier than others but we seem to get by, every day. As I continued to run, I reminded myself that “I can do hard things.” That’s when I realized that running hill repeats and miles after miles isn’t so hard. Raising four kids in this world is pretty darn challenging and the hardest job I’ve ever experienced.

Upgrading my GOALS

I feel like somedays are definitely easier than others. Trying to balance work, parenting and marriage can be a challenge. After a great day, I’m feeling like I won the lottery and after a bad day, I feel like I just experienced the worst day of my life. Sometimes I have to remind myself that even on a bad day, there’s always something to be grateful for. 

As I look back on some of the positive memories made from 2021, my priorities and goals continue to change. 

1. Worry less, laugh more

2. Clean less, sit more

3. Talk less, listen more

4. Don’t give up: when life gets tough, keep going

5. Show up everyday with a positive attitude

6. Believe that anything is possible 

7. Do something everyday that scares you and get out of your comfort zone

8. Focus on staying healthy: mentally and physically

9. Rest and recover

10. Always focus on what went well at the end of the day

Life is going by so fast as I watch my kids continue to grow. Rather than focusing on what’s ahead of me, I’m making some every day changes. Mom, wife, teaching and running goals will only come as I continue to stay positive, be happy and appreciate life. The best days happen when WE least expect them. So, living in the moment is my goal.

Running is My Therapy

In the past, I spent the winter months running on my treadmill. This year, I have dedicated myself to running in all weather conditions. As difficult as this has been, I’ve learned to enjoy running in the dark, cold weather. I’ve also learned that running isn’t always about setting fast goals and personal records but that it’s my therapy. 

My daily runs have become my quiet time. When I try to only allow positive thoughts in my head or not think at all. During this crazy time that we live in, I’m feeling very grateful for my new running habit. Regardless of the uncomfortable weather, my therapy morning sessions are something that I look forward to.