Crazy Hot Half Marathon

Well, the good news is that I survived! It was insanely hot. I decided about mile 4 that there was no way I was going to push myself to sub 2 today. Turned out to be a very good choice. About mile 5 - at the top of the bridge - someone collapsed right in front of me from dehydration. One of the other runners had a cell phone and called 911. She said the operator told her they had another woman who was already down about mile 4. We later learned this was our friend Teri. The good news is that Teri is ok - just a little dehydrated - getting IV fluids in the ER.

So I ended up walking quite a bit and just "taking it easy", listening to my body and trying not to get overheated. Turned out to be an ok strategy for a day like today. I finished in 2:14 - which works out to about 10 minute miles. Considerably slower than I was planning, but totally fine.

And here is the really funny part. I came in first in my age group. It was just that hot out there -nobody wanted to push it. I came in 21st overall woman. WHOO HOO! And I am not sore or worn out. I have been HYDRATING like a crazy person since crossing the finish line. Another day, another (MUCH COOLER) race, I will go for the sub 2 half.

During my run, I was thinking - what is wrong with me? I run races in the FREEZING cold and the BURNING hot humidity. I obviously need my mental state checked!

Pre-race Jitters

So I have signed up to do a half marathon here in Vero tomorrow. I am hoping to break the 2 hour mark. I hesitate to even write that because then I have something I have to live up to. Part of me is very confident that I am capable of doing it, but then I think about all the variables and get nervous.

I had all my crazy "pre-race" dreams last night. (so maybe I got that out of my system and will sleep well tonight?) The usual, can't find my shoes, forgot my fuel, my bib ripped in half kind of stuff kept me from restful sleep.

Checked out the race course this morning. It is going to be fairly similar to our usual Saturday morning runs. There is a lot of looping down streets and back though. Hopefully I will be able to post tomorrow about a fabulous run with a great time!

A life well lived

This seems like such an awful thing to blog about, but I don't know where else to post my thoughts and feelings. My dear sweet Fran went to meet Jesus. I feel so very blessed to have known her and yet it just seems so unfair that she is gone.

Fran and I met through our FIAR message boards, and it sounds funny to say that we met on the internet, but we really did. I was so blessed to have Fran as a roommate at the 2008 conference. I just keep replaying conversations she and I had that weekend. I remember her telling me that her parents always said she was "an old soul" and very mature for her age. I remember her saying that she was certain she would die from cancer (that she had already beaten) but they were just hoping that it would be 50 years from now.

I am reading through the "Bible in 90 days" and my reading for the past two days has been ironically applicable. Yesterday it was Proverbs 31, and I could only think of Fran as I read the words: She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. . . Her children arise and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her. And then today in Ecclesiastes: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die. Oh how I wish this was not Fran's time. I wish that she could have stayed here on earth to see her amazing daughter grow up. But our timing is not God's timing.

I really can't believe she is gone. I will miss her encouraging and wise words on our FIAR boards. I pray for her family in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. I look forward to the day we will meet again.

Christmas at Tara

Tonight we went to the Annual Christmas Lighting at Tara.  It was actually re-scheduled this year due to bad weather two weeks ago.  The kids had a great time wandering around and checking out the Christmas decor.  

This year they gave out cute shirts to the kids.  They say  "I got tangled up in lights at Tara Plantation."

Logan turns 9!

Ok, so this post is 4 days late, but I am sure he will forgive me.  Logan celebrated his "Golden Birthday" last week.  I can't believe he is already 9 years old!  Where does the time go?  If you ask Amy, she will tell you that Logan has celebrated his birthday 4 times (or are we up to 5?), but here are some adventures from his actual birthday. 

He requested to go to Disney - and since our annual passes are about to expire, we thought it would be a good opportunity to go.  Unfortunately, Mike had to work, but we had a nice day anyway.  We let Logan open his presents at breakfast.  He had asked for a YoYo and ended up with 4!  (We told him there was one from each of his family members.). 

We went to EPCOT and then the Magic Kingdom.  We basically let Logan pick all day which rides to go on and what to do next.  Believe me - this boy likes to be "in charge".  He was considerate of his siblings as well.  

Here are a few pics of his special day.  HAPPY 9th BIRTHDAY LOGAN!  I love you!

You Know You are a Homeschooler When. . .

Ok, there are no pictures to accompany this right now, and I PROMISE to get pics of Logan's 9th Birthday up soon, but I had to write about my excitement today. 

My Mom called and said she had a dry erase board from a drug rep and wanted to know if I wanted it.  I said sure - a little hesitant about what "drug" would be represented ;).  So she brings it home tonight and it is the coolest thing ever.  

It is a dry erase AND magnetic board and comes with a magnetic pen holder, magnetic stapler, magnetic staple remover and built in post it dispenser.  There IS a logo in the bottom corner, but that is easily covered up by all the "magnetic accessories".  

Sometimes it is the  little things that make me HAPPY!  

Forever Florida

It seems we are taking field trips nearly every week, but I guess that is just part of the fun of homeschooling.  This week we went to this place called "Forever Florida" on the Crescent J Ranch.  There is a link over on the side bar.  

A homeschooling Dad was re-shooting the photo advertising for the Ranch, so he needed "models".  They invited anybody in our homeschool group who wanted to go for free.  We got to take the Eco Tour and get a free lunch.  It was a really cool place!  The kids had a lot of fun and we got VERY close up to FL wildlife.  At one point we were 5 feet from an Alligator (standing on the ground next to the water where he was swimming) - a little too close for my comfort.