Are YOU up for a Half Marathon????

Ever since running the 1/2 marathon in February, it's amazing how many people have told me they are interested in learning more about running one.

"What does it take?"

"How do you train??

Maybe they are just "interested", yet have no intention of actually running a race of this distance, but I'm hoping that once they get a personal invitation, and have a date race set in the future - they will honestly consider it! I believe that ANYONE who truly wants to accomplish running a 1/2 marathon can do it - it is a very attainable goal. And, it will be one of your life's most special accomplishments. I was recently involved in a class where I had to look back over my life and write down 7 of the most meaningful experiences of my life. One of the top 7 memories I have is running my first 1/2 marathon along the Nile River in Jinja Uganda in 2002.

Now I'm talking to YOU. Maybe you think you are not cut out for running long distances. While running in the race in February, I was amazed at all the variety of ages, body types, and even the physique of the competitors. There were many people running that I would not have expected to be in that kind of shape. There was one lady in front of me the entire race - she looked to be in her late 40s and she was quite overweight. However, I could NOT CATCH THIS LADY. She beat me by about a minute. All this to encourage you - if you are interested in running a 1/2 marathon, now is your chance. I won't guarantee that you'll enjoy the process, but I will guarantee that you''ll feel an incredible sense of accomplishment at what you've done. And, your level of fitness will make your body feel great!

If you are a woman reading this, this is your personal invitation to train for, travel to, and compete in the Inaugural Rock 'N' Roll 1/2 Marathon in San Antonion on November 16, 2008. At least 3 of us have already committed, and there are about between 5-10 others who are considering it. This is going to be a FUN event. Check out the website - there will be over 70 bands playing along the course and then a huge concert that night at the Alamodome which you get into free with your race bib. The bands at this even have not yet been announced, but some in the past have been Journey and INXS. You run past the Alamo, the arts district, and the Tower of the Americas.

So, now that you want to run this race, how do you start??

Well, glad you asked.

There are many training plans out there, but I've always used Hal Higdon's Plan. It's for novice runners, and only requires running 4 days a week. Take a look at it! Notice that this 12-week training schedule assumes you have the ability to run 3 miles, three to four times a week. If that seems difficult, consider a shorter distance for your first race, like perhaps a local 5 or 10K race. And, just start where you are. Run a lap, walk a lap, run a lap, walk a lap. Work up slowly. You have 4 full months to get to a point where you can run 3 miles several days a week. Runners World online has lots of great tips and advice.

Training officially starts on September 1st. If you are interested, please let me know!

I'm looking forward to training with some of you, and can't wait to find out who all is on board!

YOU CAN DO IT!

New Kitchen

I have to tell you all that I have the best husband in the world!! While I was away for Spring Break, he worked his tail off, along with his brother Matt and our nephew Noah. They demolished our old kitchen - which if you've been here before, you know that wasn't much. It only had 2 upper cabinets and 2 lowers and a set of rough old drawers. Anyway, in 3 days, they basically reinvented the place! We still have work to do to finish it up - like texturing the walls on the places where they took down the cabinets, and filling in holes in the sheetrock which they made while doing the electrical work. Then, getting the island in it's place and a counter-top for it, and doing the floors and finish work along the bottom of the cabinets.

As is everything in an old house, (especially when you are fixing it up yourself), it's a process. I got my new stove today, but naturally, the fittings it came with don't match up with the gas-line - so it's off to Lowe's tomorrow, like we've done a thousand times for this and that to make it all work. Oh well...

I LOVE having a dishwasher!! I realized that I haven't had one in about 9 years, expect for during the few months we stayed in the Mack's house when Avery was first born. I love to set it on delay start and it runs in the middle of the night and I wake up to clean dishes, without ever hearing it or anything! It's like magic. As my mother-in-law says, "it's fabulous to go away and let your machines do all your work for you!"

You can see the new sheetrock behind the sink, and the places we need to texture and paint.

I've been tagged

My friend Amy tagged me, so I have to come up with 7 (or more) random facts about myself.

1. I love to do laundry. Especially now that I have a new front-loading washer and dryer - I am thrilled to see how much I can stuff in each load and to see how the clothes come out so clean. I love to check and see if the stains came out, and am really excited if they did. (weird, I know).

2. I have a major crush on Tom Brady, even though after the Super Bowl this year, I think he's a cry-baby. And, by the way, Gabe (and my whole family, for that matter) knows I think Tom is a Hottie, and he's okay with it. Gabe is secure in our marriage and doesn't feel threatened....

3. I have attempted to kill a spitting cobra with a short-handled meat cleaver, and have also washed my hair, while leaning over a bathtub, to discover a spitting cobra looking up the drain at me.

4. I am afraid of tornados, and driving in the rain.

5. I will be perfectly happy if I never travel overseas again. I have had my fill of international travel, and am happy to stay put! I wouldn't mind Mexico, or Canada, but that's about it. We've talked about going to Italy, but...nah, I'd rather just go to Colorado. (and it's WAY cheaper)

6. I have freakishly small wrists in proportion to the rest of my body.

7. I miss the food in Africa - cornmeal mush, curries, and beans or chicken cooked over an open fire with dirty pond water and grit.

8. In my family, I always win when we play games. Even if I try to lose, so that they won't be mad at me, (because I feel bad when I always win), I still win. I can't help it.

Easter & Spring Break

I seem to go in spurts - lots of blogs all at once and then long lulls of silence. Hopefully I will get caught up with this spurt.

Happy late Easter!

Good thing we got these 2 beautiful pictures BEFORE church.

Because the following 2 pictures are what I got AFTER church. I think by then she was ready to get out of the dress and into play clothes!

We had the most fun Spring Break and Easter! Avery and I got to go the week of Spring Break to Allen and spend time with my family there, and my sister and her fam in Sulphur Springs. We also got to see my brother Mike and his wife Julie on Easter weekend, although they were gone most of the week on a ski trip to Aspen (I know, rough life!) We had a garage sale, lots of shopping days, and a kids day where we went to see Horton Hears a Who, and went to GattiTown for pizza and games. Gabe flew in for Easter weekend and we drove home together, so that was great!

Grandad, Mimi, Uncle Mike and Aunt Julie at our favorite Mexican place, La Finca.





Avery with Mimi


Mimi & Grandad

Texas Half Marathon

After the race - the Abernathy Girls - Angie, me, and Jara

Avery had gathered sticks as she was waiting for me at the finish line.
This was my "stick bouquet".

When Jara got there, she got to carry the bouquet for a while too.

Dad & Mom brought Avery down to cheer us on!
It was a huge encouragement
to have them there

Right after Jara's finish. It's hard to stand up straight

when you just ran 13.1 miles!

The girl on the right is a friend of Angie's from

the Metroplex who ran the race too.

Angie & Jara

At the finish line! You have a little "chip" that you attach to your shoe and when you run across the mat at the beginning of the race, it starts your time, and when you run across it as the picture shows at the finish line, it stops your chip. My main goal was to run the whole race without walking, which I was able to do. I also beat my time goal, so it was a great day!

At mile 9. Mom, Dad and Avery were there to cheer me on, which was a good place because by this point I was getting tired! And clearly the man in front of me was too!

Near mile 9.

It was an absolutely PERFECT day, weather wise, and the course was beautiful, around White Rock Lake in Dallas. The course was not, however, FLAT, as my brother-in-law had said it was. Since we trained on the plains of West Texas, the hills were killers.

"Did you win?"

When someone asks me this question, I know they are not a runner.

Runners understand that it's not so much a competition against the others there, but an inward competition - to see if you can conquer a challenge that sometimes seems too big to be attempted. It's about taking something that's going on inside of you, and putting it on the outside.

The race is not so much about the hours you are actually out there running at the "race event". For me, this was a compilation of about 90 previous days of juggling schedules, hearing the blaring alarm at 5:00 - telling me to go out in freezing temperatures to get the day's run in before Gabe left for work, and pushing myself on the days I didn't feel like doing what was on the schedule. One day I even threw a large tantrum when I needed to do a 10 mile long-run and the winds were blowing at 40 mph! There were lots of days I felt like giving up. So why did I do it? I think it has to do with perseverance.

I have noticed a pattern in my life. Many times, for me, when God is renewing my spirit, my motivation for physical fitness (in this case, running) is an outward expression of what's going on inside. This past year the Lord has worked in my heart like never before. I praise Him for not leaving me alone, but for stretching me, teaching me, and changing me. My desire to run this race, I know, was God-given. He has been my training partner, my sustainer, my helper, my courage.

On many days, that encouragement came in human form. On November 6th, in my prayer journal, I told God I had committed to this 1/2 marathon and asked him to provide a friend to do it with me. I knew that without accountability, I would most likely fail. I had no idea who would possibly want to do this race though, and didn't have anyone in mind. Two days later, I was talking to my friend Jara, who has not been much of a runner in recent years, and she AND our friend Angie both determined to do it with me. They helped me believe that I could do it, and were an incredible inspiration and encouragement through the experience.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. "

Hebrews 12:1-2

New Postings for November & December

I have done several new posts!! However, since I am using this like a scrapbook for our family, I am keeping the posts in their correct order of events, so I have done some blogging about our November and December, but you'll have to go back to those dates to look at them! Check them out!

Babes with Batons

Well, I want to appease the family, so I'm doing this post first.

Avery was in "Twirling Camp" this last week and they perfomed last night at halftime of the girls Varsity Basketball Game. Avery was the youngest girl out of 50, and the oldest girls were 6th graders. I didn't realize how tiny Avery would look until she got out there with the big girls!! The teacher was Cheri Liess, a friend of mine from here in Abernathy, who is the director of the High School Twirlers. Some of the high school girls helped as well.

Avery was about as excited as she gets yesteday waiting for the performance. She told me, at least 20 times throughout the day, that "I'm supposed to be out in the hall with Ms. Cheri at the start of the 2nd quarter!". Our camera was having "issues" and kept dying on us, so Gabe did his best and got a few good shots, even though he missed watching Avery because he was so busy trying to be the photographer. I wish Aunt Robyn lived here and could follow us around and be our personal photographer! That would be fab! Anyway, we did video the show and when I get a chance I'll try to figure out how to upload that so you can watch it.

The girls twirled to a Hannah Montana song, "The Best of Both Worlds". Apparently that is the song on her show, but I'm not into the teeny-bopper-elementary-age-girl-idol world these days, so it was new to me. All the girls screamed and squealed when they heard that they would be twirling to her music though. Avery participated. I guess we are moving into the world of "peer pressure" at age 4.

Grandparents Mam & Granpappy came to watch (well, Granpappy was a little late due to cows getting out, but he got to watch the video), and our friends Kaidance and Amanda. Then they all came over for our "after twirling party" where we had sandwiches and chips, and chocolate chip cookies in honor of Gabe's birthday coming up tomorrow. It was very fun!