To Run or not to Run?

So, life is good. Of course there are hardships along the way, and I have to say this semester has been a toughie. Working 15 hours a week including Friday nights has put a little damper on my social life. Luckily I am really tight with my roomates and there are often people in our apartment. Anyway though, it has been tough every now and then. I am also not doing in well as school as I would like, but I am improving. Needless to say, my confidence may not have been at its peak. However, this week my really good friend and running buddy Avery registered for a 10k and wanted me to do it with her. I have just recently started running everyday again, so I haven't been in the best shape to run 6.2 miles. I also have been getting horribly painful shin splints because I need new shoes. Although I thought about how it would be nice to sleep in on Saturday, then I thought, "No. This would be good for me. I'm doing it" I registered, got my T-shirt the day before and started to get really excited. When I woke up this morning for the run, I had a stomachache and was nervous about run so much compared to what I have been doing recently and the shape my shins were in. I prayed that I would get through it and not be sick. Well, Avery and I had the goal to not walk. WE DID IT! We totally ran the whole time and kept a really awesome pace. We sped up a lot in the end realizing we had saved a lot of energy. We sprinted the last 200 meters or so into the finish line. It felt sooooooooooo good! I felt so accomplished and so proud of myself. I know that I could not have done it without the Lord! My shins felt nothing and for that I am incredible grateful. There is something about running that really calms the soul and rests your mind. I feel so incredibly blessed to have a healthy body that can run 6 miles without preparing hard core for it. I am so grateful to have legs that can take me anywhere! How wonderfully blessed we are without realizing things like health and able bodies! Running is probably my favorite activity ever!

More "Tender Mercies"

We have had or have coming up a lot of unbudgeted expenses, and I've been praying for a way to bring more income into the family. Though I am doing research on freelance writing, the Lord responded right away by giving me a lot more calls for work--two of them were even teacher-sub jobs, which pay more.
Mom

A Nice Day

One of the latest "tender mercies" was on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. We didn't have any special plans for a fun way to spend the day off, but Thad needed to open ballot boxes all over the county, so we decided to go with him. Emily invited her friend Lucy to come with her. It had been overcast for days here in the valley, but soon after we headed up river, the clouds parted, and the sun shone brightly in a blue sky. We stopped at the Cider Works, which I hadn't been to, and got their made to order ice cream, their hot, fresh donuts (amazing!), some apples and some of their awesome cider. That was yummy! Then we drove on up to the plateau. It was so beautiful to see the sunshine on the snow-covered fields. We went to several different towns. We ended up at Grand Coulee Dam, which I had never been to. It was pretty cool! It was almost warm enough to eat our picnic lunch outside--we did, at the visitor's center park. The wind picked up as the sun started to go down, so we had dessert in the car. We went through the visitor's center, took pictures of the dam, and headed toward home. We stopped at Dry Falls on the way, too. It was a really fun, relaxing day--a nice break!

Winter Mercies

I think the Lord has given us great tender mercies by tempering the weather for our holiday travel this year. We've had to go over the mountain passes a total of 4 times in December--more for Thad--and they've been bare each time, with no heavy snow or anything. It made the holiday so much more relaxing to not have that worry. And Rachel and Annie had no problems with their flights, which is another tender mercy in itself. We were able to have a perfect Christmas!
Love,
Mom

Love this Valley!

I've had to work at a local elementary school a few times lately, and I've had recess duty. Usually, I don't enjoy that much. I'm standing around in the cold, listening to tattle tales and children crying over nothing, not knowing what the rules are to enforce. This time, though, it wasn't so bad. Even though I was out for two 15-minute recesses and one 30-minute one, I never got too cold. I needed my coat and gloves, but it wasn't raining, and there wasn't a cold wind, so I never got an earache. (Tender mercy, there.) The sun was shining much of the time, and the landscape and skyscape were beautiful to see. (Tender mercy, there.) One day, I saw a large bird gliding in lazy circles above me, and something about the cut of its wings made me think it might have been an eagle. I watched it for a long time, trying to see if I could catch a glimpse of a white head, until it rose on updrafts to high to watch anymore. (Tender mercy, there.) The other day I worked there, the first recess was early enough that there were still no clouds in the sky. (They came later.) The sky was such a brilliant blue above the hills and snowcapped mountains that I could hardly take my eyes off it. (Tender mercy, there.) I love living in this valley!
Mom

In Sync (not the band)

These past two weeks have been fun for me as I have worked with my sister to complete lyrics for the last song for our Easter pageant and to put the finishing touches on the script. I love working with her and wish it could always be in person, but the phone will do in a pinch. We very quickly came up with a song that we liked, and then as she discussed trouble spots in the script with me, the ideas flowed and solutions came, and we could feel when it was right. Maybe that's the Spirit, maybe our "muse," or something, but it just feels good. I can't wait to see the production in March! And I'm so grateful to have such a wonderful sister for my best friend and writing partner!
Mom

Can Life get any better? I submit that it cannot!

Haha I love how this is becoming my blog! You guys need to write stuff! Anyway, I just have to say that today has started off as an absolutely beautiful day! So it started off with walking to class at 6:40 am. There was a little breeze but it was perfect temperature. Light was coming through the clouds and let me just say it was gorgeous as I walked up the hill to campus and looked at Provo and the mountains! It was magnificent to take in all of the beauty. I am so grateful for a tender mercy that comes with wonderful nature! Then in my anatomy class everyone was in a good mood and there was laughter and I was so grateful for the comfort to be myself around people I don't know. And, I got 100% on my quiz! It was wonderful! I am so blessed and I don't understand why but hey I will not complain! Really, life is so incredible and I am so grateful for so many blessings! No joke, I am so happy that I feel like my heart is going to burst out of my chest because of my love for life and for my Father in Heaven!