Spreading Christmas Cheer

Disclaimer:  This is written only to share what we do, in the hopes it will encourage others.  It is NOT intended to make anyone feel guilty about what they do or don’t do to celebrate Christmas.  Some years, I do these things well, and some years, I fail miserably.  So, if you are going to read this, you have to promise not to judge – including yourself.  If you like an idea, steal it.   Maybe there is just ONE thing that you take from this.  Enjoy it.  Do it well, and don’t stress about the rest of it. 

How does your family countdown to Christmas?   Our family has two ways we count down the days until Christmas, starting on December 1st.  But, before that, we have 2 traditions that kick off our Christmas season.

First of all, the day after Thanksgiving is our day to get out our Christmas decorations.  We usually have a movie on in the background – our two favorites are “Elf” and “A Christmas Story”.  The girls particularly LOVE the time we spend going through ornaments.  Each girl has a box of her own ornaments that have been collected over the years.  In their early years, when they were too little to choose their own, I tried to select something that represented what they were in to that year.  When they were old enough to select an ornament, I tried to steer them in a similar way, but yes, we have ended up with some cheesy ones – Santa Elmo, Disney Princesses (which is actually fitting for our Disney-crazed family), and even a Barbie and Twelve Dancing Princesses one (shudder!!)  This is one of their favorite parts of the holidays, as they reminisce about previous years;  my sister, their Aunt Elaine, is notorious for giving ornaments as well.  Each girl already has quite the collection, and they know that when they grow up and move out on their own, they will take their box of ornaments with them…they will use them on their own Christmas trees, and have a piece of their childhood with them. 

But backing up just a little…the very first decoration we get out is the Nativity.  This actually will come out the weekend BEFORE Thanksgiving.  We use this as a reminder for why we are even celebrating in the first place.  And as we enter the holiday season of thanks and then of giving, we keep in the forefront of our minds that we have been given the greatest gift of all in Christ, and we are eternally thankful.  Everything else we do is should be in response to that.

 The first way we count down to Christmas is using an advent calendar of sorts. It’s called a Jesse Tree.  A Jesse Tree can be made of various materials – an actual tree, a wall hanging, a metal tree display.  The idea is that you have an ornament for each day, Dec. 1-25, even if you just hang them at the bottom of your own Christmas tree.  The ornaments each day tell a story.  We use a book, “The Advent Jess Tree” by Dean Lambert, to read about each day’s ornament/ symbol.  The Jesse Tree got its name from scripture which says that “out of the tree of Jesse will come Christ the Lord;” from the lineage of Jesse, father of David, there will be one who comes who saves.  And so the symbols each day tell the story of that Savior, how He was with God from the beginning of the world, and how our need for Him was evident from the first sin.

 Our Jesse tree was made from my husband’s advent calendar, used when he and his sister were kids.  My mother-in-law made it, and sewed Velcro ornaments to go in each pocket.  Her ornaments were not the Jesse tree symbols, although some of them translated to that – candle, angel, lamb.  I sewed the other symbols to complete the set.  So this tree is very special as it was made by the girls’ grandmother and their mother, representing both sides of their lineage. 

 The other way we count down to Christmas is by using a paper chain – tearing off a link every day; however, unlike the paper chains of my youth, these links have an activity written on them.  A daily surprise for the girls of something we will do to celebrate Christmas.  Now, some of these are more involved than others, and completing the chain links prior to Dec. 1 requires A LOT of planning.  It can be overwhelming, I admit.  BUT, one of the things I like most about this is that it spreads out the Christmas activities, the giving, the sharing with friends, throughout the month, rather than focusing on one single day.  Which, if we are honest, that day can be anti-climatic.  Let’s admit it…we often spend so much time seeking the perfect gift(s), spending more money than is necessary, and those presents under the tree are torn through and opened within an hour (or less!) and many of those shiny toys are soon forgotten.  Even by us adults. 

After doing these chain activities for a few years now, I have such joy (not stress) about the Christmas season, because my girls are not focused on what they are getting on Christmas morning, but their excitement is about doing these traditions – some old, some new – but all focused on spending time with loved ones, building relationships, and giving. 

Without further ado, here is a list of our favorite activities.

1.       Select a new ornament for the year.  As previously mentioned, the girls LOVE their ornaments.  The last few years, we have been collecting the Hallmark flower fairy series.  It started with Ella getting the “Rose Fairy” since her middle name is Rose, and then Lily got the “Tiger Lily fairy”. These are gorgeous little fairies we hope to complete the collection between the four of us.

2.       Appetizer dinner and watch “Elf” as a family.  The girls love it when I make appetizer dinner, which truly is about the presentation.  I serve everything  (cut fruit and veggies, cheese & crackers, chicken nuggets, etc.) from a large platter that we put in the middle of the coffee table; we share from this and watch our favorite family Christmas movie.

3.       Shopping for “Caring and Sharing” gifts – we sponsor three kids from the girls’ elementary school and buy them 3 things for Christmas (a shirt, a book, and a toy).  There are many places you can sponsor a child in need – Angel Trees, Toys for Tots.  If possible, I try to sponsor a child that is the same age as each of our girls.  It makes the connection for them as they shop for someone their own age, who may not have the things we have.

4.       Bake Cookies.  We make sugar cookies from scratch, roll out the dough, cut into shapes – angels, snowmen, bells, candy canes, Christmas trees, doves. Truth be told, the girls help through the first batch or two, then I roll out the rest of the dough throughout the evening.  In the end we usually make 10 dozen or so cookies!

5.       Cookie Party!!  This has become a Chapman tradition, going on our 9^th year.  So, what do we do with all of those cookies??  Invite our friends over to decorate (then eat) them!  We make homemade icing then color it green, red, blue, and yellow; we get all kinds of sprinkles, chocolate chips, red hots, etc.  We love opening our home each year to host friends, neighbors, classmates.  Last year, we decided to add a twist…many parents would ask “what can I bring?”  After the year where we ended up with 100 bottles of sprinkles, I decided to answer that question differently.  We request that each kid bring an item to donate to our homeless community.  Some bring gloves or a blanket, some bring toothpaste or deodorant.  This, in turn, leads to another activity…

6.       Deliver items to homeless.  One of my favorite organizations in Raleigh is “Love Wins”. They are doing so much good work for the homeless in our community. 

7.       “Elf” people.  We fill Dollar Store stockings with small gifts – candy, cards, toys – and secretly deliver to friends and/or classmates. The girls usually pick a mixture of friends as well as those who could use a little cheering to surprise in this way.  To add to the fun, the girls ring the doorbell and run off...hoping they jump back in the van before they are seen.

8.       Starbucks Hot Chocolate is a special treat.  Pay it forward (or backward) by buying the next person’s coffee.  Last year, when we went in to Starbucks, we caused quite a disruption – not only do my girls have their own way of ordering their hot chocolate (yes, there are options!) but Ella knocked over as basket of snacks, spilling to the floor, while another girl bumped into CDs on display.  I could tell the lady behind us was a bit irritated.  She even rolled her eyes at the girls.  But, we stuck with our plan, and bought a $15 gift card.  I told the barista to keep it and use it on the next customers until it ran out.  So, when the next lady got her drink for free, she was shocked!  We were still waiting for our hot chocolates when she came over to thank us.  She didn’t seem to comprehend why we would do this but it made her day.  My girls learned that sometimes it’s the people who are having a rough day, who are not acting nice, who need kindness the most.

9.       Have a Hot Chocolate Stand.  Last year, we decided to try this one – my 8 year old’s idea. The plan was to give out FREE hot chocolate in the neighborhood, on a cold day. Oddly enough, people had a hard time receiving a FREE gift.  So, we decided to collect donations, if people insisted on giving.  The donations went to my favorite global charity – Help One Now.  We raised enough money to buy a backpack and school supplies for a child in Haiti, where Help One Now had recently completed building a school for a community still struggling, years after the earthquakes.

10.   Assemble gifts for teachers and make cards.  I save Christmas cards from previous years, and the girls cut out words, phrases, pictures to make new cards. These add a nice touch to the gifts we put together as a thank you to their teachers.

11.   Go ice skating. Outside.  Downtown. It just seems more magical this way. And we found that going on Tuesday nights not only means less of a crowd, but it is buy one-get one free.

12.   Ride around looking at Christmas lights, while dressed in PJs. This one started more than 10 years ago, when my oldest one would have a hard time going to sleep. I dressed her in PJs, and would drive around looking at lights.  She was mesmerized and it quickly became one of our favorite traditions.  We now have our favorite houses, including ones that synchronize lights to music. In which case, we must get out of the car and dance!

13.   Christmas sleepover.  Each girl has one friend over for a special sleepover.  We do a Christmas themed craft, watch Christmas shows or movie, and have a special pancake breakfast. One year, our sleepover coincided with a neighbor dressed as Santa going around to visit children.  It was perfect to have a surprise visit from Santa and his elves.

14.   Make Gingerbread House with neighbor.  For years, our older neighbor, Ms. Jan has the girls over to decorate some sort of gingerbread treat.  Some years she has a house, one year it was a train.  They have decorated individual houses to create a village, and gingerbread men on a stick.  My girls LOVE this tradition, and it is one of the things they miss the most about our old house.  Even though we moved, we still promised we could go back to Ms. Jan’s for this special treat.

15.   Nutcracker ballet.  My in-laws are season ticket holders for the Carolina Ballet.  Every other year, they purchase tickets to take the girls to see a performance of the Nutcracker. The girls get all dressed up and love their time with grandparents for this special occasion.

16.   Put on a show for neighbors.  My girls love to perform.  So this led to them creating a Christmas performance/show to put on for neighbors and family.  Some years they make invitations and programs.  Sometimes the show incudes choreographed dances to the Nutcracker Suite; some times it includes elf karaoke. This is a fun time to be with neighbors and share some holiday cheer.


Other thing to do:
17.   Watch Holiday classics – Rudolph, Frosty, etc.
18.   Eat ice cream for breakfast
19.   Go downtown for a treat at Krispy Kreme
20.   Check out the decorations at the Governor’s Mansion or attend a tree lighting ceremony
21.   Make paper snowflakes with fancy paper
22.   Attend a Christmas pageant or see a live Nativity
23.   Have a family game night or invite a family over to join you
24.   Go on a sleigh ride
25.   Attend a middle/high school band or choral performance (often free or inexpensive)

 I would love to hear (or read) your ideas.  I have been surprised at some of the things my girls have come up with when I asked them how we could show someone kindness and spread cheer.  My hope is that these are the things they remember when they are older; these experiences of how it feels to give to others, and of spending time with loved ones.  These are things we cannot buy and cannot be lost nor broken. 

Cheers!!

There Will Be Days You Don't Think You Can Run a Marathon

Two days ago, I signed up to run my second marathon.  I am still working my way back from an injury in May, and the combination of asthma and humid weather has not boosted my confidence in my ability to run.  So yesterday morning, I already began doubting my decision and if I could really pull this thing off – for the second time this year.  Will it just be “too much”?

As I continued cleaning through old papers, I came across the program from the marathon I ran in March.  I was about to toss it, when I realized it had a calendar within, and I thought one of the girls may want it.  Then I noticed the inspirational quotes.

“There will be days you don’t think you can run a marathon. There will be a lifetime of knowing you have.” – Unknown

Just what I needed to hear.  So, I took a break from cleaning, and went out for a short 3 mile run.  When I run, my thoughts become clearer.  I sort out my questions and fears.  Again, just what I needed and one of the many reasons I love to run.

I started thinking about how far I had come since I began running just over 2 years ago.  It is easy to focus on my weaknesses, to get depressed and doubt my abilities.  But then, I remember this…in my weakness, He is made strong.  When I run, I don’t focus on my weakness, but on my strength in Him, who provides all the strength I need (Phil. 4:13).  And strength not only to run, but to “do life” – everything He has called me to do, He will provide the strength to do it.

The accomplishment of running a marathon will last beyond this year.  Whenever I encounter hard times, I can draw strength from knowing that He pulls me through – He always has.  Sure, it won’t be easy.  I’ll have to train through muggy weather, and plan long runs around our busy schedule.  I'll have to get up early and say "no" to late night fun with friends. But if it was easy, everyone would do it.  If it was easy, the joy at the end would not be as sweet.  And so I am reminded of another favorite quote: “I didn’t ask for easy. I asked for possible.”  And through Him who gives me strength, ALL things are possible!! 

There are many days I don’t think I can run a marathon.  Many days I don’t believe I have actually done it before.  Many days I doubt; I fear.  Many days I feel weak.  Those are the days my focus is on ME.  Those are the days I need to lace up, get out there, and change my focus to HIM.  Many days I don’t feel like running, but I do it anyway.  And I never regret it.

Being A Mom

I really had no idea what I was in for.  I mean, sure, I had been longing to be pregnant – for over 2 years we tried.  And then, when it all happened, when I was pregnant, and I first felt her kick inside me, that’s when I knew.  THIS was going to be some ride.  Like nothing I had ever experienced before.

In the hours before I had my first baby, I rocked on a birth ball, my dad painted my toenails, Rob read random facts from the Almanac, and I walked a hundred circles around labor & delivery.  And after 28 hours of labor, and they placed her in my arms, I gasped, “she is so big!”  There are no words that can describe that moment.  A mixture of relief, JOY, anxiousness, love.  If it’s possible for a heart to smile, mine did.  And in a moment I knew, my life would never be the same, and that was more than okay. 

Two more babies and two miscarriages later, this motherhood thing has had its share of grief, hardship, stress, and left me feeling utterly incapable at times.  Night terrors, nighttime nursing, and sleepwalking resulted in five-ish straight years without a night of uninterrupted sleep.  Seriously.  Not even exaggerating on that one.   My first two babies were each hospitalized at 3 months old, one with a kidney condition that meant she would be on antibiotics until she outgrew it. 

Yeah, this “Mom thing” is hard.  Really hard.  You give up your full-time salary, try to make ends meet. work from home maybe. Find flexible work/ hours. (which means you rarely get to see your husband but at least one of you is home with the kids most of the time.)  On your days off, you go to play dates and feel the judgment from the stay-at-home moms, “oh, that’s so sad you have to work.” Thanks, ‘cause, you know I needed another ride on the guilt roller coaster.  Then you try this “SAHM” thing and wonder where all the “staying” is…ballet, playdates, preschool, appointments, soccer practice, endless errands.  And then comes the judgment from working moms, who assume my days are completely free and I just get to play all day (okay, well, partly, I do now…but for other reasons.)

Anyway, I guess all this to say, YES, it is HARD.  YES, you will feel judged about EVERY decision you make.  But here’s what I have learned.  STOP paying attention to everyone else and what they think.  Does it really matter??  Nope.  Not one bit. Yes, we may have days when we look a little wrinkled and didn't brush our hair; there are days my girls are not dressed appropriately for the weather; there are some days I let them have more snacks than they should; some nights I let them stay up too late, and sometimes they have cereal for dinner.  I hope they will forgive me some day.  ;)  

I will never be the perfect mom (who is?) but I believe I am perfect for my girls.  By some crazy thing called grace, God chose me to be Rachel and Lily and Ella’s mom.  And I absolutely LOVE that I get to be just that. 

I love that I know all their stories, and that they never tire of hearing the silly things they did when they were babies and toddlers.  I love that they are allowed to be mad at me, as long as we talk about it later.  I love that we hug – a LOT.  I love that we sing and dance on a moment’s notice.  I love their imaginations and how our living room has been transformed into a restaurant, a pet adoption center, an academy for their dolls, and a campground, on multiple occasions (Sorry, Rob. Yes, we will clean it up!) I love that they will tell me I am the “best mommy” even when we all know I have failed 10 times that day. And I love how they can make me laugh at the silliest things.  Laughter with my girls = best remedy. 

I love that we share each other’s interests and have a sense of “teamwork” in our house. I love that they still ask me questions - about ANYthing, even the ones I am nervous about answering.  I love that I get to be their Girl Scout leader (and they want me to be).  I love that they are fearless and brave.  Really brave. 

Despite how difficult it is to discipline, to be consistent in it, there is such a reward when you see a behavior change.  They are growing up.  How on earth did that happen?  For all the time I thought change would never come, now it is happening entirely too quickly.

I hope Ella never loses her confidence in her mix-matched sense of style; I hope Lily never loses her “I’m happy to be here” attitude towards life; and I hope Rachel never stops planning for her dreams.

So, sure, I’ve had a few – or a dozen – jobs in my life.  This one – this MOMMY thing – it beats them all.  Hands down.  It’s the hardest job. Ever. But it is also the most rewarding.  And icing on the cake is that I get to share this journey with some pretty amazing friends who also get to be called mom. 

It is all going by too fast, friends.  Be thankful. Every day.  And Hold on!!

Shamrock Marathon: Who says running isn’t a team sport??

 March 16, 2013 – Shamrock Marathon weekend was finally here.  After months of training and preparing, and a week of obsessing about the weather, we loaded up the car and headed to Virginia Beach for the big event - my first marathon! 

I dozed off and on during the car ride, while listening to my marathon playlist.  Coming off weeks of tapering, I knew I’d be ready to run; yet, I had this nagging doubt.  I had previously *only* run 20 miles, and another 6.2 was a significant chunk.  But, RunnerPeeps’ Coach Andrew insisted that was enough, and that the last 6.2 would be “mental.”  I recalled having this conversation with fellow Peep Ken on a recent run, and he offered, “I suspect that you are both right.”  I kept that in mind, along with the advice from many (Steph, Anastasia, Claire, to name a few) to “have fun.”  To a non- runner that may seem like crazy advice, but it was very important to me.  The hard work was all done – I really did just need to enjoy this marathon.

So we arrived at the Expo at the Virginia Convention Center mid-afternoon.  As I was checking in for the full, my neighbor Kelly Burich was checking in for her half marathon.  We couldn’t have planned the timing better.  We got pictures of our families with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, checked out some vendors, got our shirts, etc.  It was a pretty good expo, but more crowded than I anticipated, considering I arrived during the last couple hours of a 2 day event.  We headed to our hotel, the Grand Ocean, where the Burich family was also staying.  We went down to the beach and played in the sand for a little while before dinner.  It was a relaxing time, although windy and cold!  We walked to a nearby restaurant, Big Sam’s, as recommended by a friend who is from Virginia Beach.  It was good to stretch my legs during the walk, but while we ate, the rain started, so we called a cab to drive us back to the hotel. 

One last check through all my gear, clothes; made sure I had pins for my race bib, and I was ready for bed.  It would be an early morning.

March 17 – 5:30 am.  I’m up!  Breakfast and get dressed.  COFFEE!!!  The half marathon started at 7 am, while the full didn’t start until 8:30.  I wanted to see Kelly start, so Rob drove Kelly and I to the half marathon starting line (or as close as we could get).  This was Kelly’s 18^th half marathon, and she has run several full marathons as well.  I call her “the enforcer” as she has been known to drag me out of bed on a dark, rainy 37 degree morning for a run.  She says “the training book says you must run in all kinds of weather.”  While I wanted to smack her at the time, I was grateful for her wisdom, especially on this morning, when it was COLD (I don’t think it ever got above mid-40s even by afternoon), WINDY, and threatening rain.  After pictures and “good lucks”, Kelly lined up in her corral, I decided to find my friend Kristie, who was also running the half.  Kristie had run the 8k the previous day.  If you don’t know Kristie, let me tell you, she is just AWESOME!!  She defies stereotypes.  She may not look like the “typical” runner, but she makes these goals and does not give up!!  She found the perfect shirt at the expo, which says “I’m over here doing what everyone said is impossible.”  She rocks!!  I kept her company as her corral waited its turn.  And then she was off!!  Now time for me to find Jill at her hotel.

I welcomed the warmth of the hotel immediately!!  I was praying this cold and wind didn’t keep up all day, and kept telling myself that it would be better when I started running.  Jill had bought “26.2” shamrock temporary tattoos for us, so I quickly placed that on my cheek.  I did one last check of what I would need for the run, and left my dry bag in her hotel room, where I would come back and shower afterward.  We started the 9 block walk to the starting line.  Jill’s parents, sister, nephews, and boyfriend all came along to see her/ us off.  While we waited for our corral to start, we found others who were running their first marathon, and some who were veterans.  To our surprise, the lady who looked like she’d just stepped out of “Hee Haw” claimed to have run a marathon in all 50 states, had completed Disney’s Goofy Challenge (a 5k, half marathon, and full marathon on consecutive days), and said this was her 17^th time running Shamrock full.  WOW!!

And WE’RE OFF!!  Jill and I decided that we would try to run together for at least the first half, and then we’d see how things went.  Neither wanted to hold the other back, but we are well-matched as far as pace, and we had run most of our long training runs together, so it would be a great mental boost to have that familiarity.  We both wanted to complete the marathon in less than 5 hours.  My strategy was to run conservatively during the first half (about 10:30 min/ mile pace and no greater than 11:00 min. mile pace), and then pick up the pace for a faster second half (negative split).  I was determined to not hit the infamous “wall” people talk about after mile 20.  So as we head south on Atlantic Ave., I tell Jill “this is just another long run, right?!”  We can do this!!

About mile 1.5, we pass our hotel.  Rob and the girls are out there cheering runners on, and holding their posters.  I am excited to see them.  Jill and I continue for the next few miles, chatting causally. Jill reminds me to smile for the camera when we run by – I usually don’t notice these things, but that explains why Jill has better race photos than I do.  I begin to warm up, and decide to ditch my gloves about mile 5 (a decision I will later regret.)  Around mile 7, we stop for a bathroom break.  Even with the pit stop, mile 7 clocked in at 12:37.  Not too bad considering we had to wait in line.  As we head back on the bridge over Rundee Inlet (about mile 10), I am trying to think of things to chat about with Jill.  I make the realization that between the two of us, we have lost over 130 pounds.  Wow, we have come a long way…just more confirmation of appreciating the accomplishment and enjoying this race. 

THEN we hit the boardwalk!! The wind is brutal!  My cold hands begin to feel numb.  I know that Rob and the girls will be at mile 11 (on the beach side of our hotel). I start looking for them, and am glad I can see their signs more from this side.  Rachel’s sign said “Worst Parade EVER!” and then she flipped it, “Seriously?!  Where are the floats?”  awesome. It now occurs to me that the girls are still in their PJ pants.  (I find out later, they put them over their jeans because it was so cold.)  I take a brief moment to run over to them and give kisses. It’s such a boost to see my family during a race.  Now, I had another 15 miles to go.  Ugh!  It was so cold!!  I thought it would get better once we turned off the boardwalk, and back onto Atlantic. 

I was wrong.   As we near the halfway point, many half-marathoners are walking along, cheering us on, wrapped in their WARM finishers blanket.  I fight the urge to yank one of them off and wear the rest of the race.  After we cross the 13.1 checkpoint, it’s time for my Clif shot/ gel.  Problem is, my fingers are so numb, I cannot tear the package.  I resort to using my teeth, and quickly suck it down, so I can wrap my thumb back into my shirt.  Miles 14-16, we see the marathon leaders looping back to their miles 23 and 24.  I cheer for a few of them, especially the first woman to run by.  I don’t think I will ever be that fast.

Jill and I are still running together, but not so chatty now.  About mile 17, Jill asks me to tell her a story.  My mind goes blank.  I can’t think of anything to say.  By now, she has heard pretty much all of my stories.  I’ve got nothing.  I ask her what she is listening to on her playlist and tell her what’s on mine (“Thriftshop” – recommended by Claire).  I think I have to go to the bathroom again, so I tell Jill that I’ll run on ahead, and she will catch up to me.  When I get to the next set of port-a-potties, I realize how close I am to the next check-in at 18.1 miles, and decide to keep going.  Mentally, it helps to just get to that next point, and this continues throughout the rest of the race.  These check-in points are posted on my facebook page, and I know some people are checking it, cheering me, and I hear the “bing” of incoming texts spurring me on.  (Although I didn’t check all the texts until after I finished, I knew a few people were sending me encouraging messages as I crossed those mile-markers).   

As I reach mile 19, the urge to go to the bathroom passes, and Eminem’s “Till I Collapse” comes on my playlist.  I immediately think of Kellie (who recommended I include the song), and her story of “crashing” at mile 19 during her first marathon, and her successful 2^nd marathon last month, when she qualified for Boston.  I pick up the pace.  Mile 19 proved to be my fastest mile, with mile 20 not much off that pace, 10:09 and 10:13 respectively.   At mile 21, with 5 miles remaining, I think to myself, “Okay, this is just another Tuesday run with Candace.”  Candace is the one to blame for getting me started with this running thing.  Lately, we’ve been running 5 miles on Tuesdays, at a sub-10 min/ mile pace.  Mentally, I want to pick up my pace to those tempo run levels (9:45-ish) but my legs aren’t quite on board with this plan.  I reconcile myself to just not going any slower!

I focus on taking a mile at a time.  I am actually enjoying myself, and smiling even when there isn’t a camera around.  Now that I don’t have the chit chat with Jill, my music is a great inspiration.  There are songs that are played in boot camp, and make me think of those women and how inspiring they are.  There are songs recommended by other amazing friends (“It’s Time” recommended by Alecia) and songs that remind me of RunnerPeeps (“Good Time” to which Gordy set the Peeps 2012 vide).   For the second or third time, a few sprinkles fell, threatening rain.  Fortunately, the weather stayed dry, just COLD.  I thought about my 14 mile training run in the freezing rain/ sleet/ snow.  Those runs were no longer considered futile.  (and I thought of my friend Janice, who watched my kids during that long miserable run…see, it takes a village).  I think about my RunnerPeep friend Mimi, who was running her marathon the same day – in Rome!  I was jealous she was done by now. 

Mile 23 and my big toe that has been hurting since mile 20 starts bothering me even more.  I contemplate walking for a while, maybe taking some of the snacks offered at aid stations (pretzels, bananas, even beer).   But stronger than that desire was my desire for this thing to be OVER.  I wanted to be done so I could get out of these shoes.  Knowing I still had a Clif shot left if I needed it, I by-passed the snacks and kept going. 

Mile 24.  Okay, just 2 more.  Equivalent to one lap around Shelley Lake.  Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy. (as Ella says).  I got this.  Mile 25 was a bit slower (11:16) and I was certain the temperature was dropping now.  Or maybe it was just that I was getting closer to the beach, and that 15 mph wind was picking up. 

Homestretch.  So close.  Beautiful stretch down the boardwalk. I see Rob and the girls near the finish line.  I want to sprint to the finish, but only manage a 9:38 pace.  It’ll have to do.  I smile and blow a kiss to Rob and the girls as I run by.

DONE!!!  I thought I would have more of an emotional response.  More or less, I was just glad to be done.  I was still cold, and wanted that finishers blanket pronto!  After wrapping it around me, and grabbing some water, banana, and pretzels, I turn around to look for Jill.  She couldn’t be far behind.  Evidently, this was the moment I felt my legs cramp up, and my thighs could no longer move.  Apparently my face grimaced, and some nearby volunteer called out to me, “Smile!  You just finished a marathon!”  I wanted to smack her. 

I didn’t see Jill coming, and I now remembered having to go to the bathroom.  I hobbled to the end of the shoot, threw my food and finishers loot at my girls (who were starving and ate my pretzels!), and headed for the lines of port-a-johns.  While in the finishers’ “party tent”, I saw Jill cross the finish line on the big screen.  Yay!!  We texted, considered meeting up on the beach, but decided we were both too cold and we’d head back to the hotel. 

That 9-block walk back seemed like forever!!  But moments after sitting down in the WARM lobby, I was greeted by Kristie.  She had stayed around to congratulate Jill and I.  Then I read all the texts and facebook messages of support.  YUP, running is definitely a TEAM sport!!!

Official finishing time: 4:44:16. (and negative split by 4 minutes).

More Than A Conqueror (Why I have already won...my pre-race report)

As most are aware (some more keenly aware than they’d like), I am running my first full marathon on Sunday, March 17…that’s 26.2 miles, baby!  It is definitely intimidating, but I am not one to shy away from things that scare me. 

See, when I was in college, there were three fears I had, as I headed into “the real world”.  1. Getting fat, 2. being financially unstable, and 3. a loved one getting cancer. 

I know you are probably thinking…really?  “Getting Fat” – that’s easy – just exercise and eat well. Sure, we all know that, but it is really hard.  Especially when you it’s your last year of college, you are engaged, planning a wedding out of town, your fiancé is 5 hours ways, you are taking 21 and 24 credit hours per semester (respectively), applying to grad schools, and trying to figure out where you are going to live in a few months.  Okay, so you get the picture…I’m wired this way.  I’ve always done “too much”.  So, the weight crept on, and on and on…until I had to face those other fears, too, and then it was too much for me to handle.  So, God handled it.

And God being God, made me face each one of those fears….face to face. Up close and personal. Using it to change me into who I was created to be.  And you know what happens when you face your fears?  When you realize that you’ve made it through and someone (or some people) have held you and carried you through it?  Well, for one thing, you have scars.  But these scars are beautiful because they are a reminder that you’re still alive – you still have purpose.  They are an Ebenezer *.  And, there is freedom in facing your fears.  Because now…I don’t fear anything.  I know that whatever comes, whatever trial, whatever challenge, I can withstand it.  Not through my own strength, but through Christ’s and through those that he brings along side of me to encourage me on the journey.

The most pivotal years of my life, when all of this facing of fears came to a head, happened to coincide with Ella’s first 2 years of life.  It strikes me that she is my spirited child, having endured these hardships with me, in sorts, in her early years of development.  I KNOW that she will be one that can change the world, if only her spirit is guided in the right way.  She’s a mirror of my emotions (good and bad) from the time she was born. 

So, let me break it down like this…certain “life events” are defined as “stressors”.  Not all are bad – such as a birth or new job – but they are transitions that cause some degree of upheaval, stress, and what-not.  Some, are obviously bad – health concerns, job loss, death.  In a two year peiod,  Summer of 2007 to Summer of 2009, I had over TWENTY “life events” or “stressors”.  I don’t make a point of this for pity’s sake.  But, so that you know the reality of what I went through and how it turned out.  Here are most of these events:

• Finish certification process to become birth doula
• Best friend going through awful divorce
• Said friend and her 5 yr. old son move in with us during my 9^th month of pregnancy with 3^rd child
• 3^rd child born – Eleanor Rose
• Transition to working from home
• Dad diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer
• Oldest child, Rachel begins Kindergarten (we all are learning about “school life”)
• Dad undergoes surgery, treatments
• Host dad and family during time of surgery, recovery, treatment
• Multiple trips to see Dad, especially during final 5 weeks, on Hospice
• Dad dies
• Back to work a week later – have to make up lost time and work 50-70 hr/wk (normally 20 hr/ wk)
• Have to sell Mom’s house – clean out Mom’s house ; garage sale, house on market, with 3 kids in tow
• Family Discord
• Decide to quit job, and work on developing birth doula business
• Find out I’m pregnant – not planned, and mixed emotions, finally excited about it
• Miscarriage (my 2^nd one)
• Mom sells house
• Mom has to move in with us
• Construction begins on home renovations/ additions with 3 generations under one roof
• Find lump in breast – undergo ultrasounds and mammogram.  Thankfully, negative.

During this time, I went from losing my baby weight, and walking regularly (with double jogging stroller), to gaining almost 50 pounds in a year.   I didn’t know where to start with making changes.  It was too daunting a task.  I remember the day after Thanksgiving 2008, complaining to Rob that I was too fat and how much I hated it!  In what was not one of his finest moments (or was it?), he said bluntly, “ Well, get off your a$$ and start moving.” (okay, maybe he didn’t say it exactly that way, but that is what I heard.)  I stormed out of the  house, and ran.  I was going to show him.  So, I made it to the end of the street (we’re the second house in), and ran out of breath.  I kept a fast walking pace, not knowing where I was going. 

I ended up at a nearby park.  I sat under a tree for nearly an hour.  This was the first time I remembered being alone since my dad had died, 8 months prior.  I finally had a moment to grieve.  I cried. A lot.  Which is rare for me.  I realized something:  As it turned out, I didn’t just hate being fat, I hated me.  I was a miserable person. I am sure I made things difficult  for everyone around me.

This realization didn’t change things automatically.  But it was a start.  A seed was planted.  I knew I at least wanted to get out of this hole I was in.  Something had to be done.

Well, as things went, it would be 2 more years before everything clicked.  I was finally faced with a decision…what did I want for Christmas (2010)???  You can read my previous post to know how that went.  How I started my journey to getting healthy. 

When I look back, there are several events that are too important to be considered coincidence.  Step one in getting me through all of this was the Lord’s hand in where we ended up with a church family.  A year prior to all of this, we were living in Raleigh and going to church in Durham (45 min. away) - where we had previously lived.  It was a HUGE decision to leave that church, and find a new one.  I admit, I was skeptical that we’d find a good one.  We “happened” upon Redeemer Church.  During these months and years of trials, I can honestly say that I literally felt the Lord’s presence with me through these people.  THAT is what the church is about – not a building, but the PEOPLE, coming along side each other.  They literally shared in my burdens and carried me through that time.  It was soon after my Dad died that I joined the music team, singing on a rotating basis for Sunday morning worship.  I cannot begin to explain how integral this was to the healing and growing that needed to happen within.  See, when I am singing on Sunday morning, I feel the closest to my Dad.  He was a Pastor, and he LOVED some of these songs we sing.  Not only that, but some of the songs talk of heaven, and those saints that go before us there.  I imagine that at that very moment I am singing, my Dad is doing the same exact thing.  Singing praises to our God.  We have that unity, although he is gone from this earth.

The other amazing thing about this church I call “Family” is that they pray.  And I don’t just mean wishes and hopes and holding you to the light.  They PRAY as I have never been witness to.  So, when I decided to take on this “exercise and getting healthy” thing, I asked a few to pray.  That I would be motivated, that I would stick with it.  That I would change.

And they did.  And I did. 

So, this running a marathon thing…it isn’t about me.  It’s about a work that has been done in me and through me.  It’s about those that have been with me on this journey. 

When I run, I usually have a playlist of songs that inspire me.  There are some songs on that list that remind me of specific people, or groups of people.  There are songs that we hear in boot camp – those women have been right there with me in this “fight” to be fit and healthy; there are songs that make me think of my RunnerPeeps friends; there are songs that make me think of some in my church family.  Each one of these people is with me on my run – giving strength and encouragement with every stride. 

And I know my Dad is looking down, too. (If I get to heaven and realize this isn’t, in fact, true, I won’t care at that point.)  Today, when going through itunes in preparing my Marathon Playlist, I came across a song that I listened to a lot when my Dad was dying.  I have not listened to it in a few years (unintentionally).  It’s a song called “Just a Little” by Leigh Nash (by the way, she is one of my most favorite voices, and I listened to her a lot during my labor with Ella).  The whole song is wonderful, but there is a line that says, “Love breaks your heart, to teach you to be strong. I die just a little, so I can live a little bit more.”

I think that sums things up for me.  March 30 marks the 5^th Anniversary of my Dad’s death.  My heart was broken.  But, I have learned that it CAN heal, and it can be strong.  I can die to things of this world and of myself, to truly live.  And I hope, for my girls’ sake, that I live a little bit more.

PS – that 3^rd fear about finances…yeah, faced that one too.  But the story is still being written.  Stay tuned. 

What do you want for Christmas?

There it is.  THAT is the moment when I decided things needed to change.  I actually knew I needed a change long before this picture was taken, but NOW I was ready.

So, this is me – correction, WAS me…two years ago.  Having feasted on a huge Thanksgiving meal, plus wine, plus desserts.  And although it was a happy day, and I was celebrating with my friends and family, deep down, I was a sad, miserable person.  I didn’t want to be like this anymore. 

A few days after Thanksgiving, the obligatory question came – “What do you want for Christmas??”  Well, if I was honest, I really didn’t want anything.  I didn’t want new “fat” clothes.  I knew the ones I wore were getting a bit snug, but I REFUSED to buy anything bigger than a size 20W. I mean, seriously, how had I gotten to this point?  (that’s another story).  I didn’t want jewelry or shoes or cooking appliances or just more “stuff”.  I had enough of that…it’s just more things to take care of.  

I made a decision.  I decided I wanted my health.  I wanted to be here for my kids as long as possible; I wanted to feel more energetic; I wanted to not have to take  daily steroid inhaler to be able to breathe; I wanted to run again.

So that was it.  I told Rob that for Christmas, I wanted to sign up for Boot Camp. I had heard a neighbor mention this “Triangle Adventure Boot Camp” in the area, so I decided to look it up and find out more.  One of the issues for me in getting back in shape was going to be when to fit it in.  This boot camp meets at 5:30 AM.  Perfect!!  I can sneak out and get my workout done before the girls are awake.  It’s a bit pricey, but I was convinced this would be THE thing to motivate me, so I had to make it work!  Perfect timing with Christmas…so I requested that this be the only thing I got that year.  From my in-laws, from Rob, etc.  This was going to be it!!  Beginning January 2011, I was going to lose weight, get healthy, and start running again. 

And then I had to take it one step further…

At a New Year’s party, just days before my journey began, I had to open my big mouth (aided by some drinks, I am sure.)  It’s one to think something, but saying it out loud makes you more accountable.  I was talking to one of my friends who I knew was a runner.  I told her right then, that I was going to run a half marathon for my 35^th birthday – 10 months away.  She looks at me – all 225 pounds of me -cautiously, and then says “okay, I will run it with you.”  CRAP!  Now, I have to do this thing.  I couldn’t even run a quarter mile, much less 13.1.

And so, that is how it began…January 3, 2011, I woke up at 4:45 AM and started this “boot camp” thing…there’s a lot more to the story, and there is not an end yet.  But I can tell you this…. Here I am, 2 years later – happy and healthy – having completed my 3^rd half marathon. 

The story continues.   I hope to fill in the missing pieces soon. There are certainly a lot of ups and downs, struggles and triumphs.  Mostly, it’s a story of perseverance and finding strength that is not my own.   It’s about losing yourself to find yourself, and seeing what you are really capable of when you let go and believe.

But for now, I will get up tomorrow morning at 4:45 AM, go to boot camp, and at some point, run a few miles.  Tomorrow I start training for my first FULL marathon.  Yup, 26.2 miles of crazy!  I am pumped!!

PS - and if you want to know how my 35th birthday turned out, and that friend that said she'd run with me, read previous post.  (yes, from a year ago!)

City of Oaks Half-Marathon

After a 3 year hiatus, I am back to blogging. I'll get back to the girls after a couple posts, but here is one about running my first half-marathon.

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I couldn’t believe the race was finally here...13.1 miles. I had been preparing for 10 months for this, and now the moment was upon me. I had some questions and doubts, but mostly, I was excited…butterflies in my stomach wanting to jump out and get this thing started. I have heard that when running your first half (or full) marathon, your goal should be finishing. Period. Not finishing in a certain time, just finishing. Well, anyone that knows me, knows that wasn’t going to be good enough. Of course I had to set a goal…I set out to finish this race in “under 2 ½ hours”.

The day before the race, I (finally) made my music mix. It contained most of the songs from my 5k mix, but of course I needed a lot more songs – 4 times as many! As it always had been, music would be crucial to my success in running the race. I then received a call from my friend, Candace. An experienced runner, Candace would not be running City of Oaks this year, but said she would be at the water station at mile 9, and would run with me for a while, if I wanted her to. Of course, I said yes, thinking that I would need some encouragement at that point. I agonize a little more about my attire for the race…more layers, less layers? shorts or capri length? If I wear the shorts, I’ll have an extra pocket… Do I take my phone along in my pocket? My inhaler?

November 6, 2011. I didn’t sleep well enough, but I was up by 5:15 AM, and on my way to arrive at Mary Jane’s at 6 AM. My friend Mary Jane and her mom were going to walk/ run the half marathon. Our friend Tricia met us early to follow behind us and start the race together. Tricia had just completed the Boston half marathon a few weeks earlier. As we drove toward downtown Raleigh, 2 thoughts were on my mind – one, I wouldn’t run on-pace with either of these friends, but I fell somewhere in the middle. Second, I felt incredibly blessed by these friends (and my extended Lynn Rd. family) as I would have never known either of them if we had not transferred to Lynn Rd. Elementary. See, Tricia was the 1^st grade teacher for mine and Mary Jane’s oldests…I am so thankful to have them as friends, and supporters in this race. We arrive and park at Cameron Village. We walk the short distance to the starting line at the NC State Bell Tower. Along the way, we make the necessary stop at the long line of port-a-johns. It is interesting to note the range of attire amongst the runners, and I am willing to bet that I was not the only one agonizing the night before. Everything from long pants and fleece jackets to shorts and tanks tops was seen, as well as a few that added some embellishments, such as pink tutus and a couple in matching “Where’s Waldo?” hats and shirts. As we approach the starting line, Tricia and I say our “good-byes” and “good lucks!” to Mary Jane and her mom. They head toward the back of the crowd, and I stay near the front with Tricia. I know I won’t be able to keep up with her but I figure that it will be nice to start together.

A few minutes later, we’re off. GO! Within about 55 seconds, Tricia fades into the crowds and I lose sight of her. I continue down Hillsborough St., and turn onto Ashe. I quickly realize that I have started too near the front, as runners whizz by me. But, I don’t care. My music energizes me, and I see friends, Ben and Kelty up ahead. They live 2 houses off Ashe, and have come out with their baby in a sling, to cheer on the runners. I spot Ben first, in his camo uniform, and then Kelty and Henry. I wave and keep going.

Candace had helped me with my training plan, and so I asked about the strategy for running the half…how often should I stop and walk (I obviously can’t run the entire 13 miles, right??) She says to walk through the water breaks. Okay. I can do that. Water breaks are about every 2 miles. So, I have gotten to about 1.5 miles, and I am burning up! I strip off my long sleeve layer and throw it on the side of the road (per my runner friends, this is what you do). I still feel hesitant, and since there is a cop watching nearby, I wait to chuck my shirt a little further down Western Blvd. First water break is right around the corner and I am feeling good.

I continue the run up a slight hill, through Boylan Heights and into downtown. It’s a beautiful day outside, and I feel alive. After completing a little over 3 miles, I notice the “2:15” pace group pass me. I was little surprised that I had been running faster than “2:15” up until this point, but also encouraged about my goal of “2:30”. I was on track. Miles 4 and 5 passed by uneventfully. About mile marker 5, one of Rob’s co-workers, Karen, was volunteering and cheering runners on. It was encouraging to hear someone cheer me on by name. Now I faced the big hill, up Glenwood Ave. (well, it looked big at the time). Good music kept me pumped up, and when I reached the top, and turned onto Peace, I realized the incline was not leveling off just yet. Almost as if on cue, “Eye of the Tiger” came on the iPod. I could do anything at this point. I kept going towards Cameron Village, knowing that I would see Rob and the girls, cheering me on, soon. As I approached, I kept searching and searching. Where were they? The 10k finish line was to the left, so maybe they’d be on the right. No, still not there. Okay, water break…I’ll walk through this and then find them. I just started running again when I saw them up on the right. Rob runs out beside me for a minute, takes some pictures, and runs back to the sidewalk. I turn back to look at the girls…they are blowing kisses and I blow some back. Yay! My family is there. I will see them at the finish line.

The next 2 miles are probably the hardest of the course. Still a bit hilly, and I am getting tired. I don’t know if I can make it to the next water station before a walking break. I decide to walk for about 30 seconds before starting again. Weird thing is that my hips hurt more on the restart. Maybe stopping and starting is not a good thing. Up ahead I see what I *think* is mile 9 water station. Yay! Candace will be there. I search and search, but I don’t see her. I keep running, and after I pass the table, I realize that not only was Candace not there, but I forgot to get water. Shoot! I am now heading down Hillsborough St., under the 440 beltline, with nothing ahead but boring terrain. I approach mile 9, feeling a bit defeated and hips starting to feel quite sore. I slow down to a slight jog, and then see 2 people literally BOUNDING across the median from the other side of the road, waving their arms. It’s Candace and another good friend, Christine. Hallelujah! Just the encouragement I needed. They quickly come along side me and start running. I told them I missed water the last time (which was mile 8.5) and Candace grabs some for me at the next station (mile 9.5). We run to the turn-around at the fairgrounds and start heading back down Hillsborough.

At this point, I have turned my iPod volume down a bit. Christine’s chatter is a good distraction from the hip pain and how much further I have to go. Mile 10. Okay, a 5k left – I can do this. Candace is paying attention to my breathing, encouraging me to take deeper breaths and telling me to breath slower every few breaths. We continue like this for a while, and I am a bit surprised they have stayed with me as long as they have. It dawns on me that, just like I support women in childbirth as a doula, they are my “running doulas” - providing encouragement, distraction, and supporting me to finish the race.

I see the sign for mile marker 13. So close. Christina Aguilera’s “Fighter” comes on the iPod (yes, a bit cheesy, but it was played in boot camp, and reminds me of how much I have pushed myself thus far). I turn up the iPod and start my sprint to the finish. Christine and Candace started slowing down, allowing me to go through the shoot at the finish on my own. As I approach, I am wildly searching for Rob, the girls, my mom. Where are they?? Aren’t they going to see me finish?? As I approach the shoot on the right side of the street for half-marathon runners, lots of bells and whistle start going off. What is going on?? At the same time I cross the finish line, the first full-marathon runner enters the shoot on the left. Wow, he’s twice as fast as me!! I quickly receive my medal, am adorned with a silver Mylar blanket (for warmth), and before I know it, Christine has her arms around me, tears streaming down her face. Her excitement and emotions make me start to grasp the moment and I tear up. I’ve done it!! I completed a half-marathon! And just ten months ago I could not even run! WOW!!! So, where is my family?

I still don’t spot Rob and the girls. I remember my phone in my pocket (one benefit of a “dumb” flip-phone – its small size), and call Rob. “Where are you? I’m done!” Rob, “What? You finished? We missed you?” Once we reunite, all is explained. They were right there at the bell tower. The girls were playing . According to my pace at the 10k mark, race predictions were that I would finish about “2:40”. So, Rob let the girls play and then they got over by the course about “2:30” to watch for me. I scolded Rob, “Don’t you know me? I SAID I was going to finish UNDER 2:30”. Official finishing time: 2:28:55.