Hodge Podge: Writing, Boston Training, Literacy Education, Polar Express

I miss writing.  I miss it.  Writing in my journal. Writing blog posts. Writing letters.  Writing goals and gratitude.  Just writing.  For me.  I'm not sure exactly why I hardly ever write these days.  I think it's because of a lot of things.  Time is one of these reasons.  I mean, looking at my parenting life now compared to a couple of years ago?  Holy Moly!  I'm not sure how I wrote so much two years ago...blogs, articles, journals, daily e-mails, blog commenting, etc.  I was on fire!  Now it's like my pants are on fire.  It's go go go.  Drive kids here and there, finding order in my day, rising to meet the demands that come with meeting the needs of my three very different kids as they grow, still adjusting to a somewhat new community, fitting in marathon base building, and just living life where it is right now.  I think as my kids get older, my alone time seems to get a little less in different ways.  I suppose I could get up earlier so the first hour of my day is all mine.  Or I could create some designated "quiet" time in lieu of that once sacred nap time that came when my kids were younger...but that hasn't seemed to work lately.  Anyway, I guess life really is about making it what we want so I'm determined to find a way to WRITE more.  Maybe not on this blog for all five to 10 of you left but for for ME.  Letters to myself, lists of gratitude, intentions, reflections, observations, conversations with ME.  Writing is such a huge part in making my inner light shine.  It calms me.  Guides me.  Really, when I write for myself (forget any other reason than just to be part of the process), it's like I'm wrapping myself up in one big hug and giving myself a beautiful guide for my day, my week, my life.  Something about getting the words down on paper or screen that clears my head and fills my heart.  Even if what I'm writing is just a simple list of things I noticed on a particular day or a goal I've been chewing on or a letter to someone that I never send.  Such a gift it is to be able to write for ourselves...to have a voice with our words.  To put ourselves out there to an audience of none or many where we are intentional about our life.  So, here's to writing more.

Some current random life bullets:

• I've realized that one of the reasons I have stopped writing on my blog, sharing my life, and reaching out to others in my community here in Asheville is because I've been hesitant (not all intentional) to put down roots.  I mean, Change is darn hard!  Darn hard.  Even if it is a change we wanted.  Putting down roots, making new friends, and connecting with my community fully? Well, something in me has resisted this because of the fact that we are leaving to move back to Oregon in July.  Why get too close and share too much only to have dig my roots up and move again?  Well, Hello Amanda!!  Because that's what it means to truly LIVE fully!  Snap out of it!  Holding yourself back and living half heartedly just out of self protection and saving yourself the difficulty that comes with change and moving again?  This is no way to live!  Not at all.  So, DIG IN!  Share yourself.  Connect.  Be passionate.  Purposeful.  Let others in!  Yes!  Ok, see, it's these kinds of conversations I have with myself when I write.  
• I've been so fortunate to get involved with the local Literacy Council here and be a part of something I'm deeply passionate about...teaching reading and writing and connecting with others through LEARNING.  I get to spend one day a week tutoring and helping someone improve in reading and writing.  Such a rewarding experience and one that is probably helping me more than it is to the person I'm teaching.  It's been a reminder to me of the deep JOY I have for Literacy Instruction and really, for connecting with others through teaching and learning.  It's nice to have a small flame lit here.  Keeps me going in the other areas of my life.  My spirit feels so alive when I'm teaching and involved in education.  Not certain how I will ever return to the field but I know that's where one of my true callings is. 
• I'm taking 20 minutes to write here as my daughters take bubble baths in the hotel bath tub with their new Bath and Body Works body wash (oh boy, this place smells like girl!!).  We are away on a JUST GIRLS weekend getaway where they think they died and went to heaven.  Ha! My husband is home with our little guy doing the same thing.  While the boys have had a weekend of pizza, wrestling, night hikes with flashlights, Ninja Turtles, movies, and falling asleep next to each other, we've had a weekend of shopping (I hate shopping but gosh, these girls are LOVING it!), 3D movies, trips to the candy store, getting ice cream, shows, hotel bed jumping, swimming, and now some ice skating.  We are surely creating some magical memories here.  That makes my whole self smile.  
• Tonight when we get back, the kids are all in store for a VERY big surprise.  We will be surprising them all with Gold tickets (that I made) and new pajamas and robes and then driving off to ride the Polar Express in the Great Smoky Mountains.  They are going to be so excited.  And we are so excited to take them.  Hot Chocolate, reading from the Polar Express, singing, visit with Santa, and a bell from Santa's reindeer to put on our tree. I'm pretty certain that this weekend will go down in their memories as one of the best they've ever had.  Success.   

Boston Training

Still in base building phase for Boston.  I am fortunate enough to have my good friend coaching me/writing my training plans again.  We work quite well together.  He's been very insistent on keeping  most of my daily runs EASY and at first we argued about that but now I'm happily running the paces he wants and enjoying it!  I'm reminded again and again of just how powerful running is in making my life beautiful...when I'm out there running and pushing myself, I am gaining so much energy and fuel for the rest of my life.  Running truly does play a part in helping us become the best versions of US.  I've started seeing Dr. Myers at Myers Chiropractic and Functional Health for Active Release Therapy (ART).  Wow, this is good stuff.  You can read more about it on his website if you don't know what it is.  So many of you highly recommended it.  Such good physical therapy for this body of mine.  I'm not entirely sure what my goals are for Boston but right now I'm just enjoying having someone else give me my workouts and saving the thinking/time goals, etc.  for later when training gets more serious.  My main goal is to keep the JOY in my running and enjoy what running brings to my life.  Race times truly and honestly are not a huge thing for me at this point.  I'm happy to see my paces pick up, yes, but the time on the clock isn't as important to me as it used to be.  It's how I feel and what's going on in my mind that matters most.  I won't post training regularly on  here but I will sometimes.  I'm enjoying have most of my training private.  This works for me.  But this week:

12/8:  Easy 8 @ 8:14 avg

12/9:   Easy 5

12/10: 12 miles @ 7:48 avg: 8:28; 8:14; 8:15; 7:45; 7:42; 7:31; 7:44; 7:37; 7:33; 7:32; 7:37; 7:31 This workout wasn't so much hard physically but my mind was really crappy!  The wind in my face, moodiness, etc.  I just felt blah! 

12/11: Easy 6 miles

12/12: Easy 9 @ 8:17

12/13: 12 @ 8:00 avg: last three 7:31; 7:21; 7:31 feeling strong and solid!  Yes, progress!  

12/14: 9 easy

And off for some ice skating on this beautiful blue skies and sunshiney day!  Actually, I'm pretty sure what we will be doing on the ice won't be ice skating but we'll have fun hobbling around and pretending to skate.

Amanda 

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