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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Operation Reconnect

It's always neat for me to see how my daily life changes when I set my mind to MAKING the CHANGE.  There is so much power in putting our goals and intentions out there.  So much to say about taking control of our life and making it what we want it to be rather than wishing it was different.  Ever since I wrote my post the other day about turning my autopilot off and waking myself up so that I can be more intentional and present with myself and my kids, things have just felt fresh.  It's like I cleaned my self-windows.  A film of sorts has been cleared and I feel just a bit more alert and awake to the life around me.  


This mental freshening-up or "snap out of it" exercise feels good.  I've missed the quiet time with myself.  I've missed reflecting and starting my day with my journal and coffee instead of waking right up to chores, e-mail, to-do list, texts...all those things that can end up sweeping us up and taking us swiftly through our day only to be at the end of it and ready to start all over again. I'm thankful for the reminders and awareness to put on the breaks a bit and just soak the important stuff up. At the same time, I'm thankful that we do have the option of life autopilot where we don't always have to be actively seeking out some magical moment in life.  Ha!  Sometimes it is just nice to zone out and tell your kids to disappear to the backyard for awhile so you can check you e-mail and write a blog.  Right?!  


Balance.  Change up.  Seasons.  Not always being content with SAMENESS.  These are key for me.  


So, in my intent to reconnect just a bit with myself and my kids, I forced myself to leave the house yesterday.  Staying inside can just be too distracting sometimes if my computer is on and my phone is beeping and ringing.  Oh, and then the constant mess from living with kids....too easy to want to just start picking up and "getting things done" instead of spending time playing with my kids.  Before I know it, hours have gone by and I've gotten nowhere...just cleaning.  But there is always more mess.  


So we took off on a "nature walk" to the park.  And I left with one big intention:  UNPLUG.  


UNPLUG.


I tried to only use my phone for my camera and to ignore the chimes telling me about an e-mail or text.  This is harder than it sounds.  Talk about an exercise in self control and being present.  


It ended up being an hour and a half that definitely made an impression on my kids. 


They will remember it.  They will remember that Mom was present and excited about being WITH them and doing what they were doing instead of just being there while they play.  I was playing too.  


TOGETHER, We....


Stopped to see bees on flowers,

Watching the bees

Picked up all the interesting leaves, pine cones, flowers on weeds, small rocks 
Added to our Nature Collection for a collage.
Gave attention to the the things we usually rush past.


My daughter
taught us all about spit bugs and the different kinds of trees.  She shared with me the many facts she has learned from being so in love with nature.  

Spit Bugs...Thanks to my daughter for pointing this out.  

My son
rode his bike and carried our nature bag on the back as he picked up on our energy and got so excited about everything he saw. "Look at that! Woah, look Mommy!  Look at the tree and the bug and the...."  

Everything was a treasure on this Nature Walk

Then the park. 
Again, I played instead of my usual watching.  
I got on the swings and felt like a 9 year old again. Swinging so high that my stomach felt like it wasn't in the right place.
My daughter learned to finally swing on her own to where she was really gaining some speed.  
She even conquered the little rock wall and climbed in 3 times!  
My son found a broken toy helicopter that was discarded in the grass.  Left as junk. But it became treasure.  We fixed it the best we could and one happy little boy carried it home in his bike as if he had just bought a new toy at the store. 


When we got back, I was exhausted but just hearing my daughter's words made me so so glad that I gave that time to them.  And myself.  Without other distractions.  We walked up the driveway and she said:


"This was a good good day!  A good day!"  


Later on after lunch, having a day off of running gave me a little extra time to spend in the journals that I keep for my kids.  It was nice to WANT to and have the energy to write them each a little note...a snapshot in time.  I don't write in these journals as often as I used to but they are some of my greatest treasures to look back on as they grow up.  These are the second journals for each kid.  I started one for each of them when I was pregnant with them and it lasted several years (still have many pages to fill of the first one of my sons).  They even write in them on occasion and it is cool to see their writing skills develop over the years...from just a hand tracing, to scribbles, to their first wobbly letter, and eventually their names and thoughts.  These journals are a perfect place to write down those little things that kids say that you never want to forget but you somehow always do.  I have lots of quick short scribbles in these journals where I just write the date and the funny sentence one of them said.  For example, my son is big into saying the phrase "by the way" lately.  So last night at bedtime he shouted from his room to say good night.  After I said goodnight back he called out in his little voice: "Oh, by the way Mom....I love you."  Now, that went in his book.  

Taking time to write in their journals.  This isn't a daily thing but they fill up eventually and become a great treasure...for me and them.

Happy to be feeling more alert lately.  I'm so glad that we hold the power to make changes in our life when we see it going a direction we don't like.  I'm excited to keep climbing and see where life continues to take me...I think I'll enjoy it a heck of a lot more if I make a conscious effort to keep setting goals and trying to be a better me.  This has so much to do with keeping myself present, my self-windows clean, and staying connected with ME so I can stay connected with others.  

Amanda

These are the Days

Okay, I promise, no fake pooping or pretend cooking shows with weird voices today. But thanks for your comments and support on my last post.  It would really be an honor and joy to get the opportunity to run with the Nuun team for Hood to Coast 2012!  

Instead of shooting vlogs and odd videos to share, I'm just going to share a bit from my journal on this beautiful Friday morning.  Thankful for the time I had to drink my coffee and have journal time with my kiddos (they have their own journal but they also helped with mine today).  Love my Fridays this year! 

"  3/23/12....Slowing myself down just a bit on this Friday morning in March.  Knowing that these days are numbered.  My time at home with my two younger kids without anywhere to go and everywhere a POSSIBILITY is precious!  I love my Fridays with my sweet kids.  The promise of family movie night, pizza and ice cream, and a Saturday morning to wake up late is just one of the many things that keeps me smiling today.  And an easier day of Boston training today after an incredibly awesome peak week!  Reminders everywhere that LIFE is RICH...a gift to savor.  Even the toys scattered on the floor and the spilled cereal and milk on the table next to a pile of stinky clothes waiting to be washed are a reminder of this wonderful life to be lived.  THANKFUL!  A few highlights of gratitude today:

• Journal time with my sweet girl.
• Awesome week of training.  6x1ks were SOLID
• New possibilities with life, running, motherhood
• Family Night tonight
• Some very special running girlfriends (and non running girlfriends) that Encourage and LOVE me.  
• Healthy kids
• Reminders to be in the Present before I miss out.  So easy to get sucked into the "EVERYWHERE ELSE".  
• Opportunities to use my gifts
• Ever loving husband and love of my life.  
• Boston Marathon so close!  A bit sad about one of my dearest friends who won't be there due to injury.  She's provided so much love, strength and encouragement to me over the last couple years.  I love her dearly and I've finally just accepted that she will be with me in spirit and heart.  So much of my 26.2 in Boston will be run for and "with" her in my mind.  I love you Jenn."  (Still thinking of bringing you in blow up form just for kicks and good blog opportunities).  
• 22 miles with Nicole on Sunday!  Last really long run before Boston!  So nice to have a compatible running partner for these runs.  

Thanks for letting me share my life with you.  Thankful for you.  And great to meet some of you last night at the book reading for Train Like a Mother.  Always nice to put faces with names.  However, a little odd meeting people that seem to know everything about me (fake poops, skin stretching, motherhood stories, training, etc.) when I know very little about them.  Ha!  Felt a little naked last night.  

Happy Friday!  We are off to the Children's Museum to slurp up some sick germs.  Isn't that what ends up happening at places like that??!  Let's hope NOT! What makes your Friday special?  Any fun weekend plans?  

Amanda