Random November

I don't have too many posts for November, but it still seems like a lot happened! From the CUBS WINNING THE WORLD SERIES 🙌⚾🐻 to a zoo trip to voting in the craziest election ever to playdates and new hair and lunch visits with my big boy, it was a fun month. Culminating with my trip to Seattle (already talked about 😉). I love my family and all the memories we are creating and grateful for keeping up with this blog to document it all.

 

Seattle Marathon, baby!

Another marathon and state in the books! State #18 and marathon #24 completed last Sunday! Christian is a gem of a husband and sent me off solo to Seattle on Thanksgiving weekend, no less, to complete a new state. I'm so blessed to have such a supportive husband! I was able to stay at the race headquarters (never done that before!) relax of my own, meet up with my friend Noelle and her family for dinner the night before the race, and then run the race with Noelle! I've also never run a marathon with someone else for the entirety of the race, and it was a really fun experience. Noelle was 2 weeks off of marathon #2, and ended up running only 1 minute behind her Las Vegas time (🙌👊) because she is ah-mazing! I've always wondered what it might be like to pace a marathon, and this gave me a good idea of what it might be like and I'm excited about the possibility of that being part of my future racing plans.

I was supposed to meet up with my west coast college roomie, but unfortunately her family all came down with crazy kinds of sickness and she was unable to get away. It was a bummer for sure, but I enjoyed my time in Seattle nonetheless and came back refreshed and homesick for my babies (all 4 of them 😉). Next up? Arizona in January!!

 

  

 

 

  

 

Date Your Spouse

Life is crazy, right?! When in the throes of young kid parenting (or middle or old - how do I know?😜) it's hard! You love your kids, and you love your spouse, but you also love your "me" time and sometimes that comes at the expense of quality time with your spouse. Why? Because the kids are so needy and dependent on you, that when it's time for them to sleep at night, you want to veg too. And while you love your spouse, sometimes it's hard to give them the attention and love they so deeply deserve and need because you're spent. You're drained and you feel you have nothing left to give.

All this to say, I truly believe there is an importance and value to dating your spouse. Making sure they feel valued and honored and a priority in the midst of crazy kid-dom. So that is when I decided to make a special dinner for Christian, complete with menu and dressing up and diffuser "candle" light 😂 as a surprise for him. And boy was he ever surprised! The kids got in to it and wanted to help, down to Reid putting on an apron and meeting Christian at the door when he got home and saying "Daddy, your bride is waiting for you." He then proceeded to go to bed and Christian and I had a very nice date night at home. Nothing intensely fancy, but special and intentional to show Christian I love him and care for him and appreciate all that he does for us to be able to live in our house and me stay home with my kiddos.

Aaaannnddd unbeknownst to me, he had just a few days earlier, mailed a card to me from his business trip in Napa Valley, CA to let me know how much he appreciates me and how hard I work to raise our kids while he works to provide for us. What a cycle of life, huh? And how amazing I felt opening up that letter in the mail, as I saw the return address and thought, "Huh, I don't know anyone in San Fransisco."

Bottom line: Date your spouse! Make them feel special and valued and important and appreciated. Don't take them for granted, even in the midst of child rearing the precious little ones you are blessed to raise and take care of. Because what better example for them but to see two parents

Run the Race

Just your typical Tuesday...getting inked for the first time. This tattoo has been in the works for awhile now, and I can't believe the day has actually come and gone and I have my first tattoo! I have been thinking about this for a few months, and then literally "ran into" a girl in Utah while I was out for the Young Living convention last June who wanted the same type of tattoo which motivated me even more. A few months go by and then my friend Noelle gets her first tat (along with this girl Ashley I met in Utah within days of Noelle) and the motivation became real! Christian and I sat down one Sunday afternoon and designed what I wanted. Originally I was planning for it to be on my foot (appropriate, yes, for the symbolism) but three days before my appointment I looked up the pain of foot tattoos and read. Mistake...or not! I ended up making a pro/con list for my foot and forearm, and the arm won out. And let's just say, I'm in love. I am so happy with how it came out, with the design that Christian created, and the tattoo artist who basically copied it exactly as we wanted. He had one modification (which is great!) and said he had to add something to Christian's creation, hahaha. The artists at the shop were very impressed with Christian's work and I told him I think he has another career waiting for him on the side ;). My artist was also impressed with the size and location of my choice since it was my first...ha, I told him go big or go home, right?!

So, for the meaning behind my tattoo: the five dots at the beginning of the "r" are for my family. The abstract runner girl at the end, obviously ;) And the "run the race" from Hebrews 12:1 is so symbolic of my life, both in marathoning and everyday activity. We are only given one life and I want to live a life pleasing to Jesus, running the race He has given me with endurance. My kids know the meaning, Reid in particular has grown quite attached to it, and Gemma has asked Christian to draw a tattoo on her arm (as they saw him practicing on me before the appointment to make sure I would like it). I am looking forward to having the visual reminder on my arm, for the rest of my life, and also to let it be one more piece in my story and witness for Christ. Without further ado, here are the pictures of this very big deal in my life!