What Makes....

A runner?  Bet you didn't see that one coming!  Earlier this year.  Before winter had fully ended here (OK... winter didn't really end until about June this year, but before that), I decided that I was going to start running.  I was not a runner by any means.  I never have been.  At best I would go for short power walks.  Even then, I preferred the nice, leisurely stroll over that.  But, I got it in my mind that I was going to start running.  Somehow.

I eagerly waited until we made a trip down to Minot, and picked out a pair of running shoes and a sensor for my shoe that would track my runs on my iPod.  I really wanted an adorable outfit to run in, because lets face it, I was going to look like I was dying so I may as well be dressed awesomely.  After looking at the awesome running clothes and seeing how much they cost (did you know a Nike tank top alone is almost $30?!) I decided that I should wait to see if I really could do this before investing a lot of money into running clothes.  I settled on a pair of cheap athletic pants and a t-shirt from Target.

And then of course I had to wait out winter.  In the middle of March we finally started to have some nicer weather.  And I was ready.  I set my alarm, and got up first thing to 'run'.  Run is a loosely used term in this case.  I walked for 5 minutes.  And then I tried to run.  1/2 a block.  I made it half a block.  I was gasping for air.  My legs felt like they would collapse under me.  But that was were this all began.  I finished that first 'run' by alternately running for a 1/2 block, and then walking for 2 (I'll be honest, it was possibly more).  20 minutes later I was back at our doorstep, exhausted.

Since then I have pushed myself probably harder than I ever have for anything.  The first day I ran for 10 minutes straight on "my loop" around town, I was so proud.  I had gone from running half a block, to a full 10 minutes.  In July, I successfully ran my first 5K.  I started running at the start line and didn't stop until the finish line (minus the brief pause at the water truck).  To that point, it was officially the furthest I had run without stopping.

I have developed a love of running.  Most mornings I'm eager to get out of bed, get my sneakers laced up and hear the thud of my feet against the pavement.  Some days, I just can't run far enough.  My legs just want to keep going, even though there is no road left to run in our tiny town.  I love that I can get lost in my thoughts.  Those moments when I'm on the road, that is the only thing I need to focus on.  The next stride, the next breath.  There aren't many moments like that in my day.

I still consider myself a beginner.  I'm not the fastest.  I still don't run very far most days.  I want to call myself a runner.  And yet, I don't really know. What makes a runner?  Do you have to do it for so long before calling yourself a runner?  Is it the fact of just doing it no matter how pathetic an attempt?  Or is it the love of doing it?  Regardless of what or when, I know that tomorrow morning will find me out on the road falling in love with it all over again.

crossing the finish of of my first 5K - July, 17 2010

33:08

What An Ordeal!

Ugh!  I decided it was time to revamp the blog again.  Update the background, especially considering my last one had disappeared somewhere.  What an ordeal!  Completely more time-consuming that I thought it was going to be.  Thankfully the boys are 'reading' right now, and perfectly happy and content.

We are all doing well in our little corner of the world!  The boys are developing and changing SO much every day.  They are both starting to say a lot more words.  Many of them very clearly.  Z's new favorite thing to say "Want T-B on."  Said, with a lot of determination, that if he says it sincerely enough, it will indeed happen.  "V" seems to be a letter neither of them can pronounce!

I am very proud of my little G-boy.  Over the past 2 weeks he has almost learned the entire alphabet.  He spends many, many minutes of his day bringing me the alphabet magnets from the fridge and telling me what the letter is.  He isn't 100% right all of the time, and there are a few letters that he can't quite get (V being one of them).  Z attempts to do the same... though his version of telling me the letter is repeating the same letter over and over while pointing at different letters.  He knows that eventually he'll get it right!  I did realize while reading an alphabet book with G the other day that our magnet set is missing "H", and he hasn't the SLIGHTLY clue what that letter is! 

We're still in the middle of buying the other house.  Its a long, slow, agonizing process.  It wouldn't be so horrible if I knew for sure that at the end of this we would actually have a house.  As it stands right now, the appraisal is set for September 21.  My understanding is that if the appraisal is good (needs to be high enough to cover the cost of some repairs in addition to the actual house) then our income will have to be reviewed to verify if we still qualify.  The last step isn't something we had planned on.  When we put the offer on the house, we assumed that it wouldn't be over 160 days before we were able to close.  But sadly, it will be.  And our income will need to be reviewed.  That is the main stress for me.  To get this far into the process, and this close... and then not have a home to call ours.  It doesn't help that I eagerly packed half of our household thinking we'd be moved by the beginning of August at the latest!  At this point I'm trusting that everything will go through, and we'll be moved by October 1.  I sure hope so.  Otherwise I'm going to have to start unpacking things before we even got to move!

Little Loves

Having children brings out emotions in me I never knew were possible.  Its a love beyond words.  Now, there are certianly moments that I question the wisdom of me having children.  But those moments pass quickly (most the time, hour long screaming tantrums over simple things like giving your child the wrong color cup do not feel 'quick').  And I'm left with this sense of wonder and awe.  These two little creatures are truly mine?!  Mine to love.  Mine forever.

kisses

Just For Laughs

Personally, I think this little boy has the cutest laugh ever!

Random Shots

Here are some clips of our life from the beginning of August through now.

I made a hat.  Which no one really wanted to wear... but I did get a few pictures!

I then recreated the hat.  Z liked it a little better.

Sleepy boys before bed.

Headed to the pool one sunny, hot afternoon

posing for Mommy

walking around the house in his new boots (more commonly known as freezer containers)

Mommy loves her babies blues

Once Again

Once again, my poor blog has been ignored.  Partially due to lack of inspiration to write.  Partially because the things I find inspiration about, I don't feel like the rest of the world would want to read.  I fear I have forgotten the original purpose of my blogging.  Writing has always been an outlet for me.  A way to express my innermost thoughts.  To get the last word of the day out.  Either way I look at it, I'm not doing it anymore.  And I miss it.  So here's to forgetting about who's reading this, and just writing whats on my mind.

Have no fears though.  Most of my world revolves around those little boys.  There will still be many, many updates about them I'm sure!  Including this one even.

August has been flying by for us.  I mean, here we are half way through the month.

A week ago, I had had enough of the boys' long straggly hair.  It was getting in their eyes.  And heaven help us if they decided to put their plates covered in syrup on their head.  M was working a double shift, but I just couldn't wait for a day when he'd be home and could help me cut their hair.  I put them in the booster seats, put the laptop in front of them with "The Gummy Bear Song" playing, and had at it.  Z was first.  And he did really good.  Only a little wiggling.  Once he was finished I gave him a lollipop for doing so awesome.  G saw Z's lollipop and insisted that even though it would get covered by hair, he didn't care and had to have it BEFORE I finished cutting his hair.

A pre-hair cut picture

And post-haircut

the pile of hair afterwards!  (Z's is the darker hair, G the slightly lighter)

And since they did such a good job with the haircut AND the shower afterwards, I let them have supper in the playroom!