Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Love Wins

Last Friday, as I sat in the waiting room of my doctor's office ready to have the ultrasound done that would tell me if this baby is going to be a boy and a girl, the Supreme Court of the United States of America announced its ruling to make same sex marriage legal in all fifty states. 

After shedding a few waiting room tears, I started to immediately compose this blog in my head, but then realized I had already written most of it almost exactly two years ago, when the Supreme Court made two earlier decisions regarding same sex marriage.  Please read it by clicking HERE. 

I still want to add just a little more to that previous blog to try to tell you just what it meant to me on Friday.

I don't know what our little girl (yes, it's a girl!) is going to be like.  I don't know if she will be short or tall, blonde or brunette.  I don't know if she'll be a picky eater like me or adventurous like her dad.  I don't know if she'll be shy or outgoing.  Will she be good at math like Paul or will she love words like me (hopefully, both)?  I don't even know if she will fall in love with and want to marry a man or a woman (assuming she even wants to get married). 

But, what I do know now is that, thanks to the Supreme Court of the United States, marrying the person she is in love with, no matter what, will be her right.  It will be one less fight she has to fight.  One less hard life lesson I have to teach her.  One less time I have to tell her, "I know baby, it is wrong and I'm sorry." 

A funny thing happens when you get pregnant.  You start to look around at the world you're going to bring your child into and you start asking, "Is this the kind of world I want my baby to be a part of?"  "Is this world good enough for her?"  Let me be honest, there are a lot of days, usually after watching the news, when I question the goodness of this world.  I worry that I'm going to have to spend a lot of time explaining to my little girl how it is that the bad guys seem to be winning so often.  And I already dread those conversations. 
 
So, thank you Supreme Court for giving me one more opportunity to tell her about how, even when it takes a while, sometimes love really does win.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Runner vs. Reality

Now that the pea's in the pod, the bun's in the oven, and the cat's out of the bag, let's talk about pregnancy and running. Or more like pregnancy and not running. Let's talk about the runner vs. reality.

Here's what the runner thinks when finding out she's pregnant:
1. Great.  I can't wait to run with baby!
2.  I've seen all of those other pregnant runners out there getting it done with their cute bellies in tow (or towing them), I know I can do it.
3.  Heck, now that I won't be drinking on Fridays, I can register for all kinds of races on the weekends.
4.  In fact, I should register for a marathon or half marathon.  Sure, my pace might be a little slower, but with all of this extra time on my hands (you know, from not going out drinking), I will have tons of time to train.
5.  Running pregnant will just be like running with light weights.  A little extra resistance training.
6.  I can't wait to buy new, cute, maternity running clothes!
7.  I'm going to look exactly like this:
 
And this:
 
 
Here's what reality is actually like for a pregnant runner:
1.  Forget running, I can't wait to eat with baby.  And eat, and eat, and sleep.
2.  Who in the hell are all of those pregnant runners out there?!!?  Are they machines?  Freaks of nature?  Women with fake bumps sent down to the trail just to torture me?!?!  WHO ARE THESE WOMEN AND WHY ARE THEY RUNNING SO WELL?!?!?!
3.  Now that I'm not drinking on Fridays, I might as well go to sleep.  After eating, of course.  And, please don't wake me up in the morning.  Unless it's to eat again.
4.  What extra time?  Between eating and sleeping, I literally have no time. 
5.  I feel like I'm carrying a 20 lb. bowling ball.  Ouch. Ouch.  Stop.
6.  Umm....the word "cute" does not apply to this body and any form of clothing. 
7.  More like this:
 
 And this:


Thursday, June 4, 2015

National Running Day...Surprise!

Yesterday was National Running Day. 
 
 
I hope you all got in a good run to celebrate and reflect on all of the reasons you run or want to run. I know I've gone into all of the reasons I celebrate National Running Day before (read them all here), but this year, I was running for a whole new reason....



This year, I ran for my baby. I also ran with my baby (surprise...baby on board!). 

I run because I believe staying mentally and physically strong is good for my baby. 

I run because I believe that I still have to take time from my day to do things I love and I'm passionate about. And I want my baby to know that it's okay to take care of yourself, even when others need taking care of too. 

I run because I want to be a good role model for my baby. I want this baby to know its mom is strong and determined and willing to do hard things. 

I run because one day my baby will look back and think, if my mom could run while she was carrying me, my mom can do anything, and if my mom can do anything, so can I. 

And....

I run because, oh my goodness, you wouldn't believe how much I eat now!

***If while reading this, you substitute the word "shuffle" for the word "run," you'll actually be reading a more accurate version of this post. 

And because so many people have asked, belly shot:


***Since we are talking about national days of celebration, I thought I would make you aware that tomorrow is National Donut Day.  I will definitely be celebrating National Donut Day, but I probably won't be posting belly pictures after.