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.

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:

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.

Was it something I said? Did?

Okay, obviously I did not get the memo this weekend that all of us runners were skipping the gym. 

It was just me and the headband guy up there sweating it out.  Was it something I said? Was it something I did?  I swear my clothes were clean and I applied deodorant. Why was I so alone??  I know I haven't been running as much as I normally do, but seriously, where did everyone go?  Was I missing out on some super fun outdoor run/race?  Was it national no-run day and no one told me?  I was so lonely this weekend. 

Feeling The Love

Usually, if I'm lucky, I come across one, maybe two, good signs along the trail in a week. Then, I save them up and every few months I like to share all of the signs I've seen with you. 

But, every now and then, you go on a run that was just meant to inspire. Last week, I was fortunate enough to go on one of those runs. And it left me feeling the love, for sure. 

 

 

 

The long run lesson: We are surrounded by love.  The world loves you and wants you to know it. Be open to receive it. 

Wipeout

Anybody ever seen this show?

 

Crazy obstacles, silly falls, wild announcers.  Sound familiar?  Well, last weekend we set off with a group of my coworkers to run the Wipeout Run based on the TV show.  Here is a quick summary of my thoughts on the run.

Course:

It was a 3 mile course with obstacles throughout.  There were long stretches (almost a mile) in between some of the obstacles.  Which, would normally be just fine, but it was 85 degrees out and this was set up in a giant parking lot, which made the run parts HOT.  I won't really complain though, because most of the obstacles involved getting wet, so the heat was only bad for the first long stretch of running.

Obstacles:

Now this was the fun stuff!!  We laughed and laughed during all of the obstacles.

 

By the way, the big balls obstacle was way harder than you'd guess. Jumping from bouncy ball to bouncy ball seems easy... It is not. But it is hilarious. 

One note about the obstacles though:  they get DIRTY.  By the time our heat went, the water was filthy and cringe-worthy. Next year, I will sign up for the first, early morning wave...before the water gets black with everyone else's....ugh. 

 

Feeling Good!

 

Great group!  Great fun!

34

Apparently, when you turn 34 your memory begins to slip.

Can anyone spot the key running gear I forgot to pack on my 34th birthday?

So, instead of logging my birthday miles, I decided to take a few minutes here and celebrat3 what birthdays are really about (and I don't mean all of the new gift cards for running clothes). Birthdays are a time for gratitude and this year, I have tons to be grateful for. So, here is a list of 34 for 34:

1.  33 - what a good year it was. Full of growth and knowledge and a little relaxing. 

2. 34 - I'm grateful just to get this year. I embrace what will come with it and I look forward to continued learning, growth, and (more!) relaxation. 

3.  My healthy body - capable of logging birthday miles.... Just not today. 

4.  Coworkers - if you have to work on your birthday, these people will make it amazing by throwing for you complete with bagels, iced sugar cookies, and mimosas. 

5. Bagels - oh bagels. You are my favorite pre-run and post-run fuel. I don't care that you get a bad rep. You are the best and I love you. 

6.  Iced sugar cookies - I'm a firm believer that birthday calories don't count, which is why I am especially grateful for you today. 

7.  Mimosas - You + me +Saturdays (okay, and Sundays) = perfection. Especially combined with a nice no. 5. 

8.  Text - Text, you were great to me today. Every time you vibrated my phone, you brought me nothing but kind messages from friends and family filled with joy and love. 

9.  Friends and Family - Duh. I am grateful for my amazing friends and wonderful family each and every single day. I know that I am blessed beyond belief to have such amazing people in my life. I am especially grateful this year because my family from out of state, whom I love very much is coming to visit this week. 

10.  Airplanes, cars, roads, all means of travel - It's been a year and a half since I have seen my brother. I am grateful for all of the modern conveniences that make travel from California to Texas possible. 

11.  Facebook - I know plenty of people look down on facebook and social media in general, but those people have clearly never celebrated a birthday on facebook. Thank you to all of my sweet, sometimes long lost friends, who took the time to wish me happy birthday today. 

12. Those gift cards for running clothes - Nike, you and I have a shopping date coming up here really soon. 

13.  My husband - After I told him that for

my birthday what I really wanted to do was go hiking (an odd request from someone who lives in one of the flattest cities in America), he took me for a weekend away and hiking Enchanted Rock.

14.  Mother Nature - You are just awesome. 

15.  The video my soul sister, Courtney, sent of her son singing me happy birthday -  His giggles in the middle still have me laughing.

16.  Travel - I started the early phases of trip planning yesterday and I'm already so exciting.  Nothing helps time fly like knowing you have a good trip in the works.

17.  Pinterest - Where I find my daily motivational quotes for my cork board. 

18.  Running-themed parties - After the party, they set up a streamer finish line for me to run through. Only time ever that I will be first across a finish line. 

19.  This blog - I am grateful to have a place to explore my feelings, creativity, and even my doubts.

20.  Readers of this blog - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

21. (Staying with the blog theme) The Blogger App - For allowing me to write all of this from the elliptical machine, my couch, or the car.  Not that I blog and drive.  I meant, for allowing me to write this blog from the passenger's seat while someone else drives.

22.  This is harder than it looks.

23.  Flash sale sites - Because every now and then a girl needs to buy herself her own birthday present.

24.  Fresh Diet meal delivery - It has been so wonderful for the last two weeks to never have to think about groceries or cooking.

 

25.  The end of Fresh Diet meal delivery - You can only eat pre-packaged meals so many times before you're over it.  I still don't look forward to the grocery store or cooking, but I'm a little sick of the delivery stuff.

 

25.  My husband (again) - After I decided I was too tired to go out to eat, he went and picked up Mexican food (specifically, queso) for me to eat on the couch.

 

26.  Queso - Everyone from Texas should understand this.

 

27.  My couch - I'm going to replace you very soon, but I am grateful for all of the lazy nights you let me put my feet up and relax while eating queso.  Okay, so the last part has only happened once in all these years, but I am grateful for it anyway.

 

28.  My hair - Okay that's not really mine.  I asked my coworkers (see item 4) for help with this list (I'm stalling out) and they are wonderfully sweet and said I should be grateful for my hair.  Which, I am.  Most days. 

 

29.  My husband (yup - he's pretty awesome) - For, spur-of-the-moment, taking me out to lunch for my birthday.  I rarely leave my desk for lunch and more rarely see my husband during work hours.

 

30.  Houston Running Calendar - It is so nice to be able to find a list of all (err..most) of the upcoming races in my area.  No need to wait for emails or scour a million different places.  It's all right there.  Time to pick my next run.

 

31.  24 Hr. Gyms - So that I can make up those birthday miles first thing in the morning.

 

32.  Birthday Cake - I didn't get any of you this year, but I haven't given up.  You give me reason to turn birth-DAY into birth-WEEK.  Bring on the cake!

 

33.  Netflix - It was great to sit on my couch eating queso and watching episodes of Orange is the New Black back-to-back.  Yes, I know I'm way behind.  No spoilers please!

 

34.  I am grateful this list is over!  I may have oversold myself on coming up with 34 things to be thankful for on my 34th birthday.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE me some gratitude.  Gratitude is everything.  But, whew, I'm glad this list is done.  I bet you are too.