Mother's Day 2021

SO......Mother's Day came.......and it went.......

The last month has been a whirlwind of life and doing.  Finishing school was really big for us.  This year has been a lot.  

But I am so very proud of these girls. I am deeply and acutely aware of how fast they are growing up.  Its really hitting home.  Lily especially is simply becoming an amazing woman.  She loves Jesus, she loves people, and she has a sensitive and beautiful spirit. Lily feels all the feels just like her Momma, and at the end of the day she just really wants everyone to get along! She is blossoming into this bosom and kindred spirit, and I look forward to the days spent just talking with her.  Her heart is so big.

My little Bee is spicy and fiery with a heart that is so big its overwhelming. This kid is magic, pure and simple.  She is tenacious, bold, daring, challenging, fun, and completely life changing.  She's given me  so much hope for the future.  She is power and change and purpose all mixed into a little 50 pound frame.  Bee loves, and fights with her whole everything.  Tell her no and she will ask why. She wants to understand, no, she needs to.  Its so good.

Good luck world.  She's coming.

I'm just really proud.  Sometimes I doubt that what we are doing as parents is working.  Only time will tell.  But one thing I know without doubt is that mothering is one of the most incredible adventures.

Lily and Evie,

Time is a sneaky thief.  The two of you are becoming so independent and are moving forward in your life with such purpose.  I am in awe of you.  This mother's day I just want to remind you of a few really important things.

Jesus.....He is everything.  Keep trusting, keep hiding His word in your heart, and keep loving like He does.

This world (mean girls and boys) will always try to tear you down and make you confused about who you are. Be kind, but don't do them....you do you!  Because YOU are awesome.

Surround yourself with the right people girls, pick the right boys to give your affection to, be wise about who you give your heart to.  Your heart is a treasure, guard it and place it wisely.

Your Daddy and I are always on your team.....always.  I can't tell you this enough.  There is nothing you can say, or do, or be that will ever get us off your team. No doubt your choices may have consequences that we can't save you from, but we will always help you navigate them. We got your back!

I love you both and am grateful to have the gift of mothering you.  Go.....and DO.....and be BOLD about it!

Mom

Bob,  

How is it that our girls are growing so beautifully and boldy?  Those little wee bundles that we held are inquisitive, big, beautiful, and smart young women.  They are starting to fly honey, and I am aware this year of how empty our nest will one day be.  I am also so aware of how amazing you are and how excited I am to live this whole life with you.  I am not ready for our girls to leave now, but I am not afraid of it one day because you are by my side. 

Thank you for helping make me a mother (it was fun :), thank you for doing this thing called parenting, with me, and above all thank you for continuing to choose a life lived in love with me.

To all our years together.  

B

R2R2R: The Aftermath and Final Thoughts

Two and a half weeks later and I am just now gonna finish this thing!  Recovery is no joke.  

The aftermath of R2R2R was generally minor all things considered.  Neither Bob nor I did any major damage, but we had some pains.  I ended up with massive blisters on both my toes.  The one on my right foot ended up under the nail bed and hurt like the dickons until I pulled the toenail off last week (so fun!).  My arches still hurt and I still have had no desire to run.  

Because of compensation due to the blisters I gave myself a massive shin splint on my left shin.  I most likely popped a vessel too because the brusing went from 1 inch to my complete shin in 24 hours.  That's what happens when there is not follow through your foot!

The most noticeable thing about the recovery process is just how tired I am.  Even 2 weeks after the event the fatigue is no joke.  Turns out 50 miles is a long way.......and doubly tough in the Grand Canyon.

Bob has been tired too, and his poor ankle still remains limiting to him, but all in all he did amazing.  The best part was when we washed all of our GC clothes and realized how much dirt we had accumulated down there.  I mean....layers.

Here are my finishing thoughts on this experience:

1.  That was hard.  AMAZING and incredible and SO WORTH DOING, but it was hard.

2. Next time (yes I said it), less running long distances and more stairs, much more stairs, like all the stairs and 500 squats a day.

3. There is no experience like the Grand Canyon.

4. Bring more food.

5. You can do hard things.

6. You can ALWAYS move forward.  It may not be fast but its forward and that counts.

7. Practice hurdles more.

8. Bob and I are REALLY good together.

9. Your bucket list doesn't get done unless you do the stuff on it.

10. Life is really short, and there are so many things to see. Its time to start seeing them.

This experience was one I truly wasn't sure would ever happen.  As someone who does not want to be an ultramarathoner, I knew that it would be a special thing to do this.  I am deeply grateful for Bridgit who suggested it and convinced me that I could do this thing that was so very big.

That kind of experience changes you and moves you.  I still want to sit with it.  I am not ready for the next big anything, and am content to wake up every morning, drink my coffee and feel the success of the adventure.  Perhaps that's growth.

Here's to checking things off the list!  Now lets go to Scotland!

R2R2R: Phantom Ranch to Bright Angel

At Phantom Ranch, we were both feeling everything and the hardwork was setting in really quickly!  We both knew that we only had 10 more miles to go, but after doing this thing for ALL DAY LONG, 10 miles was a really long way.  Not even considering the fact that they were all straight up miles out of the canyon.  It was time to dig deep.

This bridge will always be a special place for me.  I love it so much.  Going across it is an experience in itself with the water rushing underneath you and the bridge moving suspended in the wind.  It was such a victory to get back to this bridge and I slowly walked back across it enjoying every step. 

There was no running at my current speed, but I had settled into a very consistent forward motion and felt strong again both in body and in mind.  It was going to be a hard pull to crawl out of the canyon but I was confident that we could do it.

As we started back up Devils Corkscrew, the sun began to fully set and we enjoyed the last few lingering minutes of the canyon views.

Towards the top of Devils Corkscrew Bob started complaining of being overly hot, nauseous, and fatigued.  It really wasn't hot, and I had about a 20 minute period of time where I was doing a bit of worrying over him.

We got to the top of the DC and sat him down.  I sprayed him with water and we took a few minutes to cool him down and evaluate if we were gonna have trouble.

He started feeling better and we continued up to Indian Garden where we found a river for him to darn near lay in and that was the ticket.  When you push your body as hard as we did you honestly don't have any real idea how its going to act.  You just solve problems and keep moving forward.....relentlessly.

As the darkness settled back in, the miles got very long.  The elevation coupled with darkness and deeply fatigued bodies made the going very slow.  When you are used to running 1 mile in under 10 minutes it hard to wrap your mind around a 30 minute mile.  And honestly....that was us cruising!

At the Indian Garden rest stop we had 4.6 miles of straight up left. Thankfully there were 3 clear rest areas to aim for so we were able to break it up into 1.5 mile segments.  Quite honestly.....that was all we could handle.  We counted spiders and frogs, I thought about anything and everything.  I dreamed of eating soup and reaching the top.  

We had made it to 3 mile rest house.

A 5k......thats it.  A 5k of stairs.  We can do this.  More thinking, more dreaming, more wondering how people do this all the time, more prayer, more telling each other "Good Job honey, we got this."

We made it to 1.5 mile rest house.  

Bob and I really make a good couple because we crash at different times and seem to be strong when the other is weak.  Its amazing.  I had crashed hard at mile 35, but was honestly feeling deeply strong and capable during the climb.  Bob was hurting, he was tired, he had crashed.....and hard.  So we stopped and rested.  I think this picture captures all of the feels in the moment.  So close to the top, to finishing the thing, and yet 1.5 more miles......50 more minutes. The canyon just wouldn't quit.  As Bob said so eloquently "You can't beat the Grand Canyon.  If anything on a good day, you can cheat it."  This place was humbling.  It does not care how many races you have done or medals you have.  It demands respect and everything you got.

Finally we came up through the two tunnels and the lights at the top of the rim were within our grasp.  We were there.  

We came around our final switchback, and there it was, the top, the finish line.  We had done it, we had both finished, the day was ours!

And I got to eat my soup.