pretty flowers and waffles and a perfectly ordinary evening...

I've been realizing lately that it's been way too long since I've pulled out my camera and taken any pictures, which makes me so sad. So, as we were relaxing after our little four miler today and reveling in the fact that that was all we had to do tonight and Landon was cooking some waffles for dinner, I pulled out my camera to play a little.


Aren't these flowers from my sister in law beautiful? By the way Kenna, if you're reading this, HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY!!! I hope it was a wonderful one! (Or, what I should probably say is James, please pass on our birthday wishes to your sweet fiance!)

Opening Night...

...was a success! About 700-800 people showed up and they all seemed to enjoy themselves! And, we had a blast putting it on! Two shows down, three more to go! :)







(all photos courtesy of Pam Speights, Charles Foster, Lisa Cates and Randy Glover)

Marathon Training Week Twenty

Well, the really long runs are over now and we're officially into our taper weeks--our total miles this week was only 29, as compared to our 40 miles this last week, so this week definitely felt a lot easier.

We ran out 8 miles outside on Wednesday night since it was actually kinda cool, and it was a good run--I ran all 8 at or under my race pace, which was fun. My book on tape is really good, which always helps. :)

On Wednesday night though, Landon found out he was running a fever and has been sick all week, so the rest of the runs I was on my own. We figured it was way more important that he get well, since we have the marathon in 2 weeks and Joseph was this weekend and next.

He's pretty much feeling better now, and did an awesome job in the show despite being sick, and I'm just hoping I didn't catch whatever he had!!

On Saturday morning I got up and did my 12 miles, the last "long" run we have, since our Saturday run next week is only 8 miles. I forgot my Garmin, so I couldn't check my pace as I was running, but I was able to find my race pace and pretty much hold it the whole time without my Garmin to pace me, which was really exciting, since that's something I've struggled with during the training. I finished all 12 miles in about 2 hours and 10 minutes--so a little under an 11 minute per mile pace--which is slow, I know, but right on track for my marathon goal time. :)

I rewarded myself with a Smoothie King, then raced home to get ready for a little family reunion for Landon's family around lunchtime, then headed out to SugarLand to get ready for Joseph. Since we're about to have to run 26.2 miles in a few weeks, its comforting to know that we can now run 12 and feel fine--which was definitely not the case a few months ago when we had to run 12 miles for the first time.

I have moments where I'm a little nervous about the marathon, but overall I'm just ready for it to be here and to see how it goes and what we can do! We've trained as hard as we could and we've been at it since February, only missing maybe three or four runs on our training program since then, so I think we're as ready as we're going to be!

Fourteen days and counting!!

Imagining A New, Old Reality...and trying to figure things out (LAST POST UPDATED)

If you've just read the previous post (scroll down to read it if you haven't and want to), here is the update.

And so for the past few months, going to Uganda is what Landon and I have been praying about and pursing through out church's missions committee. And, from all we could tell, things were going well. Though it had never been in our plans for our life, we really felt as though Uganda is where we were being called to go and we've been planning out life around that for the last months, really thinking that it would work out.

And then, in the middle of Joseph rehearsal last Friday night, around 9pm, we received a phone call from one of the elders and member of the missions committee that changed all of our plans. Sending shorter term missionaries ended up not being the direction that they decided to go regarding the missionary efforts in Mbarrara, Uganda.

And in that moment, in the middle of Joseph rehearsal, our lives and our plans were changed once again.

All of the things that three months ago had been in our immediate plans, and that had then been pushed back to 2-3 years from now when we returned from Africa, were suddenly back in our near future. Careers, kids, buying a house, settling down. Things that I had been sad to push back a few years when we initially began seriously considering Africa, I'm now somewhat sad to be thinking about again because of what it means we're not doing anymore.

When we first heard the elders' decision, we took it in stride, trusting that it was the right thing. But now that we've had 4 days or so to process it, to realize that life plans have changed once again, time has almost made it harder. It's sinking in how much we really wanted to go, and felt like it's where we were supposed to be. It's sinking in that this place halfway across the world that I have been praying about and researching and reading about and thinking and dreaming about and sending emails to, is a place that I will not even visit (much less live there), at least not in the near future, which is still somewhat unbelievable to me.

And we're kinda feeling at a loss as far as what the future should and will look like for us.

Because we really did feel like that was where God was calling us to go. And because all of the things that we were thinking and feeling before we were approached about Africa is still there. We still feel called to do something. I still feel like teaching may not be exactly where I need to be. None of that has changed.

We're still struggling to try and figure out what God's will is and what His plan and His purpose is for all that happened over the last few months and all He has laid on our hearts over the last year or so.

Are we still supposed to go to Africa, despite the fact that the elders said no? Does this mean we should try a different route? Or is the fact that they said no confirmation that we're not supposed to go? Was God really calling us to go? Or was He testing us to see if we would respond to the call? Was He using us in some other way that we can't see yet? Is there some reason we're supposed to be in the US and not Africa? What do we now do with all that we have been thinking and feeling and struggling with prior to pursuing time in Africa, now that it seems that we will not be heading there next summer?

More so than marathon training and working and rehearsing for our play and all of the other details that are consuming the minutes of our days, these are the things we're trying to figure out these days, as we try and figure out together what God's plan for our lives is and what life is now going to look like. Again.

Africa and Imagining Possibilities...

About 3 months ago I wote this blog post on a Sunday afternoon, but have not been able to publish it until just now, because our plans for the next few years have been undecided...

Almost a year ago to the day, on July 7th, I wrote THIS post. I remember I had just finished reading a book called Chanda's War, about the invisible children in Africa, who get stolen away during the night and turned into child soldiers. I remember Landon and I were getting ready to go somewhere and I had all these thoughts swarming around in my head that I just really needed to get down into writing, so it wouldn't be like they were never there. So, as Landon was finishing getting ready, I typed furiously and then his "publish" before I had a chance to rethink it. I remember I was nervous about posting it because it would mean that then someone could hold me to it, hold me accountable. It made what I was saying real.

And sure enough, as we were eating lunch with Landon's parents the following Sunday his dad told me about 2 ministry opportunities he could get me in contact with, and he did. And while the timing didn't work out for either Honduras or Haiti right then, the idea that I need to get out and do something and act on these things I'm struggling with has never left me---sometimes it's been in the forefront of my mind and sometimes it's been on the back burner, but it hasn't gone away by any means. I've taken some small steps this year, like making more of an effort to communicate with our sponsored children and volunteering at Impact this summer, but nothing huge. Life was kinda crazy and hectic and before I knew it, a whole year flew by.

Then, about a month ago, as we were driving in the car, Landon turned to me and asked me what I thought about starting a program where people in America can sponsor kids in Africa and send them to school. We could get schools here involved and universities and whoever we could think of. I thought it sounded awesome and it made me more excited than I had been about anything in a while.

A few days later he talked to Liz, a good friend of his who is also an attorney and very focused on humanitarian efforts, largely in Uganda, Africa. She talked with him about our idea and told him that it would be hard, but also told him about a Christian liberal arts University that Richland Hills Church of Christ is in the process of opening in Africa as part of their church-wide mission and we spent a good chunk of time reading up on that because I truly do love teaching and Landon has always talked, off and on, about teaching in a university.

Around this time, the coming Monday in fact, because of some money circumstances with his firm, Landon thought he was going to be let go, and was planning on taking some time, as he looked for another position, to pursue this, especially since we found out that the sister of one of our good friends works at that church and could possibly give us an in.

During all of this, I find myself praying more and reading my Bible more, and with more intensity, than I have in a long time, trying to seek out what His will is and hear His guidance. I remember telling my mom, as we had lunch together later that week, that I love my job and really feel as passionate about it, about teaching kids to read and write and break the cycle of poverty, as anything else I've done, but I keep having this nagging feeling that it's not exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. That's it's just a little off the mark. Funny how the two times I've felt that exact same thing so clearly have been during the summer, when I've had time to slow down and think and seek God. I need to make sure that happens all year long.

A couple of days later, Landon's parents come back from their 2 week mission trip with our church's seniors, and we get to hear all about it. I would love to go visit one day and see the people and places that they're talking about. From the first time I met Landon back when we were still teenagers, one of the things that most drew me to him, and made him stand apart from all the other guys I'd known, was his passion for Africa and the people and poverty there. For a few years now, we're been casually talking with people about how we need to plan a trip over there "one day".

Fast forward to yesterday. We were at 2nd service at church and the sermon was about being a true follower of Jesus and not just being a fan and how being a true follower meant that you actually did something. You put your faith into action; you picked up your cross. And he made the point that picking up a cross and carrying it on your back, no matter how you position it, will never, ever be comfortable. Carrying your cross will never be comfortable.

An hour of so after that, when Landon's dad's missions meeting was over and we were eating at the Black Walnut Cafe with his parents, Landon happened to mention that Blake and Morgan were coming in town for the weekend. His dad stopped eating and looked at us both for a second. Then, he said that he'd like to meet with all four of us at some point while they were in town. His mom laughed. Landon was a little confused. I was a lot confused. I told her that her laugh made me nervous. She laughed again. And finally it was made clear that Wes wanted to talk to us because they are needing a couple of couples to go over to Uganda because after this year they will only have one family over there and he's a medical missionary, not a church planting missionary. Not just for a little trip, like I thought he initially meant, but for a few years. I think the numbers he threw out there were 2 or 3. And I got the same butterflies in my stomach as I did when he told me his idea about sending kids in Africa to school. Landon was a little cautious and his parents didn't push anything. A year or two ago, if his dad would have brought this up, I probably would have just laughed and wished I could go, but not given it much more consideration than that. The fact that today when he said it, something in my heart leapt up and said yes, really made me stop and think. And really hope that when Landon and I talked, he would feel the same way, even though that thought kinda scared me as much as it excited me.

On the way home we talked. We talked about how it could be career suicide for Landon, but how God is bigger than that. We talked about how it wasn't in the plans, but that's not a good reason to pass up something that could be God's plans. We talked about how we both kinda feel like, for lack of a better word, sell outs, for the jobs we're working in, because they're not what we dreamed of doing. And for me, who dreamed of putting together a team and moving somewhere to plant a church, this possibility of Africa touches that part of me that dreamed of that in a way that almost made me tear up as I was talking to Landon about it. We talked for about an hour about it and came to the feeling that we were giving it some fairly serious consideration. Enough to call Blake and Morgan and see what they thought, because our going was pretty conditional on their going--Landon's dad even said he couldn't send one without the other.

That afternoon Landon took a nap and I tried to but just couldn't get my brain to shut down. I just kept thinking about Africa and what it would be like to actually go there for a year or two. To not live in this house anymore. In Houston anymore. In America anymore. I went through points that afternoon when I was ready to go tomorrow and points when I felt crazy and the thought of moving there scared the heck out of me. I never did manage to fall asleep.

So that night around 8pm, as we were hanging out with the dogs at the dog park, sitting on the bleachers by the track and enjoying the surprisingly cool night air, Landon called Blake and Morgan and, tentatively, they're in. And excited. I was a little nervous about that conversation, because I was so afraid they'd say no. But Blake is getting his Masters in Mission and Morgan did marry him, so it makes sense. And it's cool that they're the only couple that we've really traveled with and know we travel well with, considering that we could be potentially taking a huge trip with them in the near future. It's just a comforting thought and one more way it feels like God has been paving the way for this.

Landon and I are just in a position where it feels right. We've both had this thought nagging at us for a while that there's more to it than we're living right now. I don't even really know how to put it into words. I want to say restless, but that's not really it. It's not a negative thing. In all our prayers we're thanking God for how incredibly blessed we are. And we know how blessed we are. And we're not blessed just so we can sit and revel in our blessedness. We're blessed so we can turn around and give back. And right now we don't have kids--and if we're only over there a year or two, we can work out the kid situation just fine. We don't own a house. We're not even terribly settled anywhere in Houston. And we can ship our dogs over there with us. It just feels like there's no time but the present. And I'd hate to look back and know that I missed out on joining God in His work.

So, we're in the process of considering and praying and talking and dreaming and looking at the missionaries houses in Africa on Google Earth and talking about whether or not we'd sell our cars and how we'd ship our dogs and how we'd work out over there and how living in Africa is roughing it and how Landon wouldn't have his Palm Pre and what we'd bring with us and what we'd store and what we'd sell.

It's a strange future to imagine, and hard for me at times since I've never been there, but today, in the words of one of my favorite teacher friends, I feel like it's time to imagine the possibilities and act.

I think we're going. At this moment right now, I hope we are.

Welcome, Fall!

Today is officially the first day of fall, the fall solstice, where the night is exactly the same length as the day. I learned that today on the radio on the way to school, as I fought my way through a thunderstorm that brought with it some cooler, upper 60's, weather. Which to us here in Houston is almost cold. :) It was beautiful.

I love fall.

I love the feeling when the air starts to cool off, the humidity starts to dissipate and it's refreshing to walk outside.

I love that soon I will be able to wear sweaters and jackets and sweats around the house because soon it will really be cold.

I love the colors. I love the clothes. I love the sense of newness, of change.

I love that this time of year reminds me of my childhood, of my mom picking me up from school when it was cold, of playing outside with my brothers, of good times and simple times, though I'm not exactly sure why it reminds me of this. :)

I love that this time of year means the holidays are coming, which is my favorite time of year.

And, surprisingly, I love that this time of year means football season, because it brings with it lazy Sunday afternoons and time spent with my husband, hopefully watching the Texans win again (and again and again!).

In conclusion, I love fall. And I am anxiously waiting for the cooler weather to be here for good, and all the good that it brings with it!

Marathon Training Week Nineteen--MILE 20

We made it!! And, while things were a little rough immediately following the run, we were functioning enough to clean the house for our friends staying with us that night, go over to my parents to celebrate my mom's birthday and then hang out with some friends later last night at our house. So, that's fun because we're hoping to not to so dead after the marathon that we can't enjoy our "vacation" to Chicago, haha!

I am so glad Saturday's run is behind us, because I was anxious about it for the last couple of days. It started out fine and we were both cruising along around race pace. Then, it was started getting rough for both of us right around mile 17 or so, as we started getting hungry and thirsty and tired, but we both finished the run at a respectable time--neither of us were at our race pace for the whole time, but we weren't too far off. I think I was about 30 seconds off my race pace on average, and Landon was a little closer to his race pace time--it took me right around 3 hours and 51 minutes and took Landon a little over 3 hours. It was hard but not TOO much harder than our 16 and 18 mile runs, so that was encouraging. Somehow, running 3 hours and running 4 hours doesn't feel all that different...they all just start feeling really long. :) Here's to hoping that five hours won't feel too much longer...I can always dream, right? :)

The first half marathon or so today was fine and we were both at our race pace, or pretty darn close. So, we're hoping that on the day of the marathon, the pace groups, the cooler weather, the drink/food stations, the fans, the fact that it's the actual marathon, the fact that we'll ease up on miles some and get some rest over the next 3 weeks, the fact that we won't have play practice until 11:30pm the night before and the excitement of race day, will help us to keep our pace and stay with our pace groups the whole way.

It's still weird to me to think that we actually ran 20 miles; that's not something I ever imagined doing. And, thankfully, that's the longest mileage we'll have to run in our training program--we have 12 miles next Saturday, 8 the week after and then we leave for Chicago!!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Happy birthday to you,

happy birthday to you,

happy birthday dear Mom,

happy birthday to you!

We love you!!

Today

Today I'm feeling so proud of Landon. About 2 weeks ago he left his law firm to start his own practice and is doing awesome. He's been contemplating it for a few months and planned it out well. He was able to walk away with about 15-20 of his own clients and has been steadily getting more; he is still mostly working CPS cases, which I think is awesome, and has a few criminal ones on the side. And we think that the Speights Law Firm is going to be a really positive move. I thought it might be a little scary (and it probably is for him :)) but I have such a peace about it and such a trust in his ability that it's way more exciting than scary. And his life seems way more peaceful than when he was at the firm. It's amazing to me how much he has learned in the last 6 months and how good he is with his clients and how he knows what to do with them. If I needed an attorney, I'd totally hire him! :) Prayers are appreciated though, as we begin this new journey.

Today I'm thankful for a night of rest--a night to get caught up on school work, house work, sleep. A night to do a leisurely 5 miles through our neighborhood with Landon, talking and looking at houses and dreaming about the future.

Today I'm starting to realize that I've really got to run 26.2 miles in less than 26 days. All this training wasn't just for nothing. It's official now; we got our confirmation packets in the mail today and I'm starting to feel a little anxious. I know I can finish the marathon, but I really want to make my time goal and I'm anxious about that. I know it's going to be tough both mentally and physically and am praying for God to calm my spirit about it. At the same time though, I'm also excited about our trip to Chicago and finally being able to cross running a marathon off of my things to do before I die list. And I figure you can do anything for four or five hours, right? :)

Today I'm feeling a little overwhelmed and uncertain about the future. There's a lot up in the air and sometimes I'm ok with that and sometimes I just want to know what next year is going to look like. But I trust that God will reveal it all in His time.

Today I'm feeling glad that Landon and I decided to be in our church's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It really has been fun, we've gotten to know a lot of people and we've been busy this week inviting friends and co-workers, hoping that it can be a witness to them and bring them into our church building. Today I'm also glad that in 2 weeks it will be over and we can have a life again. :)

Today I'm feeling stressed about work. I'm loving it but I'm feeling overwhelmed with the kids that I have SO much to teach this year. I'm scared they'll walk out of my class and not be where they need to be because I feel so in over my head as I'm trying to figure out what in the heck to do with them, what the best way to teach them to read and to elevate their reading levels is. I'm sure it will be fine and we'll figure it out and they will succeed, because they want it as badly as I do, but right now it's a little overwhelming.

Today I'm feeling a little freaked out about our 20 miler on Saturday. I know it's only 2 miles longer than our last long run 2 weeks ago, but man, it just sounds so long. Our goal is to each run it at or close to our goal race pace. And then, after that, we begin our taper weeks. And that is both exciting and scary at the same time--it'll be nice because our mileage will begin to decrease so we can rest some before the marathon, but that's also when the real countdown begins!

Today I'm wishing my Mom a happy early birthday. I love her so much and pray that I can one day mother my kids with as much care and compassion and love and fun and wisdom as she did.

Today I'm thinking that it's about to be tomorrow and it's time for us to hit the sack, since we do have, you know, work in the morning.

Dinner and a movie (AKA marathon training week eighteen)

Today was wonderful.

We had planned on getting up and running our 14 miles early this morning, but didn't get home from play practice until about midnight last night. So, my wise husband suggested that we sleep in, wake up when we wake up, eat something and then go run this afternoon.

So we went to bed and didn't set an alarm, thinking for sure we'd wake up by 9am, maybe 10am at the latest. And then we proceeded to sleep until NOON. I guess we were a little tired.

And then, as we were making lunch, Landon remembered that the U of H game started at 2:30pm, which we wouldn't get to watch is we went running this afternoon, so we decided to have a lazy day at home and then run this evening.

And have a lazy day we did. We stayed in our pj's and in our room watching tv and hanging out with the dogs and making plans for our upcoming races and travels and I even got some lesson planning done for this week. We haven't had a day like this in longer than I can remember and it was much needed. I think we were both pretty exhausted.

Then, on our way to go run, we decided to stop by Landon's aunt's house to pick up some books on tape that she had offered to loan us and ended up staying and talking with her for 2 hours. Which meant we left her house around 930pm.

Well at that point, even if we started our run right at the minute, I wouldn't be finished until midnight, so I was ready to throw in the towel and head home. But we both knew that wasn't going to happen--we've come too far in our training program without skipping runs to skip a long run now. So instead, Landon told me he was taking me out for dinner and a movie--to which we both had a good laugh. We went to CVS for some dinner (gatorade, water and some bars to eat before we ran) and then we pulled out our phones (Landon surprised me with a Pre yesterday afternoon and I LOVE it!) and watched Bride Wars on them while we ran our fourteen miles on a treadmill at 24 Hour fitness, after Landon talked the girl at the front desk into letting us in!

So, dinner and a movie. And a fourteen mile run. That lasted from 10pm until 1230am. And which we both ran at about 10 seconds over race pace, which is pretty good for us. But it really didn't seem so bad because we had a movie to watch.

I love being married to a man who makes even that kind of night fun. I am one lucky girl.

The 11th

Exactly one month from today at this time Landon and I will be relaxing in Chicago, celebrating because we will have just finished our first marathon!

Labor Day Weekend, DFW Edition

Every year since we've been married, Landon and I have wound up in the DFW area for Labor Day, and this year was no exception. One of Landon's good friends from high school was getting married, so on Friday after work we made the trek up to stay with our good friends, Blake and Morgan for the weekend.

After out 18 miler on Saturday morning, we enjoyed a nice lunch with them and some of our other friends who had also came up for the wedding and then relaxed that afternoon at the house, which was wonderful. I finally got to read my magazines that came in the mail a few weeks ago that I hadn't had a chance to look at yet!

That evening we all piled into Morgan's 5 passenger car (the guys took turns sitting in the back hatch on the way up there and back so we could all ride together) and headed to north Dallas for the wedding, which was a blast.

Sunday we went to church with Blake and Morgan and Brendan and Erin and then out to lunch for some good mexican food before heading out to Landon's brother's house, where we spent the rest of the weekend with their family. We just hung around the house Sunday night, eating spaghetti, playing games and going out for Marble Slab (which I haven't had in forever--it was delicious!) and just catching up. It was nice.

Then, for Labor Day we headed out to Berger's Lake, a smallish lake that they converted into a waterpark type place--they brought in all sorts of water slides and diving boards and things of the sort and trucked in sand to make a part of the shore a sandy beach. It was actually a lot of fun--and Abagael had a blast. We spent the morning there, got our free Chick-Fil-A for lunch and then hit the road--this time we actually made it home around 7pm, which is much earlier than usual!

Life Lately...

is b-u-s-y.

But, the end is in sight. :) The play is the last weekend in September and the first weekend in October and then our marathon is October 11th, the next weekend. Not that I'm necessarily wanting either of these things in and of themselves to be over, but I am wanting my nights and my time back, to a certain degree at least. I could compromise and have my evening activities end at like, 6pm or 7pm, as compared to 10pm or 11pm, and be one happy girl.

But I'm not complaining, really I'm not, because it's all fun stuff. It's just a lot of fun stuff all at once. ) On top of work, which is also crazy, but fun.

I'm teaching four classes--one beginner ESL, two Vanguards and one pull out class for kids who can't read. At all. And the pull out class is by far my favorite.

At the end of last year my principal sent out an email saying that she needed someone in the English department to go to a training the district was mandating and teach a class the district was mandating, for students in the schools identified as dyslexic. I didn't really want to because it was 60 hours of my summer vacation and a lot of work, but something kept nagging at me to email her about it. So, a few days before the end of school I did, and now I am the dyslexia coordinator at my school.

Except, come to find out, we only have one student identified as dyslexic. And he can't read hardly at all. And then I discovered another student in my ESL class who can't read at all. And then as soon as I started talking about my kids who can't read teachers around me started saying that they have kids in their 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes that can't read at all either. So now, in my "dyslexia" pull out class, I have 7 students in all 3 grades who I am teaching how to read.

Some are from refugee camps in Africa. Some are from various South American countries and moved around and back and forth growing up and basically just missed a lot of school. Some came to America and got skipped a couple of grades because they were tall or looked older. All of them just got passed through the grades once they hit fourth and fifth grade, even though I'm sure their teachers knew they couldn't read. And over the years they've gotten really good at faking it, pretending they can read, pretending they know what's going on when they have no clue and acting out in class to take everyone's attention off of the fact that they couldn't read.

So, I feel like I'm teaching kindergarten. Another teacher's aid and I are in there with these 7 kids every other day, doing A,B,C's flashcards and practicing what sounds each letter makes and reading together and sounding out words and learning sight words and practicing all of these things on Starfall.com. And it literally is my favorite time of the day because these kids know they can't read and they want to read and we have decided that this is the year it's going to happen. In that room, for that hour and a half, it's a safe place--they don't have to feel stupid for being 16 and in the 8th grade and not able to read and they don't have to act out and fake read. And they're starting to see some hope--one was even talking about going to the university when he graduates high school, which was so cool because at the beginning of the year he told me he didn't think he could ever get out of 8th grade.

As I look back on how things played out with this class, with what was supposed to be a dyslexia intervention class and has now turned into a reading intervention pull out class for middle schoolers who read on a pre-k level, if that, I really feel like God was leading me to sign up for the dyslexia training back in May. And I am so glad I did, because I am loving working with these kids. They are going to be reading at the end of the year--their hard work and determination is already starting to pay off and we're only 2 weeks into the work--and I cannot wait to see them at the end of the year, reading.

Their names are Francois, Gerson, Darian, Jose, Semeni, Nancy, Jacqueline. Please pray for them this year because they're up to a big work this year.

So, yes, life is crazy. And in about 15 minutes we have to go run 9 miles. But, we've got a crock pot full of beans and rice that has been simmering away all day to come home to, and no Joseph practice tonight so we can run on our time table, and we both have good jobs that we enjoy. So, amidst the craziness, I just have to keep reminding myself how blessed we are.

Marathon Training Week Seventeen

This week we had to run our 18 miles in Fort Worth, on a treadmill. We drove in to our friend's house late Friday night after we got off work and then got up bright and early to run so that we'd be waiting at the door when the Bally's opened to claim a treadmill. We considered running outside but it was already hot that morning and 18 miles is a long time for us to be running alone out on roads we don't know. Then, we thought we'd run on the indoor track at the Bally's by their house, but upon discovering that the track was so tiny it took 22 laps to make one mile, we were given no option but the treadmill.

I was really nervous about doing it on a treadmill though, because more often than not, when I run on a treadmill (and sometimes when I'm just out running), my right ankle/shin muscle will cramp up to the point where I can't bend it to run and have to stop to stretch it out. Sometimes I stop once, stretch it and it's good after than. Sometimes it never lets up for the whole run, which is how it had been on all three of my mid-week runs last week. And so I was praying and praying, especially as I went to sleep on Friday night, for my ankle to not cramp up, because it would make the 18 miles SO long. And as I ran the first three or four miles and was realizing my ankle was perfect, I couldn't stop thanking God the whole rest of my run.

We both ran the whole 18 miles--Landon in about 3 hours and me in about 3 and a half and man, did it feel long to me. When you're running on a track (even going around it 200 times or so) there are other people there for you to pass and be passed by and pace with sometimes, and there are different things to look at as you go around, but on the treadmill, it was one view for 3.5 hours and the time seemed to creep by. I have never been that bored on a run in my life--I was actually getting sleepy. Which is weird, because it was hard and I was really physically tired at the same time. And it didn't help that the new book on tape I had stated earlier that week was not holding my attention all and that no matter where I looked there was a clock, which made the minutes seeemed to crawl by. About an hour and a half in to it, as I considered the 2 hours I had left, I couldn't stop myself from thinking "This really is not fun. At all. Why am I doing this?" I did anything I could to keep my mind off of of how much longer I had to run and my eyes off of the clock--I listened to people's conversations (which were few and far between), I counted people's reps as they lifted weights (and learned people are very sporadic in the number of reps they do), counted the laps people walked on the track. I was desperate.

Landon made a great discovery this run though--when his Ipod died, he plugged his phone in and was able to watch a movie for the last 2 hours of his run, which he said made the run fly by. I think I'm going to have to try that the next time we run on a treadmill for one of our midweek runs.

I started off at my pace this week and then decided to take it a little slower and slowly slowed down some until the end when I managed to pick it back up. My biggest struggle right now is no longer running the whole thing, but maintaining my pace for the whole run--not letting myself slow down when it gets hard or painful or just not fun anymore. There has never been a time when I'm literally going as fast as I can and not able to keep my pace--when I lose my pace it's because I let myself slow down so that it's easier. So far, I've been able to run 12 miles at race pace, but on the 16 and 18 milers, I've slowed down some. My pace this week was about an 11:30, about 40 seconds off of my race pace. I know I could have gone faster though, so this week, for our 14 miler, I'm going to make myself.

Then, for the 20 miler, I'm not sure. Is it smart to run a 20 mile run at race pace 3weeks before the actual race, or will that fatigue me for the race? There are the topics of discussions in Landon and I's life right now...

I'm proud--and somewhat amazed--that we were able to run 18 miles period this week. All I can say is that training really does work because I would have NEVER thought I would be able to run that far without walking if you would have asked me a year ago.