A Brave Week

My husband had Monday off from work and yet somehow the week still managed to seem extremely long. Wednesday we both thought that it was Thursday and the end of the week dragged onnnn. The temps have been less than favorable, but on Thursday we reached 70's again and I was bound and determined to make it a GREAT day for all. 

I packed the backpack, grabbed the dogs leashes, and luckily also remembered my full frame camera. I don't remember the last time the pups haven't just been to our park that's across the street, and I forgot how much Elsa, our Golden, lives for water. The day was BEAUTIFUL, and while I Instagram storied it all, my husband texted and said, "Wow! You're feeling BRAVE!" The aftermath looked like all four of us getting insanely muddy, and the dogs getting bathed by me with freezing cold water in our backyard--but it the morning definitely won the GREAT award! 

One of my favorite things about the week was that I got to hang out with my friend Lauren and her son Jadon TWICE. I wish I had remembered to take a few pictures of THEM, but I'm so blessed by her. She's also the one helping me find motivation to run and train for the mini marathon, that part coming later ;) 

Our week also looked like slow mornings, playing Jenga, me having third and fourth cups of coffee, Bible stories, and by the end of the week, painting a solar system [ALL Pierson!] Oh, and Reese's all red she has declared the Red Sea.... Asa joked and said, "So he's our Realist and she's our Impressionist!"

 Reese also had ONE great nap day [she usually only makes it an hour] and stayed asleep until her "clock turned green," so I promised her popsicles if this could happen. That was also the day we went hiking; imagine that, she actually got wore out!

Okay last but not least. Lauren asked me a LONG time ago if I would run Louisville's mini marathon with her and I completely laughed her off. I have never trained to run, and my "good" runs at the gym have been 2-3 miles, TOPS. One afternoon, a rather stressed out one, I did four miles on the treadmill. Later I asked Asa, "Why did I do that? That was random. I don't even have a fitness GOAL, and I'm SUPER sore." (I seriously could hardly walk?!) I told Lauren and she said, "If you can run 4 miles, you can run further." So it got me thinking. I told her I would meet up with her one weekend and run outside with her and some other ladies, just to see HOW far I could do. That's the other thing, I don't think I had ran outside in years at that point!! To my disbelief, we ran 6.3 without stopping a single time, and I felt GOOD! 

My ankles and left knee did start bothering me soon after 3-4 days of running a week, so she and I went to our local running store Feet Fleet and had our gate/feet examined. I left with brand new running shoes and an insert, because two employees informed me how badly my ankles pronate--which explains the soreness and tenderness I've been feeling. 

Well, she and I planned for 7 miles to be our long run this week; after doing 5.3, 4.5 and 3. We made a new route and set out and oh my gosh, we did it. (She's done 7 before, but 6.3 had definitely been THE longest I've ever ran in my life). I am SO thankful for her pushing me and I can't remember the last time I've felt this accomplished. 

SO? 13.1 miles...here I come! I hope! 

Hello, Michigan!

I thought I may be crazy when I decided to pack the kids and I up for a week in Michigan, but it turns out I'm only crazy for thinking that I may not be capable. Suitcases, winter gear, swim vests, a hundred snacks, DVD's, cameras and sound machines--and finally we were ready for the normally six hour drive North.

We left Kentucky at 10 a.m. on the dot and drove for two hours. The kids could have gone longer but I thought it was a good stopping point for lunch and to fill up the gas tank. I popped in a second movie and continued driving. They were so good to not ask me to turn around or get anything for them, and they even slept for a little over an hour. Around 3:45pm we could see my parents house from the road and I shook my head in disbelief. I had driven for the first time EVER with both kids for almost six hours!

Not to toot my own horn, (but definitely patting myself on the back), the trip once there continued to go smoothly. My parents helped read to Pierson while I put Reese down for naps and bedtime, and while I did do TWELVE consecutive tuck-ins, I'm amazed at what good kids I have. Yes, Pierson woke once or twice in the middle of the night to come find me, but Reese did amazing in her cozy closet/bedroom and slept the entire night each night. In the mornings, they were happy and playful, and I was always a little grumpy until I finished the first cup of coffee. But y'all...it was SO good to just be HOME. They had to go swimming twice a day, thank God for that pool! And got to the point where they allowed me to sit in a chair in the pool room to do work on my laptop while they played and swam--when did I get such BIG kids?!

My mom, their Mimi, had fun activities, baked cupcakes with them, and helped me with their lunches every day. They loved when my dad, Pa Pa, got home from work, and talked his ear off a mile a minute. During our Christmas visit the kids bickered, a LOT, and Reese was super challenging mood and attitude wise. But for whatever reason, and maybe they just matured a lot in the last couple of months? They got along SO much better and both were VERY sweet. [Thank the LORD!]

I think I could have stayed longer, but Pierson started to get SUPER homesick for his Daddy. There were lots of tears the second to last night we were there, begging to call and see him, and Asa told me that I needed to pick a day and come HOME. I had just been playing each day completely by ear, because honestly, I didn't really expect that I could do this EVERY day for six days! We decided on Tuesday, which gave Asa six nice long nights to NOT be woken up by kids, to only have to worry about ONE dish to clean, and to not worry about clutter or toys strewn everywhere. He has always been super supportive when I have made my weekend Tennessee trips, and I'm very thankful I was ABLE to give him this break. [Not going to lie, babe, I may need to take another soon, ha ha!] ;)

I've joked [okay, not totally joking] that we need to move either to Nashville to be near my brother OR Michigan to be near my parents because I've been in Kentucky for TEN YEARS and I just really miss my fam. I don't that will be happening... so I really can't be more grateful for this trip I was able to take and ENJOY. Any other ladies out there just feel like you need to be with your mama?! I miss mine ALL the time!

Thank you, Mom, Dad and Nathan for having us this whole week. I can't wait to be able to come back and do it again, maybe this spring! Enjoy the pictures, friends. I wish I had been better about snapping photos of the kids with my parents and brother but clearly I didn't this time. Cheers, and happy WEEKEND!