Order of Happiness and a Hilly Run

Life's all in how you look at it, right? For some, I would imagine, moving around every few years would just be heartbreaking, it wouldn't suit them. I'm not saying there won't be days that I ache for home but moving around with the Army always gives us a chance to start anew. Change is good for the soul.

But as parents, we're always last in line. It seems, children come first, then home, then us. Lucas and I always try to put each other first, we figure if we're happy then the kids are happy. After all, we are the foundation for our children and our home. We truly believe our children's happiness and security in this crazy world starts with us. We've screwed that up a few times and mastered it other times. It takes ongoing work to figure the order to happiness. Life's always changing and within that we are always changing.

The last two weeks of "moving in" have primarily been spent on the house and the kids. Although, Lucas and I snuck out one night for dinner last weekend. As much as we would have liked to carry on and venture more through the city it was important to get back home for a good nights rest. We're lucky to be reunited with old friends from Hawaii. It's amazing to start this new chapter here not completely alone. We've all grown over the last three years but meeting up with them here is as if nothing has changed, other than their oldest now babysits our youngest ;)

Anyways, back to the point which I've yet to hit on.

The house is well on it's way to being pretty. My kids are good. One has settled into 7th grade and starts football practice this week, the other is anxious to be like his brother and go back to school too. I know this not only because of his jealousy with every school bus but also his sprint and no turning back attitude when he saw the daycare room at our local gym. (no worries kid, I'm working on the daycare stuff this week)

So it seems all is well. It's all so balanced on the surface, right? House check. Kids check. Parents night out check. But still, something was yucky. Life was just rolling on but inside I've been a bit blah. No matter which way we ran the order of happiness we weren't inserting any "me time". Everything, all happiness, flows from within and as parents//adults we forget to just back out and take a little me time.

I needed desperately to get back into a routine that allows me-time. A huge part of my routine includes exercise, ah... there's my me time, and I haven't had much of it lately. I've never feared the gym but I do admit to carrying some fear towards new places and new people, the unknown. But by week two in our new home it was time to find my gym and find my running trail.

Base has a gazillion gyms to pick from but I don't do everything on base. After two very different YMCA's we settled on our new gym home. We absolutely LOVE it there. I'm not 100% sure their classes will match up to what I'm used to but really, it is what you put into it. I found my running trail too. I needed a 5K distance. I've heard the rumors about altitude kicking your butt and the need to really allow time for adjusting and I believe them all. It's unreal how winded I feel after moving those damn boxes up and down flights of stairs or carrying a crying toddler up the hill from the playground but regardless 5K is my go-to distance for running and I was ready to give it my best.

Running for Maggie hosted by Sami was ran by many this past week. It was my first Colorado race. Okay, technically it's not a Colorado race but as my second virtual race it was my first one here. I sent prayers and happy thoughts Sami's way and it felt amazing to have a race helping me through the hills. But more so, I was reminded.... we should always be "racing" ourselves. Pushing ourselves to be better than yesterday and stronger for tomorrow.

So, I wrangled through many thoughts as I did my best to run 3.1 miles yesterday. I was told to expect my pace to slow by 20-30 seconds. Okay, on the average yes, my pace was slower by about 35 seconds but when you really break it down I only ran half and walked the other half. Having not run in almost a month, it was exciting to be back at it. My new trail is amazing, I'm completely in love it. It has the perfect level of challenges and gorgeous views all around. I just have to keep at it and know that in due time I'll be balanced with my old abilities.

My polar watch reassured me that I was indeed giving it my all. At the moments that I felt I just couldn't run any further I would check my heart rate and sure enough be maxed out at 185. I knew it was all fair for me to walk, it wasn't just in my head or the weak corners of my will. When I started to feel in control of my breathing I'd check the polar and see 160 and know it was time to try running again. Mind you folks, I'm pushing a ginormous jogging stroller with a 30+ pound toddler through this entire hilly run!!!

I finished the 3.1 hilly miles in 42:19. And continued on my way for another 1.5 miles. Landon has become a reliable running buddy. He's grown quite a bit since the spring and now seems to have the patience for a 45+ minute run/walk. I'm betting the new scenery is major factor in all this too. I think he enjoyed the Running for Maggie race as much as I did.

I definitely got my workout in this weekend and absolutely found myself a trail for all my joys, worries, thoughts, and over consumption of gaucamole and strawberrita's :) 


How do you balance "it" all?
Is exercise a part of your ME TIME?
Have you tried any new gyms or workouts lately?




Linking with Weekend Shenanigans, Simply Sami for the Virtual 5K, Monday Morning Gossip,  Hop til You Drop

...happy to have Merrie with me this month...

Running for Maggie - Virtual 5K

Everytime I hit 288, it downpours. I mean the kind of downpour that fills the streets with water, overflows drains, and clutters the windsheild so badly you can hardly see unless driving at a creep. 288 is an interstate, I live in a state where many joke that we can not drive in the rain much less snow. I guess I am one of those people. Not the one joking, the one who can't drive in inclement weather. I fear the worst. I am a good driver but I'm also a good "imaginer" (if that's even a word). I worry more than any one person ever should about wrecking or causing a wreck while driving in downpours. It blows my mind to see SUV's speeding by while I'm practically eating the steering wheel as if that closeness to the window will part the rain and let me see better. I think I need some rainX. That stuff is like a miracle in a can. 

Life's so precious. 

And car accidents do happen. 

Sami, a friend I've made through blogging, knows about this all too well. Her life holds a story of how a split second can change everything forever. She lost her sister in a tragic car accident. 16 years of joy ended too quickly that day. Life is never the same after a loss. We all grieve in our ways, in our own time. A little more than a year after their loss, Sami still dedicates her every run to Maggie's life. She is filled with so much motivation and cheer that it oozes in her every.single.post. There's no doubt you'll leave her blog a happier person and I have no doubt you'll consider helping Sami honor her sisters life.

One year after Maggie's passing, a foundation was started in her memory. Maggie had a lot of flair and a ton of talent. She danced, she was a muscisian, she was an artist. This foundation helps fund the fine arts of schools for grades K-12. Any and all fundraising goes directly to the hands of students in art rooms across the board.

What can you do to help?

Consider joining the Run for Maggie virtual 5K with during the week of August 5th-11th. It is completely free, anyone can join. Sami has created this event as a way to bring more awareness, keep her sisters life going, and open opportunities for fundraising with the foundation for fine arts. No crowds, no times to beat, just a walk/run to remember a beautiful life.

You know I'm doing it! We all loved doing the Summer Kickoff 5K, so let's challenge ourselves to another one in August and relish in life during each step of the 3.1 miles.

Visit Sami's blog today for more information on this event and winnings that you'll be eligible for. Visit the Run for Maggie facebook page. Find out more about ways you can help support life and donate if you wish. Every step in the race, every penny in the jar helps to keep Maggie's memory alive, art supplies to the creators and awareness to safe driving.

Linking with Just Because

...happy to have Jordyn with me this month...