"so far"

"Today I stop, I breathe deep and rest.  With grateful tears I weep because I have come so far."

Kristen Jongen

I found this on a print while out shopping the other day and it was one those prints I just kept reading over and over.   I decided to buy it so I could look at it everyday to remind myself that yes......in life there are good times and hard times and in those times, you are  always making   choices and sacrifices to get to that place that you want to be......

There are times when I really need to stop and reflect on how far I really have come and how it is that I have gotten to this place.  When  I find myself saying, "oh, why is this happening?"  it is then that I must think hard and I soon come to the realization  that it is each of these life lessons that shape me into the person I am, the athlete that I am, the friend I am , the mother I am.   And I know it is the wisdom that I gain from these life experiences that will help guide me through life and be the best person  I can be.  

A few recent life experiences:

Have you ever built a house-

I recently  had the opportunity to be part of  Habitat for Humanity.   I went up north to the beautiful area of Ely, MN and joined a volunteer crew to build a house for a family in one day.

It was a long one day but an incredible experience.  To be part of a giving project to help a family in need,  to be involved in the manual labor it takes in working with others to complete a project, to connect and meet others........reaching out of one's own comfort zone.......all valuable experiences.

A visit to Green Bay

I had the chance to go home to where I grew up and where my mom, 3 sisters and 1 brother live.  I love going home and I love taking Trev and Lexi there and showing them the house I grew up in, the neighborhoods  I hung out in and where I went to school.  

We went home because my niece Sarah is getting married over Labor Day Weekend and was having a Wedding Shower over the weekend.  It was so nice to be able to share that special time with my sister Cathy( Sarah's Mom) and the rest of my family.  
My niece Sarah and her Mom Cathy (my sister).

We all had the chance to take a day trip to the "Dunes" in Door County.  This was a hang out spot for me as a high schooler so I was excited to make the trip back to the beach with the kids and my family.  It was a beautiful day in the sun, lots of swimming, castle making, and beach games.  Louise even made a great picnic lunch.  While home in DePere, Lexi and Trev got very attached to Allissa's new Dog, Bailey.  A beautiful  Labradoodle.

Having my sister and her family back in town from Belgium

My sister Amy(2 years younger), her husband Ted and three kids moved to Belgium 2 years ago.  They make it back to the states two times a year, summer and christmas.  We had the opportunity to spend lots of time together while they were here for their summer visit and it was great.  There is nothing better than watching 8 plus cousins playing together, swimming, laughing and just being kids.  It was also a nice chance to hang out with my sisters and catch up.  There is just nothing more special than spending time with family.  We look forward to the Browne Family returning to the States for good.  Lexi asked today.  "Mom, how many days is 4 months (until their christmas visit), I wish it was 2 months."

Healing from an injury and preparing for Pigman

I have stopped counting how many days it has been since I have last run......I don't even remember?? I have been doing lots of swimming and have had bike trainer sessions without pain.  So, I am healing.  I have added many strength exercises 2 x day per Physical Therapist at Tria.  I feel good about my progress and my plan for Pigman.  

Here it is:  Swim as hard as I can, bike as hard as i can (given that i haven't bike hard or done hills in about 3 weeks)  and then cross my fingers as I head out onto the run course.  Hope that I have given my leg enough time to heal.  This is where it gets a little tricky.  I am saying this openly.......I will be smart.  IF I feel any sort of pain, I  will stop running.  I will walk, try again one time.  If the pain continues and persists, I am done.  I will pull myself out of the race.  My SMARTER plan is to allow the leg to heal so I can STILL train for Ironman Florida.  IT is the only A race I have left!!  

BUT, there is always the very very good chance that I may step onto that run course and have the best Half IM, maybe not the fastest but a solid pain free run, that would be the BEST.

Lesson learned-  I am reminded daily about the things that we DO have control with in our lives(which for me now is staying positive, eating healthy, doing the healing exercises i can, staying positive) and the things that we just don't have control over........and that is just life.  And really, it comes down to how you deal and the choices you make.

I love the line in Freaky Friday when the Mom yells to her teenage daughter, 

"make good choices".  I am always going to yell that out to my kids!!  I love it.

Peace and Happiness to all.