Their first 5K

My sweet husband completed his first 5K on Saturday in 36:30. That's about 30 seconds better than my first 5K, and I am so proud of him for doing so well! He ran pretty much the entire time and even experienced his first "runner's high."

We started the race with Rindy and Dustin, and our motto was "every man for himself." We decided this when the gun fired, but neither Rindy nor I left our husbands. Hubby and I ran ahead, and I helped him dodge the crowd at the beginning of the race. The beginning is always the worst, because there's literally thousands of people struggling to start running. It was annoying because I KNOW it messed up our time, but you do what you have to do.

The race itself was one I've run twice before. The first time I ran it was last year's Race for the Cure (the one we did Saturday), and the second was Bark in the Park, which is exactly what it sounds like. There were actually two water stops, though, which surprised me. I've never participated in a 5k with two water stops.

Toward the end, I could see Husband was losing energy, so I started chanting, "Who dat! Who dat!" to motivate him. I don't think it really worked for him, but as "Black and Gold Superbowl" was playing on my iPod at the time, it's what I was interested in.

Then we saw the finish line. I slowed down to Husband's pace so we could finish together, and I felt like I could run another 5K, really. As I started musing over the 5K, next thing I knew, he BOLTED in front of me at break-neck speed.

He was trying to beat me.

I promise you, I couldn't have run faster if someone were chasing me. His legs are practically twice the length of mine, but I have endurance and a year's worth of running on my side. It was a struggle. He's naturally faster than me. But, at the last second, DESPITE WHAT HE CLAIMS, I beat him.

Hehehehe.

However, it really didn't matter, because those who were in charge of the event seriously lacked organization skills or something, because you literally had to wait at least four minutes BEFORE you crossed the finish line because it was so backed up. SERIOUSLY??!!!

In all, though, it was a great experience for all of us -- especially since we had, of course, IHop afterwards. It's a tradition, after all.

We got this

Currently on my playlist:
Cage the Elephant
Cake
Muse
Black Keys
AKA, running music

This week is my husband's first 5k. It's the same one Rindy and I ran first last year, so...yeah, it's kind of special. =) Plus, Rin's husband is joining, too -- and it's his first 5k, as well.

I picked up our packets today. I signed up with a team, a local spa where one of the girls who goes to our Sunday School works at. For any American Cancer Society race, I've found it's just easier to join a team. And it was. AND they had an amazing goody bag with chocolate, a 10% off coupon...and a shirt.

I have to take a pic of this shirt. Husband also got a shirt. It's brown...with pink breast cancer ribbons alllllllll on it.

I just can't picture him wearing it. But I seriously heart that shirt. (I'd wear it for the race, but I just bought a seriously awesome green running shirt and cannot wait to try it out.)

So wish us luck. Husband bought an iPod shuffle, and ever since he got it, he's been a running fiend. Seriously. The boy ran a full two miles the other day. He ran the majority of four miles Sunday.

I heart my husband.

I hope he doesn't beat me on Saturday. ;)

Stand up and get crunk

Sooo…IT’S FOOTBALL TIME!!!

I seriously had to go on a 2 mile run last night before the game to calm down. Because I was watching the game with my Sunday School class. Because I’m not sure how seven guys and two girls would feel about me screaming at the TV loudly. I like to get loud in Saints games. I don’t know everything about football, but I usually recognize a good/bad play/call. However, as I stated before, I like to get loud during Saints’ games. I feel comfortable doing this in front of my husband. Not so much in front of a large group. ;)

(However, because I was so pumped about the Saints game, I ran my FASTEST MILE and TWO MILES EVER!!! Mile 1 came in at 8:48, and I finished up the two miles in 18:42. Yes, my second mile was slower, but I still finished in under 20 mins. That’s an amazing record for me. I ran like a gazelle.)

Anyway, I was COMPLETELY on edge last night. We did take “provisions” (see below picture), and I didn’t scream *too* much, and, despite kicker Garrett Hartley’s TWO misses (SERIOUSLY??!!!), we still beat Favre and the Vikings. And I learned how to spell Favre last night. Yep. True story.



Before we get to my favorite posts of the nights, quick identification:

Saints
Drew Brees, all-around-amazingness, also quarterback for us
Garrett Hartley, our kicker who apparently can only make field goals under pressure

Vikings
Brett Favre, man who needs to quit hogging the media attention and retire, quarterback
Adrian Peterson, who I wish were on the Saints team (I’ll admit it)

Favorite tweet/facebook posts of the night…

Mom is in town and she hates the NFL, so we're watching a movie. Will watch @official_saints on DVR later. You may take away my man card.

Good news for Viking fans; Adrian Peterson ran three times in a row without turning it over. #fumblesaurusrex

I thought you got wiser with age... #farveIQloooooow

Attn Saints D: Tackle that Peterson fella. He's pretty good.

In a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league, Garrett Hartley needs to be careful not to lose his job.

Ummmmm, does Hartley know we're playing regular season? #srsly?

Drew Brees has 9 lives in the pocket.

Every perfect season starts with 1-0!

Hey Favre, this is why you practice with your team in the off season. Just sayin. Who dat!!!!!

1-0, baby!! Looking forward to doing the same with the 49ers in a little over a week!!

The infamous camo countertops

Okay, so apparently I generated some interest with the Random Dozen as to how a person who is not camo-inclined lives with camo countertops. I don't know. I try to ignore them as much as possible.

The countertops were actually installed by a previous owner, and while we did make leaps and bounds in improving the house (brick patio out back, new flooring, paint jobs), those camo countertops remain.

Thankfully, not many people realize they are camo. Either that, or they're trying to pacify me. At any rate, it works.

And now, without further ado, my camouflage countertops.

They don't look so bad from further away.


But my kitchen is small, therefore, you pretty much are always close up...




And, if things in my house would quit BREAKING and FLOODING my kitchen, maybe I could get new countertops instead of having to focus on replacing the floor in the kitchen (oh, yeah...half an inch of water...thanks, fridge...). But, happily, I should have new floors this weekend. YEA!!!

R12: Labor Day

So I finally got back on target to participate in Linda's Random Dozen on Wednesdays. YEA!!!!!



1. Describe the best sandwich in the world, according to you.
Yum…Turkey, swiss cheese, and American cheese toasted on focaccia bread. Hold on, let me wipe the drool off the floor.

2. Which inspires you more: a good conversation, a song, a book or movie?
I’d like to be all sweet and say a good conversation, but it’s really a good book. GREAT movies sometimes inspire me, but most of the time it’s a good book.

3. What is your favorite board game?
Scrabble. And I beat my husband for the first time (score is 1-3 now) Saturday. Haha!

4. As you grow older, are you more or less patient with small children?
Both…I have patience, but when I deal with, ahem, loud and annoying small children, mostly I’m thinking, “This is the best form of birth control ever.”

5. Name one item you never let yourself run out of.
Toilet paper. Who would?

6. Do you agree with Tennyson's assertion, "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?"
Uh…yeah, I suppose so. Well, maybe this way: if you fell in love and the person died, I think he’s right because you have those good memories. And even with a divorce, if you have children, hopefully you love them enough to realize that even if the marriage died, you have something precious still. However, if the relationship ended poorly with nothing good to come out of it other than lessons learned…probably not.

7. Name one national treasure or monument that you have visited.
Fenway Park. I think that’s a national treasure.

8. Which is more painful, to be disappointed in someone else or to be disappointed in yourself?
DEFINITELY disappointed in myself. I’ve gotten better about learning from the experience, but that definitely helps more than being disappointed in others. I’m easier at realizing that people have faults when people disappoint me than I am at realizing my own faults.

9. What makes your kitchen uniquely yours?
Besides the camo counters (don’t ask)? Wait, never mind. DEFINITELY the camo counters. Sigh. They were like that when we moved in. They’re not overly noticeable, but, as I’ve lived there four years now, I recognize them big time. And heartedly dislike them.

10. Are you a crafty person?
Seriously? Heck, no. I can barely pull weeds.

11. What is your favorite traditional picnic or bbq (cookout) food?
Potato salad. LOVE potato salad.

12. Name one leisurely activity you enjoyed over Labor Day Weekend.
There were sooo many. Eating at the Cupcake Factory with Tara…spending time with family, mine and husband’s…eating, eating, and eating some more…It was a great weekend. =)

Now go visit Linda and have some more random fun!

Why I believe in God

(NOTE: I think I need to address that I am not interested in getting into any spiritual debates here. This is more for my personal benefit and my testimony than a soapbox to get into arguments as to who’s right and who’s wrong. If you’re able to benefit from this, great. If not, okay. I was just thinking about this yesterday and felt like I needed to have written evidence of it.)

I was thinking yesterday about why exactly I believe in God. Maybe it has something to do with all the students that are coming back and knowing how few of them have a personal relationship with Christ. And I got to thinking, what would happen if I had a discussion with one of them about why I believe what I do. What would I say? Where would I start?

First, I guess my belief system needs to be addressed. Basically, what do I believe?

I believe that Jesus Christ was God’s Son who came down to Earth to free us from sinful slavery. His sacrifice on the cross allows us to have a personal, intimate relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Because of this belief, this knowledge, I have been granted the best gift of all: eternal salvation and the joy of knowing that one day, I will see Jesus and will be able to continually worship Him. However, while I am here on Earth, I will spend my days praying and talking with Him, reading His Word, and trying to live by example to show others what Jesus has done for me: given me peace and joy and life.

Okay, since that’s out of the way – why do I believe this?

I thought about some physical examples that I’ve seen – things that are a little unsettling and which I know without a shadow of a doubt that God had a hand in. However, I did not want to include them. Why? Because faith is the evidence of things unseen (Hebrews 11:1).

1. First, we have the Bible. There are two roads to look at here – you either take the Bible as truth, spoken by God to man, or you take it as a storybook, no different than Grimm’s Fairy Tales. I believe the Bible is Truth, therefore every word in there is Truth. I believe that it is literal, except when directly said otherwise. I believe water covered the Earth. I believe Jonah got swallowed by a huge fish. I believe Jesus raised people from the dead. I believe Paul was shipwrecked AND snake-bitten on the same day. I believe God created man and woman. Heck, I believe a snake talked. Why? Because the Bible said so. And, going back to the first statement, if the Scriptures say so, either the Bible is Truth, or the Bible is fairy tales.

2. My own inner peace. The world is crazy right now, you know? Heck, I just listened to a one-hour speech by my boss about how bad the economic crisis is and how it will affect my workplace. Yet thousands of dollars are STILL being doled out to Super Duper University in hopes that one day things will get better. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. I don’t hold a karmatic assumption that just because I do good means I’ll get good things. That’s just not the way life works. I could be the most devout Christian who praised God day in and day out, but things may just go badly. As Mark Driscoll said, we worship a homeless man who had no money and who got murdered, yet some people still think that “good” Christians are supposed to be rich, wealthy, and happy. How does that work?? I may lose my job next year. I may get very ill next year. Life may not go the way I want it to. It often doesn’t. But I’m here for a greater cause. My life is not to serve me. My life is to serve Christ. And through Him, I have a peace that goes beyond anything this world can throw at me. Am I worried about bills? Often. Do I stress out to the point of panic about work and school? Absolutely. But deep in my heart, in my soul, I know this is beyond me and that God LOVES ME and will take care of me. It may not be the way I want to be taken care of, but if I’m paying attention to my Father’s wishes and His name is being glorified, how can I not be at peace?

3. My conscience. The Holy Spirit convicts me frequently. “You know you shouldn’t have said that…You know you shouldn’t have done that…Did you think Jesus appreciated when you did that?” Um…probably not. And it’s not because I’m afraid of “getting caught.” Most of the things I do wrong are things that I would have a hard time getting caught doing. However, it’s knowing that I’ve displeased Jesus that gets me and moves me to repentance. I don’t want to disappoint Him. I want Him to be happy with what I’m doing (then again, on that hand, I have to watch my pride…sigh…). If I were not a Christian, I don’t think I’d have ANY problem doing those little sins that I so love to do. However, since I am…I’m in a constant state of repentance.

Similarly, I want others to be in love with Jesus as well. I want my friends and family to experience what I have. Nothing is certain. I don’t know how I could have gotten through some of the toughest times in my life without a Savior to hold my hand. He’s not my crutch; He’s my God.

4. Watching prayers being answered. Okay, this is not going on the “seen” category mainly because most prayers you don’t really “see” answered. But there are some that I’m just like, “Woooowww…That was incredible.” One HUGE prayer was an attitude adjustment for me. I had someone (let’s just name this person A) who I had a very difficult time loving. My attitude toward this person and in the environment where I would see A would be very poor. And I thought it was A’s fault!! So I started praying about it for around a year. And one day…it’s like a light bulb switched on, and I realized, “Um…maybe my attitude is MY fault.” And it was…The relationship A and I have now is so much different than it was six months ago. And it was all because I prayed for relief from the “A” problem. I received it in an unexpected way and much more – a more joyful me.

5. Because of how I live my life. Any big decision my husband and I make is first done after much prayer. “God, please help us decide if this is the right choice to make. Let either of us feel anxiety if this is not what we should do, but if this is Your will, let us feel peace.” You have NO idea how much this helps.

And that’s that. There are more, I’m sure, but as today is a very busy day, that’s it for now. Time to get back to the grind of work. =)