Addie turns THREE!

Addie turned three this month. For Addie's birthday party I was asked to come teach dance and tumbling lessons to a group of her friends. I had great fun, and everyone, including the mom's loved it. We did ribbon dancing, pom-pom shaking, dancing to music, Bop till you drop, forward rolls, headstands, pretending, etc., The girls dressed up in tutu's and the boys dressed up in hero costumes.

See if you can spot Kate in the above photo, where all the children are sitting. She's the one with the white headband. Too, too cute! Oh I love my granddaughters!

The great news is that Marc and Laura Lee will be heading to Cincinnati for Marc's residency. It's only about two hours away. So we get to live close to them for another year. That makes me very happy!

Oh What a Feeling!

Tanner received his Eagle Award this week. It felt great to see him receive this award. He is our fourth and final son to achieve his Eagle rank. Tanner didn't want a lot of pomp and circumstance for the ceremony. He wanted the ceremony simple, and would have preferred to just have the award just handed to him.

CONGRATULATIONS TANNER! We are proud of you.

First photo of our grandson!

I'm so excited!

A great group of young women and men

On Sunday we had Stake Conference. Afterwards the youth loved visiting with each other. They are a close group. These are many of the youth in our South Stake boundaries. It warms my heart that these youth are so fun, strong, and valiant. I am especially learning to love the girls within our Stake, since I now work and visit with them. You can just see the goodness in these faces!

My 50th Birthday

We drove to Columbus on my 50th birthday. A bad winter storm caused hazardous road conditions that night, but thankfully we made it there safely. William, Tanner and I ate dinner at a nice restaurant on the way there.

Laura Lee made a delicious homemade German chocolate cake for my birthday. Addie helped make the necklace I am wearing in the photos.

We enjoyed our time together with Marc, Laura Lee, Addie and Kate.

I received so many cards, well wishes, calls and gifts for this milestone birthday. It was so fun to receive them all.

Turning 50 has changed my perspective on life. It's hard to explain. I feel it's more fully time to become the person God wants me to be. I feel I'm not limited, but my time is limited. I feel there's so much more to do in life, and I'm just beginning.

I'm indebted to God for this opportunity to come to earth and experience and learn what I have. I am so blessed!

A new baby!

It is one of my biggest DELIGHTS to announce that Ryan and Sarah are having a baby! It was so fun to post a ticker about how many more days I have until I can meet my newest grandchild. Ryan and Sarah, I am so happy for you! They sent me a recording of their baby's heartbeat, and I cried with joy!

My thoughts on running

I just got back from the YMCA. I'm dripping wet from sweat. For some reason my body does that when I exercise hard. It didn't use to, but I've come to accept it. A shower feels extra good after a work-out.

I only ran two miles this morning. I need to be careful with my knees and ankles. They are fragile at my age, and I don't want to pound them into injury.

This event is worthy of a post because I now have only 1.6 more miles to run until I hit 50 miles of running since August 2009. It's a goal I set, and I'm so so close!

This goal was set in honor of turning 50, and my completion date is my 50th birthday (which is in a few weeks). I saw that someone else did it, admired it, and I decided to "go for it." (I probably started my running in June, but didn't start recording it until August.)

I'm down to one more run - probably this coming Saturday. I exercise other ways, Monday through Friday, so basically running has been an additional exercise for me.

Exercise is a part of me, but I am NOT a runner. Running has always been one of my least favorite ways to exercise. Since young adulthood, running has always felt forced.

Running has been more enjoyable and easier for me lately. It's a childlike activity, and there's a freedom I feel as I pass through the air. It still feels forced, but I lose weight faster, and get in such great physical shape when I run. It also pushes my cardio work-out. That's the biggest plus to it.

Since setting my goal, I've had 2 injuries which were small set backs. The first happened a week before the Triathlon. I iced the ankle injury, stayed off of it, and wrapped it during the run. Thankfully I ran it, and finished with no major problems. The second injury happened during a 5K, and my peroneus brevis muscle (low inner muscle above ankle) which had been injured from ballet dancing, became injured even more. The pain became so great that I couldn't run any further. I turned around, about at the mile marker, and walked back. It felt like such a defeat because I didn't finish the race. Thankfully that muscle healed quickly.

I'm grateful for a body that has been a sport to be put through this experiment. I'm grateful for a body that responds to my requests and does the best she can. I'm grateful for the way running, or any exercise makes me feel so alive!

I'm also grateful for my friend Johna who has run at least 25 of those miles with me (and probably close to 35 total last year). It's special when you accomplish something together, and she was my triathlon partner in August too.

I hope this doesn't come across as boasting. That is not my intent. I only want those closest to me to celebrate this accomplishment with me! I ran an extra victory lap today - because I'm feeling successful. I love that feeling!