The Crazy Runner Club.

7 years ago I would have told you I was going for a run but that meant a 20 minute jog and thats it. If you would have asked me 7 years ago to train for a half marathon (13.1 miles) I probably would have laughed at you. Then I met Alejandro and my life in many ways changed, but in the first year of our relationship I went from a 20 minute jogger to running races 6 miles long. He didn't stop there,  then he said one day, ok now, you need to run a half marathon! We did some crazy training in Guaetmala. He had me running up Volcanoes, crazy steep highways, and dirt roads up in the mountains! I wouldn't change it for the world, any of it.
 

Anyway.

I'm writing this blog today for those who run, those who would like to run, and those who just don't get why people run!

I run for those who can't. I run for those people who can't get out of their bed, their chair, their house. I run for them. I can't even fathom not being able to get out of bed in the morning and walk, let alone run. Running makes me thankful. There are moments where I hate running but then I remember. I remember the guy in Antigua who begged for money in his wheel chair, he had no legs, I run for him. I run for the kids who are sick in hospitals and can't run and throw themselves into the grass. I think of these people, when the hill is super steep or it is -3 degrees outside and I can't feel my face or when its 90 degrees and I can hardly breath, I think of these people. Their faces, their pain, their sadness. I run for them because they can't run and God knows they want to. So, I run.

 However, I will say I do not run for those whoe are afraid to run.
Do you want to run? I think a lot of people don't run because they don't know where to begin. The idea of putting on their shoes and going for a 20 minute run is too much. It doesn't have to be hard or painful to start. I'm not a pro at all, and there are plenty of websites you can find a plan on but sometimes it seems a lot easier when you hear it from a friend.


>For sure more to come...for now, happy running!

No more excuses, really, I'm not joking.

A few months ago I began working on what someday may be a book about life but for now this will do....
If you are not completely satisfied with your life, you need to change it. You are given one life (unless you believe in re incarnation of course!)one small, short, fragile, incredible life. Are you content with your life? Are you happy with the people in your life? Are you fully satisfied with your weight? Your job? Your marriage? Your friendships? Your love life? We heard A LOT --but I mean we probably got an overdose of the word 'change' in the last few months. I'm sorry to do this to you--well only a little sorry. This is your life my friend, it is up to you to make it everything you want. If there is something you are not completely and fully satisfied with, change it. Change it. Do not wait for tomorrow, do not wait till you have enough, time, money or courage. We all know those things are hard to come by. Take your life and move it in the direction you want it to go. If you don't have the strength ask a friend to help you. Share your thoughts and ask for help! Just like the Beatles said, 'I get by with little help from my friends,' Its true. We need our friends, we need our family. At the same time we need ourselves. We have to dig deep. Really, really deep. Change is not always easy. It may not happen from one day the the next, but it can if make that decision. I want to change. I am going to change. I will help myself change. Will you help me change too? It means leaving an old life, bad habits, over the top expectations behind and going after what we want completely. People say easier said than done, and that may be true on some levels but if you truly want to change something, if you are not fully satisfied then don't waste your time complaining, crying, and feeling sad for yourself. Get up. Go. Do what it takes, make the sacrifices needed to be made. This is your life and you've got one shot to live it up, love and enjoy!

Free to be

I would like to tell you are free, you are free to be who you want to be. You don't have to apologize for who you are or what you think. You are free to share your feelings and you are free to stand firm in your own beliefs. It is ok for people to disagree with you, you don't have to please everyone. You can make your decisions freely without obsessing if 'so and so' is going to be upset with you. If we all loved the person next to us there would be peace on earth. You are free to love. You are free to be. Be excited to be free, be excited to fully accept yourself. Stop apologizing for who you are. When people tell you are a unique individual, its true, and that is a great thing. Sometimes you may feel like you haven't found your nitch or where you 'belong', but I promise if you continue stand firm in who you are,  you will find that place. You will find the place where people embrace you--all of you. You don't need to make excuses for why you are the way you are. Think about the things you like and the things you don't like and stick to it. You will find more freedom still when you can express yourself in confidence. It may take time, it may take a long time, but that is ok. Take the time, take all the time you need to find you and find your freedom. Your friends, your family they love you and they want to accept you but sometimes its hard for them accept you when you haven't fully accepted yourself. Its ok to be honest, its ok to say that you are struggeling. The more honest you are with yourself the easier it will be to move forward to freedom. You are free to feel. Don't apologize for feeling the way you do. Be honest, be true to your desires, be honest with the people you love. Stick to your beliefs, feelings, and desires. You are free. Keep breathing.

Happily Ever After...

You dream of the dress, the time of year, who will stand next to you, the party, you plan it all. At some point we have all thought about it, some more than others but at some point we have let our mind wander, what will it be like? 

Marriage is a wonderful, delicate, gift that we are given.  There will be battles, joys, heart ache, and laughter! However it doesn't have to be complicated. Love each other. Respect each other. Don't try to change each other! If you think getting married will change the other person, don't get married. If you get married and think that having kids will make the situation better, don't have kids. Marry someone who makes you feel alive. Marry someone who pushes you to be a better person everyday. Marry someone who challenges you to do new things! Marry someone who can sit with you in total silence and you both feel comfortable.  Marry someone who loves you, both your good and bad, and doesn't want to change you, and doesn't expect you to change. Full acceptance on both sides is so important! Learning to meet in the middle is so important! Marry someone who you are proud of and that person is proud of you too!  Fight for eachother. The passion you had at first may not last forever, but the desire to fight for them will never burn off, never. There may be days where you want to chuck this person out your the car window. There will be days where you have no words because you feel so angry with them.  However there will be days where you wake up next to them and you think I am the luckiest, most blessed person in the world, I love this person. Remember when you first fell in love. Remember the moment when you 'knew', remember the good times, let the bad be washed away. Tell this person you love them every day with words but in your actions too. Buy their favorite candy, make their favorite dish for dinner, send them a random email of thanks, when they talk-listene. 

Happily ever after is possible? Is it? Maybe, but only through acceptance, forgiviness, selflessness, and fighting to stick together.  Not everyday will be happy but the happines--the joy--the love is there, intertwined, in all moments no matter how good or bad the may be. ©

Everyone is invited!

Here comes another holiday....another time where we are forced to choose  to go to moms or dads or his parents or her parents....blessed are those who don't have to choose, trust me! It always comes up like this 'so what are your plans for___(fill in the holiday)?' and the usual answer, 'we haven't talked about it yet' as I wince from the akwardness.  I am fairly new to this choosing between parent thing though, after my parents divorced I left for Guatemala and we spent all holidays with my husbands family, thats when things were simple. Now, every holiday its this game of trying not hurting anyones feelings, trying to keep it simple, trying give my daughter sense family unity. Its a headache honestly. Sometimes I'd just like to say, 'we aren't celebrating or we are celerbrating just us.' No such luck. However, I have decided one thing, we will all celebrate together if they choose to and the rule of thumb  is, 'everyone is invited', if everyone comes that is up to them but everyone is welcome. Divorce happened to me, I never was part of the decision making, it has affected me enough, I will not allow it to take away the joy of holidays for me or my new family. So that is how it is going to be, for Thanksgiving everyone was invited here and everyone came and it was great. We sat on the few chairs we had and on the floor, it was simple, and it was a great time. Christmas my Mom went out West so we spent Christmas day with my Dad. Now Easter, everyone is invited, whether everyone comes that is up to them, but I have put my foot down, no matter the location, we are all invited. I spend the rest of  year deciding how to spend quality time, dividing my time here, there and everywhere that for these half dozen dates out of the year, I will not be pulled around. So if you feel like you are tired of being torn into, find a neutral ground and meet there. Invite everyone and stand your ground, its their turn to choose.©