I'm doing it!

I'm training for a marathon. This is a really big deal for me and I am a little nervous very sore and excited all at the same time.. I have always wanted to do this and have printed a hundred training schedules and how to's and have never followed through with any of it. So, I decided that maybe I needed some extra motivation.............I've joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training and am going to do this with their support but also so that I can help to support a good cause along the way! I can already tell this is going to be rewarding! A friend, Crystal, is joining me in the journey and when we first signed up we thought we would just shoot for the 1/2 marathon. After all its about taking crawling before walking right? After thinking a little harder and talking through it we've decided to shoot for the full marathon. My comment about finishing this race was "when we finish I'll feel like I've conquered the world". I can do this and ONLY with God's help. I want to keep Him at the center of this journey. I've picked a verse to get me started to focus on through training:

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
--Acts 20:24

As a member of Team in Training I have committed to raising money for the Leukemia & Lyphoma Society. The money that I raise goes toward research for cures for these ugly diseases! I am going to add a link to my fundraising page on my blog and I hope that you will join me in supporting this organization. Every amount will help and I thank you in advance for your help and support!

My training actually started on Saturday morning - we meet with a running group and do what we'll call our "long runs" as a group. I will say that running with a group is way easier than running alone! You can go farther than you think just from the energy and support of others! But in anticipation of Saturday I was getting a little nervous )since I haven't run in a very long time and not any long distances since before I got pregnant) and decided to run Friday afternoon just to see how far I could make it. I think I ran about 1.5 miles and thought to myself "That wasn't too bad, I can handle 4 miles tomorrow". By Friday night my legs were a little sore and tight. No biggie right? Right! I told myself I would stretch really good before going out on Saturday in 34 degree rainy weather and that I would be ready to go. I did stretch and I did survive the first 4 miles and even felt good after my run. BUT my legs were very tight and when I sat down in the car my thighs screamed at me! I was sure to stretch good after the run and still my thighs were killing me. I figured that it would get better through the day, I would be sure to give them a rest. But I can't walk right because I'm so sore - sort of a limpy straight legged walk! Simply Beautiful.

Fast Forward through my morning.....Justin and I went to an afternoon matinee to see the Blind Side. I decide I should go potty before settling into the movie. Pick my stall and as I am about to squat I realize that my legs are so sore that I can't! I looked and they didn't have any of those tissue toilet seat covers. Oh Crap - public bathroom and I am not about to put my hiney on that seat but my legs are to sore to hold my hiney off of that seat. I actually wondered if I could sort of stand over the toilet and pee - tried but I couldn't make myself pee in that position. By this time I had drank a few glasses of water and I knew I wouldn't make it through the movie and really needed to go. SOOOOOOOOO, I put my hands on the seat of the toilet yuck yuck yuck...public bathroom toilet seat and held myself up to pee and be on my way. I of course scrubbed my hands extra hard and extra long with hot water before I made my way into the movie! Thankfully we were at a nice Rave movie theater and their restrooms are fairly clean. It still is a PUBLIC restroom but I did keep my hiney from that seat....at the expense of my hands! Oh well! Just the beginning of the soreness I suppose!

This morning I woke up and my thighs felt much better but I almost couldn't stand up because my calf's were so stink'n tight! I did make it through my 2 mile run today - even with really tight and sore legs!

Monday Night Madness and MORE!

I'm seeking advise so please share your thoughts with me. On Monday nights I have bible study...well we all do. Mom and I go to CBS (women's bible study) and my dad and Justin go to BSF (men's bible study) and it is all on Monday nights. CBS has a nursery and an amazing children's program so Collier goes with me and mom. Did I mention that we are both part of the leadership and we have to be there at 5:30 and we are there until 8:30pm. Let me preface this by saying that I love this time (even though it seems to be a lot of time....) I love every minute of it and rely on it each and every week to get me through! Collier on the other hand does not feel the same way YET! He cries and cries and screams at the top of his lungs every week when I drop him off. The ladies are the sweetest and most patient ladies I've ever seen....they actually TELL me to keep bringing him and he will get used to it. They have to come and get me out of class to calm him down. Yall, it breaks my heart and I just don't know what to do. I know that this is probably because he isn't used to being left with strangers and if he was in day care I probably wouldn't have this problem. But he's not and so there has to be a solution to this situation. I wake up every Monday morning praying and asking God to give him peace and confidence and security. This week was better and they didn't have to come and get me - Praise God! and I just pray that each week will get easier and better. I would really appreciate your prayers on Mondays for little man as he tries to adjust. I know that one day he is going to love going and seeing these sweet ladies every week - they truly are amazing!

MOVING on.....

Literally. Collier officially crawled tonight. Well the most of one that I've seen so far. He's been scootching around for a week or two but not an actual coordinated crawl and he did it tonight. Well maybe coordinated isn't the right word because it is very awkward. He wants to stand up so bad and that is why he pushes back to his feet. Its so funny! I am obviously very proud of him so please excuse the shrilling voice!

Snips, Snails and...

Puppy Dog Tails
...In my mouth!

That is where everything belongs.. He explore this world by taste!

It has already been a crazy week and its not quite over yet. I'm looking forward to my weekend this week and need it greatly. I woke up Tuesday morning not feeling right and before I was able to get my make up on I was throwing up. Not a good day or time for it to hit because I had a huge networking event for work all day. So, I rested, hydrated myself, gulped pepto and then forced myself to get dressed and went to the event. I am a HUGE believer in "stay away" if you have bad germs but was encouraged to make it to the event and so I did! Praying and hoping that this was just a random situation and that I wouldn't pass any bad germs to any undeserving person! I kept my hand sanitizer handy and used it often. But to say the least it swiped every ounce of energy that I had in my body. PRAISE the LORD that my MIL was here this week and she, along with my mom, were my saving grace! Not only did they take the best care of my sweet baby collier and let me rest but they also went shopping....FOR ME! What? How great is that? I am one lucky chick! They made me homemade chicken soup, made my bed, cleaned up the kitchen, washed Collier clothes and again took care of Collier so that I could catch up on some rest. Today I have felt much better and was able to get a bunch of work done as well.

Tomorrow I have another busy day which will result in me getting home late again. Justin has been really great about all of the extra hours that I've been putting in. To say the least this adjustment has been one for him as much as for me. But he is also getting some extra Collier bonding time....although I am really missing it myself!

Oh and this past weekend Justin's Dad and Step mom came up for a wedding and stopped by to visit. They surprised us with a walker for Collier. At first he would only go backwards but tonight he actually scootched forward. I'm really afraid that he is going to be more interested in walking than crawling. He is still working on both! When he is on his hands and knees, he starts to move forward and ends up pushing up on his toes....its weird! I think the cutest thing is watching him sit himself up. When he is on his tummy or on his knee's he just pushed himself sitting up and he is just so cute how he does it! Well, I actually think that he is cute just sitting there, or when he's playing and when he's eating and when he crinkles his nose and when he is asleep! He is just so stink'n cute.....But no favoritism here right?

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself though love"

Galatians 5:6b

Busy-ness

Gosh time just seems to get away all too quickly. Do I say that too much on here? I feel like I do - oh well because its just the truth. Work is going well, it has been busy and I will just be honest that I'm still adjusting. I have a lot still to learn and I've been drinking from a fire hose and I have a lot of hard work ahead of me! All to say that I am enjoying learning and doing so far. I couldn't ask for more at this point. I'll be honest to have two people working out of a tiny house has been hard. Justin has worked out of the house for a while now so to have me around is an adjustment for him to. I try and stay out of his way and close my self in the office and he normally does most of his work in the den. Coordinating and communicating would be the key to his dance we're doing as "work from home" people! I actually like seeing more of him!

Collier is just still on the verge of crawling...matter of fact he did it yesterday. I had him in the bathroom while I was blow drying my hair and he did move one scooch on all fours. Today mom said that she saw him to two scooches (is that a word?) forward on all fours. He can do it, its just putting it all together in a coordinated fashion and he'll be off to the races. The other thing that he has done is starting to pull himself up......that is standing up! Tonight for the first time he did it without any of my help. The child LOVES to stand up. One more thing he did for the first time tonight was make indian sounds all by himself. I've been bouncing my fingers over his lips and he'll make sounds to sound like an indian...he did it all by himself tonight. Only it was more like he was rolling his fist all around his mouth and making noises. It was way way too funny! Well simply adorable if you ask me! I could just eat him to tiny pieces and love him more and more. I never knew it would be possible, but when I've been working all day and get to finally see him it is a satisfaction that is soothing to my soul. Brings a joy to my heart like nothing before. It is a taste of God's love and I know that we truly can not even grasp the depth of His love for us - doesn't that satisfy your soul too! It does mine.

Do you know or have you ever heard of Francis Chan? If you haven't can I please encourage you to check him out and listen to some of his sermons? He is amazing and can deliver a powerful message that will speak directly to your heart. He inspires and He teaches God's word! You can click here to go to his page of sermons and you can even subscribe to his podcast and listen to them on your Ipod or MP3 player. I've had some extra time on the road this week and try and listen to podcast while I have that time and gosh Francis just made me realize the quality of my prayer life as well as my faith in what I am praying (or lack of!). God can do ANYTHING and we are supposed to pray with faith and trust! God hears our prayers and He answers them all according to His will and purpose! I want to pray with passion and not just lay my request before God but to pray with the confidence and knowledge that God is listening to my very pray and that He will answer - even if it isn't in the way that I think/want. I'm asking God to fill my heart with joy and passion for Him. So that I can be a light and reflection of Him to this world and those around me.

My First Day

That dang alarm clock! It went off this morning and so it began! It was a good day. It was hard to leave Collier this morning not only to be away from him for the night but ALSO because this morning represented the truth of not being with him every day. Gosh it is just hard...even if I am really excited about my new job it doesn't take away from that emotion.

I made it to Mobile and had a great day and met all of my new co-workers. I have so much to learn and so much to catch up on. I'll be super busy the next few weeks. I am very excited though and I really think that this is going to be a great fit for me.

Justin had Collier all day today. He is such a good Daddy and I am thankful that I feel totally confident in him with Collier. I'm sure he does things different than I do, but that is probably a good thing! I love to see Justin playing with Collier so I'm sure it was a fun day for Collier to have just Daddy all to himself (well Grammy helped tonight). It felt funny for our roles to be reversed...and it usually him leaving for work (overnight) and me staying home. It was weird to drive down the road without Collier in my car...I kept checking my rear-view mirror for him on the drive down only to realize I was alone in the car. It is just strange. I thought to myself, oh good I'll have an entire evening all to myself and I can go and run in the hotel gym and have the opportunity to get a jump start with work stuff and yet, I'm already in the bed and can hardly hold my eye's open.... Geeze when they say children change everything they are 100% correct! It is so worth it and I love every minute of it. Being a mom is so special and it is a feeling that no one can prepare for. It is a love that is deeper than anything you can every expect. It is fun and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

JOB

Before I share my job stuff, I wanted to share our Christmas card. I've been meaning to post it the past 2 post and keep forgetting.

My new job starts tomorrow. I'm going to be working for a company called Jackson Key Practice Solutions. They are based in Mobile and they are a reseller for a larger company called AllScripts. I'll be their new sales rep for the Birmingham area and I'll be selling their AllScripts Software to Physician Practices - the software is an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Practice Management solution. It is a big deal right now for Physicians. When you go to your Doctor and he/she is entering all of your data into a PC/tablet/laptop then that means that they do not use paper charts and it is all electronic and the software that makes that possible is called an EMR and I will be one of those options. I'm very excited and also very nervous. I've never been in outside sales and in the back of my mind have always known that it is what I wanted to do but never stuck my neck out to try.....so here I go! I have a lot to learn about the product and I will spend the next few days in Mobile doing just that. God guided me through the interview process (I was greatly blessed to have a few interviews at various companies and also a few offers) and I am really turning to Him to guide me as I go into this new venture. I trust that He is with me and I am thankful that I have Him to put my trust in. God also provided me with a huge and special opportunity to spend a little over 2 months with Collier being a Temporary Stay At Home Mom and I loved every minute of it. It is going to be hard to get back into the groove and not be with him as much...I already am missing that time with him just thinking about it! Again, I'm really asking for God to fill that void. Once I get on a regular schedule and into a good routine I know that I'll be fine. But mostly I am thankful for the time that I did have with Collier and just being MOMMY! How special and sweet has this time been! Also, he is still going to be staying with my mom and what a blessing she is to spend her time caring for him....he couldn't be in better hands!

So, tomorrow brings the alarm clock going off, routines, schedules, time frames and work responsibilities. Its all so bitter sweet....a great new job - but less time with Collier....That is my struggle! I would really appreciate your prayers as I adjust back to working again and especially in a new role like this!

Does this weekend have to actually end? We had a fun new year's eve with wonderful friends - low key and easy to cook out and just enjoy each other's company! I couldn't believe it but I actually was awake at midnight!!! Hello 2010!! We spend yesterday with more friends to watch lots and lots of football and eat lots and lots of food. Yummy but boy do I need to get back to running! That is the plan in the very near future!

This week my sweet baby reached 8 months of age! He is so stink'n cute (I'm not bias at all!) and such a good and sweet little boy. He is not crawling yet but is really trying hard. He gets to his knees rocks and then slides down to his belly. He starts pushing with his arms, which sends him backwards! He like to stand up most of all (of course holding on to you) and although he can't pull himself up he sure does try and has resulted in several falls. Nothing harmful yet! He is very ticklish under his arms and under his chin. He is still eating like a champ and his latest foods have been eggplant and butter beans this week. He also has eaten the puffs and cookies that are for little babies and likes both a whole bunch! His very favorite is yogurt still....any flavor. He has the longest eye lashes ever and that is what everyone comments on first when we are out....several people have thought he was a girl because they are so long (they are oblivious to the fact that he is in either blue or brown or both). I bought him the cutest coat this week and it is our favorite of all time. He is adorable and it just makes me want to eat him in tiny pieces. Justin said it was the best thing that I've bought for him, way too cute....see below. I also purchased his first pair of shoes and he does great in them. I was sort of worried that he wouldn't want them on his feet but doesn't seem to be bothered by them at all. So many changes and way to quick. I've been meaning to post this for the past few days but like I said before I've been a slacker.

I want to share my job news/details, but I've laundry calling my name, so I'll update tomorrow!

Happy New Year

I've been very slack on posting and I'm not sure why...I've had moments that I sat down to blog and got side tracked and never got back on task to post. I'm going to try and do better about posting...

More to come soon. Happy New Year! Wishing you a year full of dreams and wishes come true!