I recently put my running shoes back on for the second time in 2012 after an almost seven year hiatus from running. It is still your voice I hear inside my head after 15 years being off the track, away from Hickory Hills and the streets in the town that is one mile squared..
Some things you don't forget, somethings just stay with you forever I guess.
I wonder if now at 77 you know what an impact you had on some of the lives of the girls you coached? If you remember us like we remember you?
I remember you "borrowing" a bicycle to follow behind us, that crazy big red van, and your voice. Oh your voice. The voice that was like a megaphone without being an actual megaphone. I can still hear you say my name. Or your way of motivating us in a way that only you could.. You were one kind. There was no one else quite like you.
10 weeks ago when I started training the first time around I got hurt almost immediately. This time it was my hip instead of my shins and an MRI that cost $400 instead of weeks at the chiropractor. And no, I wasn't even rollerblading. I'm just old this time.
After multiple stress fractures and hearing several orthos say "running just isn't your sport" "pick up swimming", I really started to doubt myself. I hate training. I've always hated training. I'm just not patient with it. I just want to be in shape. The best shape. I.want.to.be.fast. Now. I hate lungs that are out of shape. Legs that are heavy and slow. I hated intervals, I hated trips to Hickory Hills. But you knew this because you knew me. I used to think you planned this stuff on purpose on the days they served chili for lunch. Or the long runs when you followed us in your big red bus, good times.
I can still hear you. Pick up your dairyaire. If you ran any slower you would be standing still Baker. BAKER..my 82 year old grandmother runs faster than you. Dig, Dig, Dig. The only person that's going to beat you in this race, is you. Now get on that track and move it. OH MY GAWD..Are you even running out there? A woman that is 8 months pregnant just ran faster than all of you.
How mad you made me. Pissed off is more accurate really. It was your purpose and I ran better that way. You pushed me to do better just to prove to you that I could. To prove to myself that I could do it. It made us all want to win. You always got us to give you our best. I never wanted to let you down.
When I got hurt this time, I was frustrated. I was mad. I was defeated. Maybe this wasn't for me. I'm old. I'm out of shape. Maybe I'm just not a runner after all. It's been so long. Swimming really wasn't looking to bad. And then Claire said, "I wish I could call Katie H. on you right now. Can you even hear her now?" And she was right. And I knew it. Maybe I just needed a megaphone in my ear.
Its been 3.5 weeks now and I'm up to 2.5 miles again. When I'm tired and want to stop, it is always your voice that I hear screaming in my head to finish that extra .5 miles. Grandmothers everywhere are faster than me but you always said they were anyway. Someday that grandmother may be me. Most likely, it will be because of you..
Wherever you are, thank you. Happy Birthday.
www.simplicitybychristy.com
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
on parenting
Thursdays are my least favorite day of the week. Most people despise Mondays, well I loathe Thursdays. And yet, every single week they smack me in the face just like the annoying buzz of my alarm clock.
The kids are worn out by Thursday. Every Wednesday we spend a glorious evening sitting in the car at dance, followed up with a grease filled meal in their carseats from the lucky choosers pick on our way to church.. I have gone back and fourth on whether or not to cut Wednesday night church activities out right now because it is so miserable getting there but they love them. So I motor along. Driving through the city at a snails pace to get us there, 15 minutes late every week, running 4 kids in like a crazy person, Bella in dance clothes, Will galloping down the hall to soak up every second of choir he can.
This past week, we were under a severe thunderstorm warning. It took me 35 minutes to drive the usual 15 minute drive because lets face it no one knows how to drive in the rain anyway. Especially if you live in the state of Alabama where a single drop of rain might as well equal an all out monsoon. So I'm 15 minutes into the drive and we still have about 15 minutes and 10 miles to go, and think, lets just go home. Wednesdays are seriously a long day for us. "Nooooo.. we love church, we have to go. We don't care if it's raining. We'll just be late, we're always late. No one cares." Sure. So we truck on, we arrive 10 minutes later than our normal 15. We get home late.
The kids are even grumpier this morning. They argue over breakfast. Over syrup. It's a hot commodity if you live here. Every single one of the children I gave birth to fight over who gets to sit with the syrup bottle in front of them at breakfast. A syrup bottle, it's like the pirates lost treasure chest or something. And then the real battle begins..getting Will ready for school. He doesn't like to get ready for school and on Thursdays it is harder than normal. He actually only has one easy day - Wednesday - when I tell him he is racing Miss Tonya and he better win :)
So this particular Thursday, he actually is in a good mood. He could care less about syrup, he's eating cereal. He brushes his teeth first, manages to find both of his socks and decides he doesn't need to gallop around the house like the Duke. He simply gets dressed. ah-mazing. He brings me his sneakers and I tie them. By some small miracle, Will is ready first. At 6:45. He is so proud of himself. I can hardly believe it... I didn't have to argue or beg him one time to get ready for school. I am so proud of him I told him he can have a surprise because he is ready for school first.
I move my attention to the grumpier old daughters that are currently fighting over a hairbrush and who is actually the owner of the flashlight that isn't going to school with us today. I ask Will to get his coat and get ready to get in the car. note..It was over 70 degrees here last week and I was talking about his windbreaker lying right by his backpack. We go to get in the car and Will is wearing his Northface jacket that was hanging on the coat wrack. The coat wrack is now literally hanging from the two holes in my wall.
I quietly asked Will, Did you jump up to get your coat? He said, You told me to get my coat mommy and I wanted you to be proud of me. I am ready first today. Do I still get my surprise? and I responded, you sure do buddy and it looks like Daddy does too when he gets home..
Our children learn to react to situations from watching us react. Sometimes as a parent it is best to pick our battles..
The kids are worn out by Thursday. Every Wednesday we spend a glorious evening sitting in the car at dance, followed up with a grease filled meal in their carseats from the lucky choosers pick on our way to church.. I have gone back and fourth on whether or not to cut Wednesday night church activities out right now because it is so miserable getting there but they love them. So I motor along. Driving through the city at a snails pace to get us there, 15 minutes late every week, running 4 kids in like a crazy person, Bella in dance clothes, Will galloping down the hall to soak up every second of choir he can.
This past week, we were under a severe thunderstorm warning. It took me 35 minutes to drive the usual 15 minute drive because lets face it no one knows how to drive in the rain anyway. Especially if you live in the state of Alabama where a single drop of rain might as well equal an all out monsoon. So I'm 15 minutes into the drive and we still have about 15 minutes and 10 miles to go, and think, lets just go home. Wednesdays are seriously a long day for us. "Nooooo.. we love church, we have to go. We don't care if it's raining. We'll just be late, we're always late. No one cares." Sure. So we truck on, we arrive 10 minutes later than our normal 15. We get home late.
The kids are even grumpier this morning. They argue over breakfast. Over syrup. It's a hot commodity if you live here. Every single one of the children I gave birth to fight over who gets to sit with the syrup bottle in front of them at breakfast. A syrup bottle, it's like the pirates lost treasure chest or something. And then the real battle begins..getting Will ready for school. He doesn't like to get ready for school and on Thursdays it is harder than normal. He actually only has one easy day - Wednesday - when I tell him he is racing Miss Tonya and he better win :)
So this particular Thursday, he actually is in a good mood. He could care less about syrup, he's eating cereal. He brushes his teeth first, manages to find both of his socks and decides he doesn't need to gallop around the house like the Duke. He simply gets dressed. ah-mazing. He brings me his sneakers and I tie them. By some small miracle, Will is ready first. At 6:45. He is so proud of himself. I can hardly believe it... I didn't have to argue or beg him one time to get ready for school. I am so proud of him I told him he can have a surprise because he is ready for school first.
I move my attention to the grumpier old daughters that are currently fighting over a hairbrush and who is actually the owner of the flashlight that isn't going to school with us today. I ask Will to get his coat and get ready to get in the car. note..It was over 70 degrees here last week and I was talking about his windbreaker lying right by his backpack. We go to get in the car and Will is wearing his Northface jacket that was hanging on the coat wrack. The coat wrack is now literally hanging from the two holes in my wall.
I quietly asked Will, Did you jump up to get your coat? He said, You told me to get my coat mommy and I wanted you to be proud of me. I am ready first today. Do I still get my surprise? and I responded, you sure do buddy and it looks like Daddy does too when he gets home..
Our children learn to react to situations from watching us react. Sometimes as a parent it is best to pick our battles..
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
our new normal
1. I know that eventually we will be able to talk on the phone without crying. We will be able to hang up the phone without crying. The tears will just stop.
2. I know that some days they really do just want their daddy. And when they hold on to the Daddy dolls like a life preserver, it's the next best thing.
3. Two more Daddy dolls are on the way but you can't overnight or Express ship those things because every other kid requesting a Daddy doll wants it for the same reason we do. I should have invented those things.
4. Every day I will choose joy. Some days it will be harder than others but I will choose joy. At the end of this, I will not have sad, bitter children.
5. The one thing I know without a doubt, my children know sacrifice. They know service. They know courage. They know honor. They will be proud.
They know these first hand more than some adults will ever know.
6. On week one day, day one, our car battery died. The kids were loaded in the van, ready to head to dance and straight to church. We weren't going anywhere. I pushed the van out in the driveway, with Sammy steering and her mom helping. The battery was so dead it couldn't even be jumped. I hitched a ride to buy a new battery while Sammy watched the kids and her dad came over to change it in the freezing cold.
7. On day 1, reduex, the vacuum cleaner died. If this didn't happen every.single.time I would probably cry. I actually laughed. It happens every time. I can now fix vacuum cleaners and jump car batteries. Pretty soon I will be a mini electrician and a plumber.
8. People ask what they can do to help. When someone starts puking here, that's when you can help. Jason handles all the puke.
9. The kids are fighting less than I thought. They are all very excited to help each other out and help me do things. The girls actually enjoy getting Drew dressed in the morning.
10. Sometimes people come out of no where to help you. To bring you coffee, to hug you when you when you need it most, to say nothing when that's what you need to hear, to laugh at with you when you flush markers down toilets, to stand in your driveway in the pitch black to change a battery, to feed you cheeseburgers. We are blessed beyond measure and I thank God for all of you.
2. I know that some days they really do just want their daddy. And when they hold on to the Daddy dolls like a life preserver, it's the next best thing.
3. Two more Daddy dolls are on the way but you can't overnight or Express ship those things because every other kid requesting a Daddy doll wants it for the same reason we do. I should have invented those things.
4. Every day I will choose joy. Some days it will be harder than others but I will choose joy. At the end of this, I will not have sad, bitter children.
5. The one thing I know without a doubt, my children know sacrifice. They know service. They know courage. They know honor. They will be proud.
They know these first hand more than some adults will ever know.
6. On week one day, day one, our car battery died. The kids were loaded in the van, ready to head to dance and straight to church. We weren't going anywhere. I pushed the van out in the driveway, with Sammy steering and her mom helping. The battery was so dead it couldn't even be jumped. I hitched a ride to buy a new battery while Sammy watched the kids and her dad came over to change it in the freezing cold.
7. On day 1, reduex, the vacuum cleaner died. If this didn't happen every.single.time I would probably cry. I actually laughed. It happens every time. I can now fix vacuum cleaners and jump car batteries. Pretty soon I will be a mini electrician and a plumber.
8. People ask what they can do to help. When someone starts puking here, that's when you can help. Jason handles all the puke.
9. The kids are fighting less than I thought. They are all very excited to help each other out and help me do things. The girls actually enjoy getting Drew dressed in the morning.
10. Sometimes people come out of no where to help you. To bring you coffee, to hug you when you when you need it most, to say nothing when that's what you need to hear, to laugh at with you when you flush markers down toilets, to stand in your driveway in the pitch black to change a battery, to feed you cheeseburgers. We are blessed beyond measure and I thank God for all of you.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Ten on Tuesday - combined
1. Well we have managed to survive another year of funrun fundraising at our house.. barely. I am totally serious when I say that Bella is like living with the Kirby salesman during the week of the funrun. And in all seriousness, I would almost rather roll the dice with the door to door salesman. At least I know at some point he is leaving..
2. After gathering her pledges, I sent Bella to school with a word of caution one day. "This is it. Do not come home again asking me to call anyone else asking for anymore money. I don't care what they tell you, this is what I'm telling you." My friend tells me that they are like frat boys of fundraising and she isn't kidding because wouldn't you know my sweet obedient 6 year old walked in the door and said they told her she needed just one more pledge. Next year the week prior to the funrun you can find us at the beach. Or maybe Disneyworld..
3. Isabella entered a Christmas card contest at Poppy's plant three weeks ago. She had to draw a Christmas scene on an 8x10 sheet of paper and the contest was for anyone from three to ten years of age. We found out she got 2nd place!! She was so excited!!
4. We packed up our Halloween candy and took it to Mr. Rowe and his fireman this week. Will decided that the firemen could eat on their way to save the people in the fires and if you've been reading long enough, you know there is nobody better than Mr. Rowe as far as Will is considered.
5. To make Will's day even better, Mr. Rowe brought Will his very own fireman shirt. We can barely get it off of him. Mr. Rowe really hung the moon now..
6. Today at school our CD player didn't work. I told my kids I would have to sing our morning songs rather than listen to the CD like usual. One of my little boys said "Oh no that's terrible" I asked him what was wrong and he said, "well you can't sing but you sure are pretty". I love my job and the honesty of kids. They always make me laugh!!
7. My parents closed on their house last week. Yay!! So nice to have them less than five minutes away from us. We went over as soon as Bella got off of the bus today to take dinner and help with unpacking... so fantastic.
8. The kids went with my parents to Indiana for a Christmas party this weekend. They had a fabulous time and loved taking a road trip with Nene and Poppy.
9. Will sang in the choir performance before church on Sunday. I have to give it to him, he looked so cute singing and dancing up there. We were so proud of him!
10. Bella finally lost her top front tooth last week. It was literally just hanging on waiting to fall out. So disgusting. Last Thursday night, I told her it needed to come out and she finally just pulled it out with her bath towell. Finally!
2. After gathering her pledges, I sent Bella to school with a word of caution one day. "This is it. Do not come home again asking me to call anyone else asking for anymore money. I don't care what they tell you, this is what I'm telling you." My friend tells me that they are like frat boys of fundraising and she isn't kidding because wouldn't you know my sweet obedient 6 year old walked in the door and said they told her she needed just one more pledge. Next year the week prior to the funrun you can find us at the beach. Or maybe Disneyworld..
3. Isabella entered a Christmas card contest at Poppy's plant three weeks ago. She had to draw a Christmas scene on an 8x10 sheet of paper and the contest was for anyone from three to ten years of age. We found out she got 2nd place!! She was so excited!!
4. We packed up our Halloween candy and took it to Mr. Rowe and his fireman this week. Will decided that the firemen could eat on their way to save the people in the fires and if you've been reading long enough, you know there is nobody better than Mr. Rowe as far as Will is considered.
5. To make Will's day even better, Mr. Rowe brought Will his very own fireman shirt. We can barely get it off of him. Mr. Rowe really hung the moon now..
6. Today at school our CD player didn't work. I told my kids I would have to sing our morning songs rather than listen to the CD like usual. One of my little boys said "Oh no that's terrible" I asked him what was wrong and he said, "well you can't sing but you sure are pretty". I love my job and the honesty of kids. They always make me laugh!!
7. My parents closed on their house last week. Yay!! So nice to have them less than five minutes away from us. We went over as soon as Bella got off of the bus today to take dinner and help with unpacking... so fantastic.
8. The kids went with my parents to Indiana for a Christmas party this weekend. They had a fabulous time and loved taking a road trip with Nene and Poppy.
9. Will sang in the choir performance before church on Sunday. I have to give it to him, he looked so cute singing and dancing up there. We were so proud of him!
10. Bella finally lost her top front tooth last week. It was literally just hanging on waiting to fall out. So disgusting. Last Thursday night, I told her it needed to come out and she finally just pulled it out with her bath towell. Finally!
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