The Hope Revolution

HOPE 1: to cherish a desire with anticipation2: to expect with confidence  

I really like this idea. Can you be part of the revolution?

In the pre-dawn hours

At 4:59 am this morning it was still dark. Adam and I were sleeping soundly in our warm, cozy, large, puffy blanket filled bed.

At 5:00 am the alarm went off and broke the silent, peaceful slumber I had going.

“Adam, Adam (with a little shake) that’s your alarm, are you going running?”

Turning over onto his stomach, while still asleep, and burying his head deeper into his pillow he said, “I know there is some kind of remote technology for this, I’m trying to figure it out.”

So I just turned off the alarm.

Pssst…I’m still alive!

Thank you to everyone of you who emailed me wondering if I have fallen off the face of the earth. Thank goodness I haven’t and thank you so much for your concern.

It’s funny when life throws you a curve ball or two and catches you off guard. It’s funny because after the initial shock wears off, you can take stock if you choose.

Are you happy?

Should there be a significant change somewhere? If yes, what?

Do you surround yourself with people who love and support you?

Do you let those people know how much you love them?

I could go on and on.

Life is short. No one ever said it was going to be easy, right? And as my mom use to tell me, “what doesn’t kill you, will only make you stronger.”

How many of you have heard that one?

I love this

This You Tube clip put a needed smile on my face today.

Inside

Inside the lilly

Originally uploaded by sellke

Off to a warmer climate for a few days.

Here’s to your inner Lilly, may you find what you need inside.

Race #1…done!

13.1 Finished!

Originally uploaded by sellke

Cheers to Erika and Todd for finishing their first 1/2 marathon! And Courtney, thanks for joining in the fun.

Running is so much more fun with all of you guys around.

Who have you helped get published today?

Have you ever written a book or gotten an article published?  I haven’t.  And until I meet Aimee, I had no idea what the process of book writing even looked like.  

As an avid reader, I just enjoyed books and never even thought about the process behind creating characters, themes, images, subtext, putting it all together, making it all work, then rewriting bits and pieces over and over and over until the “work” really comes together.  It’s an amazing process to learn about. And once all the pieces are in place, then you try to get it published.  

And that my friend’s is were you come in.  

In October, Aimee entered her novel manuscript BEING GOOD ABOUT IT in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition and has made it to the Semi-Finalist Round.  Penguin editors will now select the 100 Finalists, and one of those will receive a standard publishing contract.

BUT, PEOPLE NEED TO WRITE REVIEWS!  

So please…take a few moments to download and read the excerpt from her book, then just go to the bottom of the page and click on “Create your own review” and write away. 

Thanks for your help and enjoy the story, you won’t be disappointed!

And so it shall be

My friend Aimee asked if I had started training yet for the season.  I told her I hadn’t, but that I can feel it coming.  It’s like a train you can hear in the distance, you know it’s coming, you can hear it, you start to feel it and by the time it hits you, it is running on all cylinders and practically knocks you down.

This year’s race schedule is going to be a little different. There seems to be a lot more running. I’m going to blame this on my running group.  Too much time together running makes you think crazy thoughts, like marathons you vowed never to do again. My hope is that with these people, it will be easier, better and maybe even fun.

With all that extra running it could go one of two ways: (1) I am going to have the best season of my life or (2) I will go down in a raging ball of flames.

So here’s what this season looks like:

January:  Securian Frozen Half Marathon

May: Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon

June: Buffalo Triathlon (sprint) & Grandma’s Marathon

July: Life Time Fitness Triathlon (olympic) & Chisago Lakes Half Ironman 

And then I will rest.

Sweet little baby

This past weekend Jen and I were given a three day Stay at Home Mommy Pass.  We left our six kids, two husbands, three cats and two fish behind so we could fly to Boston to meet, in person, Anne Marie and JP’s new sweet little wonder kin…Baby H. 

I’m not allowed to slather the internet with pictures of the most adorable and intelligent child on the plant yet, but soon I am sure, I’ll keep you posted.

It was one of those weekends that fills you up.  One of those moments in time that you cherish because they are so few and far between.  One of those times where friends catch up, sit back, share, and enjoy the new little wonder that is suddenly there sharing your home, your space and every waking moment.

I forgot what that stage looks and feels like.  The sweet smell, the tiniest of noises and squeaks and sighs, the weight and warmth of a sleeping little one that looks so angelic and innocent. At that stage anything at all is possible, dreams are being built and his future is being visualized while his parents gaze into his blue eyes.

And oh yeah…I forgot about the sleepless nights, the questioning and the not knowing what to do next.

How fast the “baby fears” fade and how quickly the new family becomes an agile unit making its very own way down the path of life.

Welcome to the world H, you are one lucky little man.

Sing it loud & proud

Here is PJ’s friend and classmate.  Chinese has never sounded so cute.