Perfect

Well today was just a great day for about 1,000,007 reasons.  We celebrated my niece's third birthday at my in-laws. I was responsible for providing the entertainment...aka...two horses. :) The kids loved it and the whole party was just wonderful. It made me want children RIGHT NOW.

Ty was off hunting all weekend (or so he calls it), and since we are on opposite shifts I haven't seen him in a month of Mondays. He came home this morning and it was so great to spend the day together. We also started planning our next vacation. This always makes me excited.

The only sad part of my day was having to peel myself away from my cozy little home to come back to work. I did ride my bike to work tonight-- the temperature was just perfect. You know what else was perfect? No leg pain. :)

John 6:27

Square One

Monday 10:30 am: Physical Therapist tells me to start walking and cycling ASAP.
Monday 10:40 am: Walking on trail at Riverbottom. 4.4 miles. 55 minutes. Sidenote: this is my favorite route to train hills. Two runners were training hills that day. Run on.
Monday 11:40 am: Strength session.
Tuesday: Rode bike to gym. Strength training. Rode bike home. 6.60 miles. 38 minutes.
Wednesday 12:05 pm: Spin class.
Wednesday 12:25 pm: Walked out of spin class halfway through in full-on pain. Walked on treadmill for one mile wallowing in self-pity, feeling like I'm back to square one.
_____________________________________________________________________
So maybe I went out a little strong. I should have known spinning was a bad idea. My new plan is to only walk or pool run and do strength training until (if ever) my leg heals.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Shaken

I'm working nights now. Oh yeah I told you that already. I don't even know my own name right now.

I slept through my physical therapy appointment today. I thought I had set my alarm for 2:00, but no dice. The hubs woke me up at 3:45 wondering what the heck I was doing still sleeping. Which I told him was a good question.... dang it....I love physical therapy.

Okay now onto a more serious topic. Since I have been "off running" for quite some time now, I have ample evidence as to the effects not working out has had. Obviously, I have gained a few pounds.
Beyond that:
1. problems sleeping
2. emotional roller-coaster
3. confidence
4. the world is ending

You runners can probably attest to the sleep and emotional stuff. Most of us run for the stress relief and the "high" (and obviously health benefits). The confidence is something I wasn't expecting. I knew from the very beginning of this that there would be a lesson in this trial. My guess was that running has become too important to me and is almost a "false God." While that may be part of it, it also has taught me that I need to find other reasons to be proud of myself than just running.
I have hid behind the shield of running for years, always clinging to it as my differentiating factor.  But...I have noticed I'm mentally slipping in other areas. Self-worth should not be dependant on what I do. Self-worth should be dependant on what's inside. What's inside is God's treasure.

FacePlants

I am beginning this post at 3:18 Friday morning....I am trying to prevent a faceplant into my keyboard as I slosh my way through my second night shift after six months of working days. I am not complaining, just merely commenting on the necessity for toothpicks to hold my eyes open. Anyone?

Not that anything can replace running. I've said that already. Crap. Anyway. Not that anything can replace running, but I have a crush on physical therapy. I love going there. We talk about running for an hour. At any given moment, there are three people working on my leg. Massaging. Asking questions. Icing. Stretching. Asking if I would like my drink on the rocks or blended. You're right. They don't serve drinks there. I know I've already told you all of this about PT. Sorry. Something I haven't told you...one of my therapists says that we might try running in two weeks. Backflips.

Ice. Stretch. Sleep. Overdose on coffee= liferightnow.

I just balanced our checkbook and paid all the bills. Now I want to slam my face into the keyboard on purpose. I joke. Really, I feel so blessed to have both of us working and all our bills paid with a little (sometimes teeny tiny) bit left over. Some people are not so blessed. The Lord has always provided for me. NEVER have I gone without or even close to. Worry about nothing. Pray about everything.

Well, I made it to 3:33.

Anyone ever worked a nightshift?
ME!! I have. :)

What do you do for a living?
I am a police/fire/ems 911 dispatcher

Time Off

The past six days have been nice. I was off work and got some things accomplished.

Over the weekend, I went to visit my granddad as well as partake in the annual Cooper branding.

My granddad is 80 years old. He is the kind of man who is soft spoken and does not speak often. So, when he talks, you listen. It was pretty special this time. It was just the two of us for most of the weekend. We chatted endlessly. This is most likely a product of him spending most of his time alone, but I don't care. I ate it up. I learn so much about my family every time we are together. I could stay with him forever.
While at the ranch, I discovered some cherries in the freezer. I turned them into this:

Cooper Brand

I got to thinking about how much I love to bake, and to me a bag of flour must be like a blank canvas is to an artist. So full of possibility, yet so predictable and full of comfort.

I got home early Sunday in time to go to church with my girl Brittani. We had a girls day full of lunching, shopping, and of course, the Hunger Games. Being true to my procrastinating self, I had to "cram" for the movie. I read the majority of the first book Saturday night-- I have no idea how late I stayed up. Judging by my dark circled eyes the next morning-- it was pretty late.

Our drier went out over the weekend as well. We tried to find a used one, but my husband can hardly live a day without a drier so we moved quick and ended up with a brand new drier AND washer from Home Depot. Now he can wash and dry to his heart's content.

Monday (after much anticipation), my new (physical therapist prescribed) shoes arrived!!! I also got new insoles to support my arch. I will not dive into the injury debacle, but it's safe to say these babies are going to stay parked in the closet for at least another month. The agony!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brooks PureFlow

Workout wise, I have been trouble finding a groove. I have dabbled in many different things trying to find something to replace running. It just isn't going to happen. I have started doing Jillian workouts at the gym-- these are good and make me feel like I am accomplishing something.

Random: my little tiny lilac bush has buds on it!! Oh the joy! My favorite flower in the whole world-- and I get to have them in my very own yard!!