You know what’s tough? Training for your first half-marathon.

You know what’s even harder? Training, being totally ready, and confident, and excited, and then getting sick.

Tomorrow was supposed to be race day. Today was supposed to be final “weigh-ins” of the fitness challenge I’ve been doing these past nine weeks, including measurements, strength tests, and a timed mile. I woke up this morning with the fever I had gone to bed with last night, even after a lot of sleep. For the past week or so, I’ve had an eye infection. It’s basically the common cold virus in my eyes, so naturally it comes with several cold symptoms, like swollen lymph nodes and adenoids, sore throat, low-grade fever, stuffy nose, etc. Coincidentally, EK tested positive for strep yesterday (at her well-visit, no less), so she’s sick, too. I asked the pediatrician if there was any chance that I had strep, and he said it was very unlikely I’d have strep at the same time as EKC. So here’s hoping I really don’t have strep, too.

I have to admit, I’m about as disappointed as I could possibly be. I’ve been working so hard, eating well, and I’ve truly been excited about this whole process. I’m discouraged by the last week, and how even eating healthy and trying to get my rest didn’t improve my health enough to make me feel like I could handle it. Even yesterday I was telling myself I could buck up and tough it out through the race tomorrow, but the way I feel this morning, it will take a miracle.

I’ve been asking God why He’s led me along this path far enough to feel like I’d succeed, only to let this happen at the end. I know it might not seem like a huge deal, but it’s been tremendous for me. I feel very discouraged and defeated. I don’t want to be mopey or whiney, but I just can’t get out of the slump I’ve been in the past couple of days. I feel a little like shouting at God and asking why He let this happen at this exact time.

I know I can always run another race. I was ready; I know that if I wanted to I could get ready again. I didn’t really want to be training for a race in the super hot weather, and so if I’m going to do another race, it had better be really soon, even though EKC can last up to 3-6 weeks. That is FOREVER LONG, y’all. A really long time to feel poorly. I’m afraid if I sign up for another race, say, in May, I won’t be all the way better in time to get back up to it. But if I sign up for a mid-summer race, it’ll be terribly hot. My long-term goal was the Run Disney Wine and Dine half-marathon the first weekend in November, but I hate for that to be the first one when I’m pretty much ready now.

Alright, I’m done complaining and ranting. My heart is just hurting, and that’s not even counting actually feeling sick. So if you’re the praying type, say a prayer for my hurting heart (and throat, and head, and eyes) and my body that anxiously awaits that long race I’m dying to run.

Happy Tuesday!! Here are your regular funnies: the late night version! I’ve been working Furniture Market in High Point and have been POOPED when I get off. Very little time for writing, but I couldn’t leave you hanging! Here is a little humor for your Tuesday night.

Getting out of the car at the grocery store…
J: Mom! Did you bring D?
Me: No, he was still sleeping.
J: But mom! He’s my best friend! My brother! But mooooom!

J, trying to get what he wants: Mom, I’m ready for your yes.

At bedtime…
J: But I’m not tiiiiiiired! (Meltdown ensues.)
Me: *turns out lights*
J: *yawn* You’re right; I am tired.

Me, talking about how hungry the kids are: Well, this is actually your second dinner.
J: Well you know what the last dinner is? The last supper.
Me, exchanging a look with Hubby: Whose last supper?
J: Jesus’s!!! (followed by an eyeroll, as in “duh!”)

J: I made a bridge!

J: I have a story for you. *proceeds to tell me “The Night of the Shadowy Racecar” in a whispered voice*

EK accidentally blaspheming as she sang the wrong words: Our God is the liar, the liar of Judah…
Me: No! It’s lion! Not liar. God doesn’t lie.

J: But it’s raining outside. The rain is my friend. Know what the rain’s name is?
Me: What’s the rain’s name?
J: Rainer.
Me: Creative.

J has a tin Batman box that is currently housing his Easter candy.
J: Can I have a special treat from my Batman tinder? (Hubby and I die laughing, because, tinder.)

I know this week was pretty heavy on J’s quotes, but I’m sure the humor from EK will be back in spades next week! Thanks for stopping by!

Why is it that any time my babes have had a horrifically messy poop, it’s when we’re about to leave the house? I know you all know what I’m talking about. You’re getting ready to go somewhere (school, church, out to dinner, whatever) and everyone is pretty much ready to go. You make sure everyone’s shoes are on the right feet, and start shuffling them to the car. You pick up the baby to put him in the carseat and, blerg, you catch a whiff of something horrible as you hoist him into the car. You take a peek back there, and sure enough. He’s pooped. You bribe your other kids into their carseats with promises you don’t intend to keep, and whisk the baby and his smell back into the house.

You get to the changing table and see that even though he’s already pooped once this morning, this second one is NOT a quick little clean up. As you pull off his pants, the poop that was coming out of one leg of the diaper smears all the way to his foot. Great. Now you need to make sure you have a full pack of wipes before you do anything else. Also a trash bag. And something for the baby to hold so he doesn’t play in it.

All the while, you’re cursing every choice you made since you got up this morning. Why didn’t I just get up with my first alarm? Why didn’t I wake the baby up earlier so he could get this crap out of his system before now? Why didn’t I let the kids sleep in the clothes they needed to wear to school? Why didn’t I ask Hubby to change this diaper?! Finally, you’ve used 93 wipes, filled a grocery bag with poop, and thrown away the baby’s pajama pants. You’ve shoved him into shorts and given him a bowl of blueberries to eat in the car, hoping they don’t somehow make it through his system before you get back home. Your big kids are asking, “Where is our special treat for getting buckled in?” and you’re all, “I’ll totally bake brownies for lunch.” so they stop asking.

You’re 15 minutes behind, meaning you have to walk the kids in instead of using the carpool drop off. It’s okay, because your preschool check is late and you left your diaper bag in there last weekend. You’re riding the struggle bus as you drag your sleepy, still hungry kids into the building, hoping you don’t smell like baby poop. You stumble into the preschool director’s office, and flop down on her couch like it’s a therapy session (okay, it kind of is). You tell her about the poop-splosion and your train-wreck of a morning, apologize for losing your statement and ask her how much you even owe that month. She doles out grace and love to you, and says, “Hey, that’s normal. We’re all doing that.” And magically, your morning struggles dissolve and you’re grateful for the community you have.

Hey y’all! Happy Tuesday! Thanks for giving me some grace last week to be a week late. Here are your regular Tuesday funnies – enjoy!

We tell J what we’re doing that day…
J: Well that’s not brand news!

EK, randomly: I always wanted a car that would turn into a boat.

EK to my mom: Quick! Put lipstick on me before mom notices!

I’m on the phone scheduling EK’s 5yo check up…
EK: Mom! Mom! Tell them I don’t want shots. Did you say I don’t get shots this time? Mom?

EK was annoying J…
J: You make me feel… so… punchy!

J’s new song: You know what the rain drops sing? “Christmas time is almost here! We’re the raindrops, the raindrops, the raindrops…”

J: Mom, naptime and bedtime look similar. But naptime is up and down, and bedtime is just down.
Hubby: I think you’re on to something.

J: I’m gonna be a bee that attacks my house! (Bends down and pretends to eat the floor)

J: *hands me mascara* Here you go, Mama. Your eyes are looking a little scratchy.

I go into EK’s room to see if she’s asleep. While I’m leaning over the bed giving kisses and I love yous, I feel something touch my foot.
Me: J, is that you?! What are you doing under EK’s bed?!
J: I just wanted to sleep with EK.
Me: Um. Cute. But no.

Randomly when he woke up one morning, J: Baymax was naked. Hahaha. (From Big Hero 6)

New name-calling: Jerk butt. Jerk nut. Poop butt. See the theme?

D’s current obsession is knowing where everyone is: Whess Daddy? Whess Joe Joe? Whess Kay Kay?

What have your kids been saying recently?

APRIL! Holy moly. I can’t believe it’s here. Easter, EK’s birthday, spring break… all those things are upon us! It seems that the spring is flying, when I feel like it should be just starting. But that’s been my entire 2017, actually. Hmm. Anyway, lots has been going on, and will continue through probably the end of the school year. I don’t know how we manage to stay so busy, but time is flying. I looked at my youngest babe the other day and thought, “How did I miss that you got so big?” I think it about all of them at least once a week, if not daily.

Here is a little bit about what we are up to currently.

Accomplishing || I’m doing pretty well in my half-marathon training so I feel very accomplished! Saturday I ran 11 miles, and my knees did not completely crumble like I thought they might! I’ve been taking a supplement for my joints, and trying to stretch and foam roll a lot to prevent the tightness that makes injuries more common, since my knees are sore at best if I run longer than 5 miles or so. It takes a day or two to get back to normal, too, which is a bummer.

Feeling || the pressure of my training getting more intense. I’m sore, and mentally I’m starting to psych myself out about running so far. I’ve been building up my running playlist (I’m going to post about that this week!) and that’s definitely helping. I also used my first gel energy pack on Sunday (my 11-miler), and I feel like it worked, but I may try a different one this weekend, which just means I need to make it to the store to buy them! I also had unfortunate chafing (I know, lovely topic, right?) where my arms rubbed against my sides the entire time, so my runner friend gifted me some Body Glide to try. I feel legit now, ha!

Needing || a couple of new workout tops, which I just got at Costco! They were only $9.99 each, and perfect for hot weather: looser than most, breathable, and long enough to cover my long torso. Winning! The other thing I need to go is get back in the routine of wearing sunscreen. I always wear lotion with sunscreen on my face, but when I sweat, I wipe my face a lot, and then it’s basically gone. Tis the season for being outside a lot, wearing less clothes, and I’ve already gotten my first redness from not wearing it. The hard part is that I absolutely HATE the smell and feel of real sunscreen (as in, not lotion with a little spf but REAL sunscreen that actually protects your skin). It’s a mental battle for me: I know I need it, but I just don’t want it. Here goes: sunscreen it up, springtime!

Practicing || keeping myself scheduled and healthy and ready for a workout wherever I can grab it. That means eating really well as often as I can, drinking lots of water (my goal this week is 100 ounces a day) and basically living in workout clothes. But sometimes I can’t get everything I need/want to do in a day done in one workout; I have to get the 3-mile run in at a different time than the weights. I’m sweaty (or dried up from being sweaty) all day, and that’s basically gross. But I’m HEALTHY and I have trimmed up, and I’m actually doing this whole long-distance running thing. I am HAPPY!

Pinning || some healthy recipes. They mostly include snacks or sweets, since those are what I need help with. I like to have something healthy to kill my munchies, satisfy my sweet tooth, or something that I can grab and go in a hurry for either breakfast or a snack on my way out. Check out my Pinterest boards to see them!

Sorry that this post was all about my training, but it’s pretty much consuming my life right now. Ha! I’m doing other things too, like a shrimp boil with our friends!

And playground time!

And gardening!

So you can see I’m not just running 24/7!!

What are you up to currently?