Success

100 + miles of training, running in the rain, advice from Wendy, and innumerable laps around the track all tried to prepare me for THIS:

It all began on a cold, a very cold morning in Moab...

After waiting in line to get on the bus, we finally got on and headed through the canyon.

12.5 ish miles later, we were dropped off to hang around and wait until the race began. Wendy and I chose to spend this hour waiting in one of the many lines to use the porta-potty. I might add that it was freezing~ (not just the "potty"--the weather in general).

After hiking up the hill, we stood around and waited (again) for the race to begin. Finally...it started...and yet....we were still waiting....oh, that's right...waiting for the thousands of others ahead of us to go, so that we, the slower ones in the back, could move.

I will say this...it was exhilarating when we actually crossed the starting line and could see the road ahead of us, winding around, FILLED with racers. I felt part of something BIG, something GREAT.

That lasted for, oh, a mile. ;)

We did really well--considering it was uphill the ENTIRE way (ok, ok, maybe like 85%--but c'mon!) including the huge hill around mile 9! It was all worth it though while we ran to the beating drums, the sounds resonating off the canyon walls, as we left the beautiful, red canyon and headed into town. The drums were huge. They were loud. They were incredible. I was deeply inspired and quite emotional regarding the drums.

This half-marathon was hard; the last two miles were VERY hard. Thank goodness for Wendy and her encouraging words and techniques!

As we made our way to the finish line, I became overwhelmed. So grateful for the experience, for all the training, for all the GU, for my friend, my life, for the race.

After the race, we downed some much needed GATORADE, and spent the weekend hiking (yes, hiking) in Moab. Despite all of the uphills, the sore legs, and the cold weather, it was great. We were successful.

Nervous

I have one word to say....

NERVOUS

nerv·ous

   [nur-vuhs] Show IPA

–adjective

1.

highly excitable; unnaturally or acutely uneasy or apprehensive: to become nervous under stress.

2.

of or pertaining to the nerves: nervous tension.

3.

affecting the nerves: nervous diseases.

4.

suffering from, characterized by, or originating in disordered nerves.

5.

characterized by or attended with acute uneasiness or apprehension: a nervous moment for us

6.

Melanie

That's right....#6. The Moab Half-Marathon is Saturday morning and I am nervous!

Despite my "nervousness"....

• I'll try to think about the positive
• I'll try to anticipate the great tunes
• I WILL think about the inspiration I feel

AND...

• I'll have some "NERVE"

nerve

   [nur-v] Show IPA

–verb

• S: (v) nerve, steel : to get ready for something difficult or unpleasant
• S: (v) heart, mettle, nerve, spunk: the courage to carry on

Nervous v. Nerve

13.1 miles....BRING IT ON!

Surprise!

I've never had a surprise party for my birthday before...I've never had my ears pierced....

SURPRISE!

I got all (plus more) in one day...

Part I:

These cute kids (a handful of girls, the masterminds) decorated while I was at lunch and had some of my favorite things all around the room--I got enough York Peppermint Patties and Whatchamacallit's to last at least an entire year!

It really was cute...Plus--what a great gift of going off-track for 4 weeks!!!

Part II:

I was standing in the kitchen. Wendy's kitchen. Telling her about what the kids at school did for me, waiting to go to the mall. We were going to go look around. We started talking about the cute necklaces with matching earrings one of my student's got me. Somehow getting my ears pierced became part of the conversation--and I hesitantly agreed. What?!!

We got to the mall, and sure enough Wendy didn't let me get away with putting it off any longer...

After I "signed my life away" and asked all the questions there could ever be asked it happened.

Emma was feeling a little jealous...so what the heck, she got her's done too!

(Notice how much braver she is)

Part III:

Leaving the mall in a hurry, due to an errand Wendy had to run for Jeff, we headed to the bowling alley by Provo High School. (Otherwise known as Fat Cats).

Wendy was meeting a guy from Jeff's work to pick up some computer parts he needed. We wandered through the building until we came to Costa Vida (still couldn't find him). She asked if I'd like to eat here and I thought that sounded great! She smiled and kept walking, led me right into a room full of friends from my ward. SURPRISE!!!

(No photos were taken, sadly, but it was a good time, and definitely a surprise!)

Part IV:

As if my birthday hadn't been celebrated enough, I came home to this.

My friend Amy, not only planned the surprise party, but decorated my room.

What an eventful day full of various surprises!

Thanks again everyone :)

A letter

Dear Fellow Runner,

With laced up shoes and high hope for success we begin our run. Some days the success can override the distance, other days it becomes too much.

As my feet hit the pavement and my breathing becomes deeper I turn up the music to drown out the sound. I listen to songs that have a good beat—including Coldplay, Rihanna, and yes….Miley Cyrus. A lot of newer songs, a lot of older songs. Sometimes I hear music that reminds me of the past—and I remember instances, places, conversations.

When the music gets old (because after 6 + miles, it does) I rely on my thoughts to carry me through. What do I think about? Anything. Everything. Sometimes the thoughts are focused and planned. At other times they’re sporadic and jumbled. But I think. Some days I think about how lucky I am to be running, to have time set-aside for myself. Most times, I think about how lucky I am to be running with someone. Someone who pushes just as hard. Someone who gets me going. Someone who has confidence and determination. And I forget. I forget that I am not the only runner. I am not the only one who needs the support. My forgetfulness is careless. I overlook what I should not.

Running is hard. In fact, I think running sucks. But the happiness I feel from accomplishing something hard, and accomplishing that something with someone I appreciate and love is the greatest success.

Thank you for the insight. For the distance, the over-come hurdles, the success. Here’s to the many miles and distance ahead!

Sincerely,

me

P.S. I found this quote…

“Success isn't how far you got,

but the distance you traveled from where you started.”

I think we’ve traveled pretty far.

Hmmm...No

I've been wanting to write this post for a few days now and finally have some time since it's a 3-day-weekend! (shouts of hooray go here)

Being an elementary school teacher has got to be one of THE most entertaining jobs out there. Even though I don't teach kindergarten and I don't get as many random comments...There are a few I'll always remember.

For example, I found myself either thinking, or saying this phrase out loud multiple times this week: Hmmm....No.

• "Miss Fisher! I can't get a drink in the hall. The drinking fountain has run out of water." (Hmmm....No. Drinking fountains don't actually contain just a certain amount of water that eventually runs out.)

• Me, during a science lesson: "Give me some examples of different power sources." 10-year-old girl: "A battery, a generator, a solar...solar...solar system. (Hmmm....No. The solar system contains different planets and does not provide any circuit or flow of electricity. However, a solar CELL does.)

• I require each student in my class to memorize and recite the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. Here is how one particular boy tried to pass off this requirement this week: "We the People of the United States: in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general WARFARE, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." (Hmmm....No. So close, but no. The general warfare is pretty much the complete opposite of the general WELFARE. Needless to say, because I found it humorous...he passed.)

And my favorite one of all...

• We're also learning about the Founding Fathers in school and this was classic! At the end of this particular lesson, to wrap things up, I asked my class to name 3 of the Founding Fathers. One boy, whom usually doesn't participate had his hand raised along with several others...so...naturally, I called on him. (we're suppose to encourage participation as a teacher.) His response: "Washington...Hitler...and....and...Franklin." This boy spoke so softly that no one caught the middle name; it sounded a little like Hamilton (which would be a normal response). I then asked him to repeat the middle name to clarify (drawing attention to it) and he restated, "Hitler." (Hmmm....No. We just spent an hour discussing these men and their importance. Adolf Hitler was not one of them. He didn't actually help establish the United States of America. In fact, Hitler couldn't be further away from these "founding" ideas.) Needless to say, conversations of swastikas and nazis probably occurred during lunch.

Good times.

See? Is there a more entertaining profession? I'm gonna go with.... Hmmm....No!

Favorite Gift

On Friday, I had a student ask me what my favorite Christmas gift this year (2009) was.

When I told him, he just looked at me and asked, "Really?"

(looking confused)

Really.

This is it. My favorite Christmas gift.

The story:

A long time ago, I decided I wanted to make a quilt. Not a "tie-me-together" "cut-the-fleece" kind of a quilt. A real quilt. After finding a pattern, looking through many quilt stores, and trying to find the right colors--I was ready. With the much needed help from Wendy, I cut each piece and sewed them together into squares. I even ironed them.

And that was about it. The squares had been waiting to be put together for quite some time. About 2 years!

So how do I have such a great "put-together" quilt?

My favorite Christmas gift.

Wendy finished it for me and had a friend machine quilt it. The colors are great. The quilting design is awesome, and I love the binding and the fabric on the back.

Getting a quilt for a Christmas gift might sound dull and boring to a 10 year old boy... but it was by far, my favorite!

To see some better photos of it, click here.

Thanks again Wendy :)

Hope

What a great message...