What Biking 100 Miles in the Desert Taught Me About Life

I don't have to be the best at something in order to feel accomplished.

I have more strength and endurance in me then I knew. Physically, emotionally, spiritually.

Good friends are incredibly important in life.

A sense of humor goes a long way.

Sometimes a hill is steep enough and big enough that it seems impossible to climb when looking at it from the bottom. But you can get all the way up by focusing on doing everything you can right in front of you. Little by little will get you to the top of any challenge.

Rescuing others (including children) because something is hard does nothing for them. Believing in the fact that they can do it and letting them struggle to do so instills confidence and empowers them.

I can do hard things.

Sleep is better when the day's work is harder.

If I don't hold on too tight or try to control the bike so much, the ride is incredibly more fun. Let go in life and roll with what comes your way...even if it seems hard or scary or there is a possibility of getting hurt.

What you look at and pay attention to is always where you end up going.

The ups and downs are what make the ride fun.

Things in life are relative. The fact that I felt cleaner after an oh-so-quick dip in a dirty river is a testament to that.

There really is beauty all around. Sometimes I get so focused on the task at hand that I just forget to look. Taking the time to do that changes everything.

Proper nutrients are essential to having the strength to finish. Without them one simply runs out of gas. True physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

I'm so glad I have someone as supportive, understanding, patient, loving and encouraging standing by me in life.

Thanks Dave for an amazing weekend! And for taking all the photos!

Little Thomas, Big Thomas

The only thing little Thomas wanted for his birthday was a "choo-choo balloon." And I wanted to make sure that any wish he had came true on his special day.

We went to the party store and ordered up a choo-choo balloon. When I tied it around his wrist he could hardly contain himself as he jumped up and down squealing, "Choo-choo balloon, choo-choo balloon!"

I could hardly contain my bittersweet feelings as I watched the last few hours of my baby's official "babyhood" slip through the hour glass of time.

We got back in the car and I just couldn't take it off his wrist and try to explain that I wasn't taking it away from him. So we all piled in...Thomas, Hanna, myself and Thomas the Train aka Choo-choo Balloon. I got on the freeway and started hearing some quiet fussing which quickly turned into a full blown cry.

When I asked him what was wrong I got a, "Choo-choo balloon...SCARED!" I reached back and pulled the balloon towards me but it was tied to his arm. So I held it as far away from him as I could until I could pull over and take it off of him and put it in the front seat.

All the way to Christian's school he kept whimpering, "Choo-choo balloon. Scared." He told Christian all about it when he joined us and kept on talking about it until I pulled over again and put the darn Choo-choo balloon in the trunk. When I pulled it out and put it up to my face, I was a bit alarmed myself to see Big Thomas staring back at me. Freaky, isn't it?! No wonder he was scared!

All ended well though as we celebrated his big day. He waited at the door for his Dad to get home so we could eat his favorite meal...spaghetti and meatballs (although he just eats the meatballs and uses the noodles to make mustaches for himself).

Then we sang Happy Birthday and he enjoyed his cake frosting & ice cream and his gifts.

I felt my heart ache just a bit to see my little guy grow into a new phase, but I couldn't be happier at who he's becoming. I adore him in every way.

Happy Birthday Thomas!

Soul

"Our souls are written in our eyes." - Author Unknown

If I'm quick, every once in a while I can freeze fleeting moments like these when she is still and lets me look in. Thankfully. Because I want to remember her like this forever.

Catching up

...with life. After I got over my cold I went out of town and since I've back I've been getting on top of things - everyday life, laundry (how does this multiply exponentially everyday?!) and catching up on some editing. I'm starting to feel like I'm getting my groove back.

If you've emailed me I am catching up on that today and tomorrow (promise I'm not ignoring you!).

This is what I've been working on...

"Every child begins the world again."

Henry David Thoreau

Sick Around Here

Just last week I had the thought that we hadn't really gotten sick this winter. Bad mistake! Within a couple of days I got a sore throat, then the body aches, horrible headaches, congestion. I spent all day Sunday in bed sleeping off and on. I felt on the mend on Monday until about 4 p.m. and then spent most of the afternoon on the couch yesterday. Blah. Hopefully I'm over the worst of it.

I just wanted to get on today and share this quote I saw on Ali Edward's blog. I love it. I was just telling Dave the other night that for so long I was living with the anticipation of knowing what was next for us...what our future held. He applied to medical school in our early years of marriage and when that didn't work out we spent the next couple of years finding our way in the career world. I was always wondering what we would end up doing. As I told him, I got very used to living that way and it's easy for me to slip back into that kind of thinking even though there's no reason to. It seems for me that I have to make the conscious decision to live in the NOW. It doesn't come very naturally to me.

For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin -
real life.

But there was always some obstacle in the way,
something to be gotten through first,
some unfinished business,
time still to be served,
a debt to be paid.

At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.
This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness.

Happiness is the way.

So treasure every moment you have and remember that
time waits for no one.

- Souza

Treasuring moments...
An early spring picnic. Still a bit windy and cool, but sunshiney and happy.