Running Chatter

I think about what I’m going to write in this space often.  All throughout my day something will happen or someone will say something or a thought will occur and I think to myself, I will have to blog about that.   As quickly as the thought comes the idea gets filed in my imaginary file cabinet labled  “Things That Need to be Blogged”.  The file cabinet grows and grows while I do the best I can just to keep up with our daily lives.  I often think I’ll write about that when I have more time to sit or I’ll write about that when I have some quiet time and I’m less tired. (ha!)

Someday, I hope to crack that file cabinet open and begin to sort through the thoughts and ideas.  Today, however, is not that day.  Today I’m feeling light.  Today, my head is full of chatter. 

Thus, a Friday Running Chatter. . .

1.  Healing

Do you remember a few weeks ago when I talked about injuring my foot?  Oh, on the outside I tried to play it cool.  But my insides were different.  In my mind I knew I was finished.  I saw myself once again sitting on the sidelines during my favorite time of year to run.  I slipped ever so slightly into a mild depression while I spit at my foot and cursed my will for not, as John Mayers says, being bigger than my body gives me credit for. 

Then one day I looked at my running log and realized I’d run almost 200 miles over the recommended 500 miles on my shoes.  So, after laying off for two weeks and replacing  my worn out shoes. . .

. . . I’m back at it.

Rock. And. Roll.

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2. 365-Project

Today, I took my 305th picture for this project.  I must say that I’m sad to see it coming to an end.  More than anything this project has helped me to find the beauty in the every day. 

Sixty days to go!

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3.  Chopped

I chopped all my hair off.  This is the shortest it’s ever been.  I’m thinking next time I’ll go shorter.  Does this mean I’m getting old? 

My best friend in high school and I used to talk about how we were never going to cut our hair.  We would dream about being in our 60s or 70s and running through the streets with long silver pony tails. 

Nice idea, right?

Not according to my SIL who cuts my hair.  Apparently my excess of hair overwhelms my small frame. There will be no long silver pony tail for me.

Sidenote:  Taking the picture reminded me of the self-portrait project that I have neglected.  Perhaps I’ll have to revisit that next year.  One thing at a time, Summer.

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4.  Impromptu

Monday night I got a text. . . We’re doing a bonfire and S’mores. . . I know it’s late, no pressure.

The text came from Lisa.  Too late?  Ha!  Our car was pulling out of the driveway in about 7 seconds.

Friends like this are a rare find. Friends with whom you just do life together.  When the lines of friends and family blur because that’s what we are. . . we are family.  Babies are passed through loving hands and children are raised knowing that family truly does extend beyond blood.

It is a good thing we aren’t blood, though.  These two. . . well, let’s just say I think I know who my son-in law will be.

The entire evening they jumped on the trampoline, ran across the yard, rested side by side in chairs.  It was quite the scene.  Nothing beat the conversation we overheard as they walked across the lawn and Chanelle tried to hold Joshua’s hand.

Joshua quickly pulled his hand away and explained to Chanelle, I can’t do that until I’m 17.

True story.

(I realize that someday she will hate me for telling that story. . . and then a few years later she will she will tell a similar story about her child–it’s a rite of passage, right?)

I love how these stories write themselves. There is no planning or obsessing over the details. . .it’s just letting life unfold as it will and the end result turns into something that you want to tell and retell for years to come.

That’s what I call a good night.

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5.  Boys

You know the saying. . . “boys will be boys”.  Well, it’s true.  As I’m sure all of us are aware, even when men become men. . . they are still boys.

You don’t believe me?  Well, I have an example.  Let’s take my man boy, Chad.  He has a great sense of humor.  And when you get Chad with a friend, well that sense of humor tends to get out of hand. 

My latest evidence came this morning when I uploaded all my latest photos from my memory card.  It seems that while I wasn’t looking Chad and Joel thought it would be fun to take my camera and take an obnoxious amount of pictures of themselves. 

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I have a sense of humor, as well.  I laughed as I deleted countless numbers of funny faces and especially the 30 pictures of Chad in the same pose.  Really, I laughed.

Boys will be boys, right? 

Well, what boys should understand is that women are also girls and boys really shouldn’t mess with girls.  You just won’t win.  Especially when that girl has a blog and can publish said photos for all the world to see.

Boys, you just shouldn’t mess with girls. 

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6.  Water Table

How I ever survived Charlie and Chanelle’s baby years without one of these, I will never know.  Girlfriend loves it.  Loves it.  If you are one of the three people in the world that don’t have one. . . you must get one. 

That’s all.

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7.  Meadow

She is 8.5 months.  She has almost been in the world longer than I carried her in my womb.  I’d by lying if I said there isn’t a bit of sadness knowing that.  Moving from one season to the next is never something I do without a few tears.  Still, she is far more fun in the light than she ever was tucked tightly in my belly.

She is crawling now.  She smiles a lot.  And my favorite thing?  She says mamamamamamamamamam.  Now, whether or not she knows she saying I do not know.  I prefer to believe she does. 

She’s advanced, too.  Really. . . sometimes I think I have a teenager. 

She’s got the you’re so lame, Mom eye roll down pat.

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8.  Joy in a Bloom

My supervisor lives in a town about 25 minutes from my house.  I drive a sparsely traveled back country road when I see her.  Several weeks ago I was traveling that road when something spectacular caught my eye.

I am a sucker for yellow by itself.  Yellow in bloom?  Well, that downright perfection.  And let me tell you there isn’t just one sunflower.  There is a field of them.

Without fail, each time I travel this road I must stop to take in these pretty little flowers.  As if there is a magnetic force in the field my car veers to the side of the road and I take a moment to capture these beauties.

It is impossible to stand before these and not smile.

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So there you have it.  So many thoughts tucked in a file cabinet until another day, but the Chatter continues.  If you’ve made it this far. . . give yourself a pat on the back.

Have a wonderful weekend, Friends.

Chatter, Out.