A weekend full of "M's"...

Becky, me and Mom before I left to go get on a shuttle. They are both such blessings in my life!!!


My Relay Team 4:13 after Tamara finished the last leg. Tara, me, Tamara, Kayln and Kristi.

I started this post first thing Monday morning, but am just now getting around to posting about my weekend in Oklahoma City, OK.

Mom and I drove in after work Friday evening and met Lyndi for dinner at BJ's. It was yummy! Afterwards, we ran to Target before meeting Becky at her apartment. Mom and I have both had this allergy/congestion/sinus mess so I wanted to take care of my body prior to our run Sunday morning.

Saturday we got up and around and went to Ulta and then the mall first thing for manicures and pedicures. I am pretty sure I had not had a pedicure since the end of September. (I'm a little insecure about my ugly toenails that I lost after my half marathon. They've grown back, but they are less than attractive!) Afterwards, we headed downtown to meet up with my relay team at the race expo. I got a sweet new running outfit by Brooks (I got the full top, not just the sports bra. Maybe some day be comfortable in running in just a sports bra, but probably not!) and some Forze bars that I absolutely love! (I like the Cranberry Nut best.)

We went our separate ways after the expo and Mom, Becky and I went ate lunch at In the Raw and then walked through the Arts Festival downtown. If you've never been and live in the area, it's really neat. We watched some quality belly dancing. Those women are quite inspiring! *See the video of them at the bottom of this post!!!* We heard some wonderful jazz music and were able to see some one of a kind pieces that were truly spectacular! I think we got just about every item on our "to do" list for the weekend checked off. We all met back up for dinner at the tasty Macaroni Grill after a trip to Samuel Gordon's to get my rings cleaned and ogle some beautiful jewelry and having blown through the mall.

Although, we made it in early for the night, I COULD NOT SLEEP. I wasn't nervous or uncomfortable or anything else, I just could not for the life of me fall asleep! But, when our alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. I was up. I had some hot tea and a little granola with some Greek yogurt and we headed downtown. I owe Becky a HUGE thank you! She was phenomenal this weekend and we couldn't have gotten by without her. She chauffeured us around the entire time and got us exactly where we needed to be when we needed to be there! We picked up my relay team at their hotel and she drove us as close to the start as we could get. If you've never experienced a race like some of the larger marathons, you should really look into it. They have distances from 5k to the full 26.2 miles and people walking, pushing strollers to an actual wheelchair marathon. The race began at the OKC Memorial Museum before daylight of course. I always get so emotional just due to the atmosphere of these races. There are people with pictures pinned on their backs "In Memory", people who run with prosthetics, like one lady who had a prosthetic leg who pushed a girl in a wheelchair while running the entire marathon. When you witness those moments, it's hard to not break down. It reminds you of how truly grateful you should be for your life, your health and those around you.

Another Day by Natalie Grant pretty sums up every thing I felt/feel when running.

Been driving through the night I pull up and see the lights This is the place that I call home I watch you as you sleep Think of all you mean to me

Touch your face Kiss you softly Before I go to sleep pray under the stars Search my soul and check my heart And thank God for

Another day Another chance to love the ones I love To find my way To laugh, to dance Watch the sun come up Another day I get to live As if Every breath could be the last I take I get another day

I've got a hand that I can hold Someone who knows my soul A safe place to lay my head at night So why do I forget How much I've been blessed in life Forget what means the most to me As I'm waking up I feel my beating heart So grateful that I've come this far And thank God for[Chorus] To make somebody smile Go the extra mile Take a wrong and make it right And try to touch somebody's life

I get another day.....

Inspiration from a friend...

One of my friends in blog land recently posted about faith. She is a fabulous, God-fearin' farm chick and she definitely has a way with words. Check out Nezzy when you get a chance. Her latest post inspired me to share this little diddy I received in an e-mail not long ago, but it hangs on the wall by my desk as a daily reminder...

Drinkin' from My Saucer

I've never made a fortune, and it's probably too late now. But I don't worry about that much, I'm happy anyhow. And as I go along life's way, I'm reaping better than I sowed. I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed. Haven't got a lot of riches, and sometimes the going's tough But I've got loving ones all around me, and that makes me rich enough.

I thank GOD for his Blessings, and the Mercies HE's bestowed. I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed. I remember times when things went wrong, My faith wore somewhat thin. But all at once the dark clouds broke, and the sun peeped through again. So LORD, help me not to gripe, about the tough rows I have hoed. I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed.

If GOD gives me strength and courage, When the way grows steep and rough. I'll not ask for other blessings, I'm already Blessed enough.
And may I never be too busy, to help others bear their loads.. Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed. When I think of how many people in this world have it worse than I do, I realize just how BLESSED WE really are.

Random Ramblings...

Well, it's a rainy Friday here in the Texas panhandle. We don't get many of those so it's kind of nice! It's been an interesting couple of weeks around the 'ol office lately. I met the Lt. Gov. of Texas last week and one of the candidates for governor this morning. Of course, I was running late! I even slept through my morning workout...I must have been tired! My alarm was set for 5 a.m. and I didn't even move until 7 a.m. My workout partner didn't either, though; no harm, no foul, I guess. In the morning we're running a local 10K, but there is a 60% chance of rain so we may get a little wet!

I've been nesting/Spring Cleaning like a pregnant person! I've been through both dressers, both my closets, under our bed and the bed in the extra bedroom and I've been vaccum sealing all the winter clothes I find! I still feel like there should be more space, empty space. I have an entire room full of stuff to give away.

As a few of you know, when Marty and I got married we started with a "4 year family plan". As we draw near to the end of that "plan," I've been doing a lot of research (because I'm Type A and it's what I do). www.babycenter.com is an A-MAZING resource! There is all sorts of useful information to be found there. I am close to reaching one my savings goals and felt so good about that until I read that the first year of a baby's life is estimated to cost almost $10,000! YiKeS! Which leads me to another site that one of my friends clued me in on www.smartcookies.com. It's an online money managing resource that has different calculators, articles and tips geared specifically at women. Thanks, Kristen! It has some great information as well!

Do any of you have online resources similar to either of these that you use on a regular basis??? I might as well have all the information/help I can get! : )

I haven't done a Quotable Friday in awhile so here you go...

"Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me." - Carl Sandburg

I need to take that one to heart!

Happy Friday All! Hope you have a FaBuLoUs weekend!

Birthdays, Babies and Bathing...

I am throwing Marty a 30th suprise party this summer. We are inviting his friends and they're families and I'm wondering, what kind of party favor do you hand out? The theme is SUPER casual, it's going to be in the afternoon. I thought about those edible rocks in cute little pails or maybe little bags of popcorn. I don't know...he has a HUGE sweet tooth so I thought about a candy table, but I want it to be appropriate too, is a candy table ok for a 30th birthday? I'm kind of clueless about those things. Moving on...

We have had SSSOOO many activities lately I feel like I'm running in circles! We had Mandy's Mexican Fiesta a few weeks ago. It was an all girls' celebration. We had yummy food that I think I posted about previously and just a great time in general. I was too busy playing hostess to take pictures, though. Then my we had Keri's baby shower. I guess we're all growing up!

Kristen, Keri's sister and me.

This week we did dinner and movie Tuesday night with couple's for Tamara's birthday. We went and saw The Bounty Hunter. It was REALLY cute!

Tessa and Tamara with her cake.

A group shot. Why I always pose with my hand on my hip...I think I get it from my grandma. Note to self: It looks silly when you're doing it alone!

Ok, I need some more advice/hints/tips/etc. The only grooming I ever do for Tyke is a bath in between his grooming appointments if he's played out in the backyard with Mack, our black lab, or something. But, I got the bright idea to buy him a toothbrush the other day because everything you read says it's important to their health, right??? Well, I read the instructions carefully, and followed them closely...and that was the poorest excuse of teeth brushing I have ever seen. If any of y'all out there in blog land do that for your dogs...could you clue me in? He was thrashing around, getting toothpaste on everything in site. I can imagine what a picture we made. So, from now on, I'm leaving that to the groomer!

Sorry, it's been so long. I feel like there's been too much going on lately. On the work front and otherwise. I'm still training for the marathon relay at the end of the month, but I haven't been getting in the higher mileage that I would like.

This weekend we have turkey hunters coming in so there's not a lot on the agenda other than a little cooking and a long run on Sunday. Hope y'all have a great one!