Irises, Crotch What and Hills, Oh my!

Today was the last day of school for my oldest 4, Mr. B was done with preschool at the end of May.  That means that my preschool runs are no more and my options for getting a run in the last 2 weeks consisted of getting up early (just not going to happen when the only one I'm running with is myself), running on the treadmill or squeezing a run in when the kids get home from school.  Needless to say, I exhausted those options and some of my runs have gone by the wayside.  Including one lovely 18 miler that got started on the treadmill and finished at 4 miles...

Today was the last day of school which meant flower and cookie deliveries to the teachers, children beyond excited for summer vacation and children BEYOND tired from end of the year festivities.  By 8:00 this morning I was ready to hide in the bathroom...  I'm not kidding.  While Ella, my sweet, sweet little miss, continued to go on and on and on and on in my ear about something and while the boys wrestled on the family room floor and while the dog tried to join in on the fun, I got up and said, "seriously??  I'm going to loose my ever loving mind!!"  Not one of my finer moments. 

I just wanted to run away. 

Thankfully, the kids were soon loaded up in the car.  Thankfully, I was able to go hug and thank their teachers for a wonderful year.  And, thankfully, I then headed to my friend's salon to get a haircut that she had so wonderfully given me for my birthday.  A haircut that made me feel so much better and then???  She took Mr. B with her so I could head out for a run.  Bliss!

I brushed the cobwebs out of my shoes and laced up for what was to be the 1st run in 6 days.  I can't remember the last time I took 6 days off.  And, while this wasn't a planned stretch of rest, I'm sure that, in some way, my body benefited from it.  That's what I'm holding onto anyway :)

I headed out from my house and decided to try a new route.  The plan was to run 7 easy miles.  I had driven my intended route once and thought it looked like a beautiful, slightly hilly run.  Funny how it's not until you actually run on a route that the hills seem more monstrous than beautiful.  All I could do was laugh at myself!

About 1 mile into the uphill battle I stopped to catch my breath.  My heart was pounding and I bent over a bit thinking that I might just puke that heart right up.  I texted my sweet friend, smiled, laughed out loud and headed on my way.  The thought that I was almost to the top kept me going.  When I rounded the corner to find another steep little bit, I took a picture, texted, laughed and decided I would turn around at the top of that hill.  However, because I am who I am, I saw a slight downhill after that uphill and thought it looked like fun, which lead me around the corner and up and down again all the way to my turn around.

As I headed down the hill, my focus turned to the trees, flowers and creeks.  It was gorgeous!!!  Purple Irises lined the road, the creeks babbled, the trees moved in the breeze and there, flowing through the air, was crotch what.  WHAT??

Last year I was browsing Facebook and just about peed myself when my friend said something about crotch what in her status update.  Excuse me, what???  She said what???  My dear friend had become the victim of auto correct on her phone.  Her update was actually supposed to talk about the cottony fluff from the trees that had her allergies acting up.  Cottony fluff/crotch what, I can see how the phone could get that wrong :)  That update had me laughing and then later, it blessed me more than I could ever have imagined.

Weeks later, as we drove to my brother's house, my mom called.  I was not prepared for the words that came out of her mouth, "hospice says he has 2 weeks."  I sobbed, hung up the phone and looked out the window.  As we drove through the beautiful gorge, cottony fluff floated dreamily through the air.  The sun causing them to have that fairy like glow.  I started laughing.

Crotch what!

God used my friend's little embarrassment on Facebook to make me laugh out loud.  Giggling.  Crying.  Heartbroken.  Blessed.

He didn't make it 2 weeks.  He made it 5 more days.  He hadn't passed yet as we headed home.  We knew it would be soon and we knew we'd be back again soon.  As we drove through the Gorge, yet again, my phone rang.  And, yet again, the words made my heart ache.  "He's gone."  I hung up and cried as the song, "I Will Rise" played so perfectly on the radio.  And then, my reminder that God loves me so, floated through the air.  Crotch what/cottony fluff.  Like fairies in the breeze.  Floating.  Beautiful.  

It's funny to me how God has used that little mistake as such a big blessing.  Every single time I see it floating dreamily through the air, I smile.  It's God's reminder to me how very much he loves me.  He brings it at the most wonderful times...  just when my heart and head seem to be getting close to empty.

Today, my tank was filled to overflowing as I looked in awe at God's creation - His purple Irises, His babbling creeks and His cottony fluff.  I am so very thankful for a God that loves me so much, that blesses me and pursues me.  He makes my heart smile!

Summer is here and God was gracious in filling my tank to get me through this day.  My kids came home from school smiling and I was able to smile right along with them.  With God, I was able to talk calmly as they melted down from exhaustion.  With God, I'm still smiling while my heart fills my chest. 

There are only 20 days until my next marathon and I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't a little nervous about it.  While my base is good, I haven't "trained" for this one.  Life has been a bit crazy and I have had to choose between my family and running.  My family will win every single time.  So, I cling to the fact that God got me there.  That He wants me there.  I cling to the fact that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  I focus on the fact that I only have a couple of longer runs left and then it's time to taper again.  I smile at the fact that it's summer and I'm so excited to spend those summer days with my family.

Bring on the summer!