Two Years

It's hard to believe it's been 2 years already, but in some ways it seems like so much longer.  I know that we were meant for each other...

 

You warm me up when I'm cold

 

You wipe away my tears when I'm sad

 

You're my protector when I'm scared

 

You bring me more happiness than I could have ever imagined

 

You're the provider for our families needs

 

You make me laugh (sometimes at inappropriate times)

 

You put my needs first

 

You're the taste tester for all my recipes

 

Most of all, you're my best friend and the love of my life!

Friend Makin' Mondays: Inside Your Home

Ah Monday...it came way too quickly this week!  I felt like I was barely home this weekend...maybe because I wasn't.  Mike and I went downtown for ArtPrize on Friday after he got out of work.  Then Saturday I spent the day shopping in Michigan City with our cousins and aunts.  Saturday night we went to a late dinner at my parents because my Aunt and Uncle were visiting.  Then Sunday consisted of church, family lunch, a small amount of relaxation, and then youth group.  Busy busy busy!  Hopefully this coming weekend will be a little slower!

But, Mondays mean it's time for Friend Makin' Monday.  It's been a while since I linked up...I hope you'll play along too!

From Kenlie's blog: If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Inside Your Home

1. Do you live in an apartment/condo, townhouse or house? A house

 

2. What is your home’s coolest feature? I love the bay window in our dining room.

 3. Do you enjoy DIY projects? If so, what are you working on now? I do enjoy DIY projects.  However, I've been so busy that I haven't had much time to do much.  The last thing I did was paint some wine glasses for my friend who got married on Saturday.

 4. When using the dishwasher do you use powder detergent or liquid?  Neither...we use the powerballs, which might be powder, but they're hard.

 5. Do you have a TV in your bedroom?  No we don't.  We only have 1 TV in our house and that's in the living room.

6. Is your range gas or electric? Electric. I grew up using gas and the transition was difficult...we had a few burned dinners...

 

7. How often do you sweep/mop/vacuum?  We try to vacuum every Monday night.  If the dog hair gets overwhelming, we vacuum as needed.

 8. What is your favorite place to shop for home furniture and accents?  I haven't done much of that type of shopping since we moved in 2 years ago.  Then we hit up Art Van and Bed Bath & Beyond.

 9. Do you decorate for holidays?  I love decorating for Christmas and I put a few things out for fall.  I have a spring wreath but that's about it.

 10. If you could have HGTV come in and redo one room in your home which room would you choose?  Good question...I'd love to have my kitchen redone, except I just want it bigger, everything is only 2 years old.  I think it would be fun to have them decorate our master bedroom!

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions! Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments. Happy Monday, friends!

Half Crazy

The forecast for Saturday, September 22 didn't look promising.  When I went to bed on Friday night, they were calling for a 60% chance of showers.  I got up in plenty of time on Saturday morning to eat breakfast and get ready and the sun was shining.  My friend from church, Erica, met me at our house and we pinned our number bibs to our shirts and put our chips on our shoes. 

We headed out in plenty of time for the race...so we thought!  Traffic was backed up for a couple of miles getting on the road where the race started.  We passed the first parking lot and it was packed.  We knew that we had 30 minutes left before the race would start.  By time we made it down to the second lot, we had less than 25 minutes.  There wasn't enough time to walk/jog to the starting line at the church(over a mile away), so we opted to wait for the shuttle bus.  We made it to the starting line with 10 minutes to spare, but we needed to check our bags and jackets and use the bathroom.  The lines for the port-a-potties were really long so we decided to wear our jackets and carry our bag until we found Mike and his parents somewhere around the 6 mile mark...it was either that or have to stop along the route to use the bathroom.  We actually were in the bathroom when the race started, but since the race was chipped that didn't matter. 

The race started out good, Erica and I settled into a good pace (around a 10 minute mile) and enjoyed the cool dry weather.  Around mile 5 we were running along the lakeshore by Lake Macatawa when we heard thunder.  Clouds were rolling in, but it wasn't raining.  We passed Mike and his parents just past mile 6 and they cheered us on.  Since we were coming up on the halfway point, Erica and I both took a Gu and then a drink from the water/Gatorade stand. 

And then it went downhill for me.  I got a bad side cramp (I think from the water) and had to slow down.  Erica kept up her pace and before I knew it she was out of sight! (Go Erica!)  I kept on running and I got to the Holland State Park. 

I was just entering the park when I started hearing people say that the race was called because the lightning was getting too close.  It wasn't raining and I had only seen a few bolts of lightning so I kept on running.  I got confirmation from a race volunteer that we would be able to continue running if we desired but the race was cancelled and we would not receive an official time. Since I was past the 8 mile mark by this time I decided that I would keep on going.  Then the rain decided to come down and the wind picked up.  I found another lady to keep pace with so we chatted for a bit and we both decided we were going to finish the race (there were volunteers and police officers offering rides back to the finish line if we wanted).  I kept on going and the rain kept on coming, harder and harder.  My phone stopped playing music, so I was left in silence except for the thunder and rain and wind.  I had put a plastic bag in my pocket in case of rain so I stuck my phone in there, thinking I had probably already ruined it with the water.  I kept running and running...it felt like forever. 

After the 10 mile mark (the furthest I'd run thus far), the mile markers were packed up so I had no idea where I was.  I was freezing and completely soaked.  My shoes felt like they weighed 50 pounds a piece because I was running through puddles 2 inches deep.  As I would catch up to other runners (or as they would catch up to me), we'd offer words of encouragement.  I guessed that I had about 2 miles to go at this point, but by time I finished it felt like I had run 5.  I turned the corner to the street I knew the church was on and I picked up a bit.  I left the lady I had been talking to and saw Erica coming back for me.  (Thanks again!)  She asked if I had it in me and we sprinted toward the finished line.

I DID IT!  I RAN A HALF-MARATHON!  13.1 MILES! My mind was spinning as I hugged Mike and his parents.  They went back to the car to stay dry (you guys rock for putting up with the weather!).  Erica and I went to get our finishers medals and some food.  The race was really tough, but I can honestly say that I never once thought about quitting or getting a ride back.  I also never stopped running, unless you could 3 steps that I walked while drinking water around mile 8 :)  I'm proud of myself for accomplishing a huge goal, and I'm hoping to run another one in the future...and hopefully get an official time!