Rewarding Thanks, W3D3, & 2 A.M. Again!

We started attending church regularly in March and have so thoroughly enjoyed it. The teachings are done in series so a bigger lesson or story can be taught, this also seems to give the church more opportunity to be involved. This past week, we finished out a Beyond series, which charged us, the church to reach out into our community, country and world with prayer, acts of service and gifts. One of the first weeks of Beyond were able to help send some infant vitamins, lice shampoo, crayons and stickers with our missionaries going to Brazil. This was a great chance to teach Landen that we can give to others with a joyful heart.  The Sunday before last we were encouraged to reach out into our own community and give thanks to our community service workers. So we did. We brought a dinner to our local fire station to tell them that we are thankful for their service & dedication. They were equally grateful, we spent about an hour with them talking and learning. The Fire Chief happen to be visiting so we were able to meet him as well as two fire fighters, Jack & Jammer. They enjoyed Landen’s excitement and eagerness to peak at everything. Landen & Steven even got a short ride in the fire truck. We were told that it had been a very long time since anyone stopped by to visit the station or show the guys appreciation. Even before this visit Steven & I had decided to make our show of appreciation for our community service members a monthly action and now we couldn’t be more convinced that this is a great decision. We never thought it would be so touching to give gratitude.

Jammer showing Landen the Air Truck

 I completed week 3 yesterday and I am thinking I am going to veer a little off course. Week 3 I needed to run 3 minutes solid & I am really struggling with this, on the other hand though I don’t feel like I need to walk a straight 3 minutes to recover from running. I have been running 2 miles in about 23:30 so I am going to do a little of my own thing with the couch to 5K direction. I am going to try to run against the clock for the next week, sticking with 2 miles. Next week, in accordance with week 4, I am going to increase my distance to 2.5 miles, trying to still increase my time in small bits. I am also trying some compression therapy for my calves. I don’t think it is my shins that are bothering me as much as my calves. I learned this week that as you run and blood starts circulating faster and better through your body that it can tend to collect or pool in your calves. This without being counteracted is painful, very painful. So I am hoping with a little compression therapy I can help the circulation and relieve some of the pressure and pain. Let’s hope.

Sleeping has always been something I enjoyed but never really been great at. This being said I have been trying to stretch out my sleep aid prescription, so when I went yesterday to see about refilling it, I was told about melatonin. Something your body produces, usually more around evening time to make you tired and help you sleep through the night, I can take more of this in a vitamin form to help me naturally stay asleep through the night. So I thought, “why not?” I’ll give it a try, anything more natural. So last night was my trial run, I fell asleep fine & though I didn’t stay asleep all through the night, it seemed easier to fall back asleep after waking and the periods of wake seemed to be shorter. Good, right? Well Landen has not been the most soundful sleeper lately either & his waking seems to be right around 2 A.M. Landen last night moved his time to around midnight and since the hubs is on vacation I was able to encourage him to check on Landen at that time. So no 2 A.M. calls for Mama, right? Wrong! My normally quiet, sound sleeping Kora started barking right around 2. Scolding from bed didn’t work, so again Steven got up to get a quick glance that she was fine or to see what the ruckus was. She was fine & he didn’t see any reason of why she got this wild hair. So a few minutes more of listening to her bark I got up to dig around in the bathroom to see what the deal was. I was surprised, very surprised to find our aquatic pink frog trying to hide from this crazy little puppy. This frog somehow made it out of the only small hole in the fish tank lid, where the filter flows, and made it across the living room, into our room, under the bathroom door and into our bathroom, to make sure I was again awake at 2 A.M. After convincing Steven that I can’t make up a claim like this, he saved the frog from Kora, checked it over, flipped on a few lights and made sure everyone was in their appropriate beds we finally got back to sleep. 

W3D2

Whew, I could use a nap, I’m beat! I did better today with week 3, the first 3 minute cycle I only walked 10 seconds again but at the 55 second point this time, and then the second 3 minute cycle I didn’t walk but once for 10 seconds (which went by in a blink) at the 50 second point. So, over all slow progress, but it is progress & I’ll take it. My shins though are really killing me, I am going to spend the next 3 days, taking it easy, taking anti-inflammatories, using biofreeze, & staying off the beach. I hope some extra babying will help them enough to get back to running Monday, but if not I think I am looking at taking some time off from running. I will make sure to nag the hubby to air up my bicycle tires this weekend so I don’t have to be stuck in the gym if I can’t run. That or I may just spend the week working on building muscle.

W3D1

I didn’t do week three perfectly, for my first 3 minute cycle I walked for 10 seconds at the 2 minute mark and then finished jogging the last 50 seconds, then the second 3 minutes I walked 10 seconds at 1 minute and then again 15 seconds at 1:45 seconds. I feel like I still did well. Since I didn’t run the straight 3 minutes like I needed I went ahead and went to the 2 mile mark then pushed on my way back to see what my time would be for it. I did really well for me, I finished 2 miles in 23:30, making that an 11:45 mile. I am aiming to run the 5K in July in 30 minutes so I have some improving to do, but at least I am better than my starting 15 minute mile.

The First Thing I See

I had a good workout today, my calves & shins have been really bothering me (silly me won’t stay away from the beach where the sand re irritates my shins), so a strength days was needed.  The breeze was night today & I worked really hard, I tried to use my 8 pound weight more than my 6. It was a good workout.

I have noticed in the past week or so that the first thing I think when I look in a mirror now is not “I’m fat”, it’s now “I look pretty”. Not to sound conceded with saying that, but I am one of those people that I like how I look. I can now start to see the difference I have made with my weight, with my hard work. I am still not satisfied with my body, but I sure am a happier girl.