Marathon Monday #20!!!

It's DONE - praise the Lord!!

And now, brace yourself for the full play-by-play of my one and only Marathon day. =)

Woke up at 4am and did my dynamic stretches, listened to The Goodness of God and prayed, then had a protein bar for breakfast.  Put on my race gear and full makeup, bunned and spraaayed my hair, and was at Mom and Dad's by 5am... they dropped me off at a perfect spot by the outdoor memorial around 5:25 - already a massive crowd and slowing traffic downtown.  I was out there in time for the 5:30 "Sunrise Service" by the Survivor Tree... the pastor spoke on Hebrews 12:1, and we all said in unison, "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  He prayed over the race and everyone sang a few worship songs together, and I loved being there for all of that!

I stopped at a PortaPotty (eww, David) then started walking toward the Start Line, then changed course to come back and get a pic in front of this building - glad I did! 

They blocked off Corrals A and B for the faster runners, and they policed that pretty intensely.  I assertively made my way to the very front of Corral C, so I was proud of that!  I was lined up next to an OU Meteorology student who assured all of us that the weather looked really good for our race day - no rain, overcast, cloudy, and cooler temps for this time of year.  Yay, God!

We sang the National Anthem and did the 168 seconds of silence in honor of the bombing victims, then it was go time!  My strong hope was to cross the Start Line by 6:40, then when I had to move all the way to Corral C amid a crowd of 25,000+ runners, I assumed there was no way.  But things moved surprisingly quickly, and I crossed at 6:36 - yay, God again!

Mile 7 includes "Gorilla Hill" - there were far worse hills at Mile 2 and Mile 9, but they really hype this one up and make a celebration of it.  The app had a selfie suggestion there, so here's mine!

A bit of outside pressure helps me to stay motivated, especially when I'm tired.  There was a course split around Mile 8 where the Half Marathoners stayed left and the Full went right.  You had to reach that by 8:45 or they would close the Full Marathon path and have you complete the Half course instead.  I was relieved to be there by 8:20, and I definitely slowed down a bit after that.

Kudos to this race for all the water stops and volunteers!  The first couple water stops had only water, then there was one at Mile 4 or 5 with blue Powerade that felt like a God-send (most offered both after that).  And around Mile 9 or 10, there was a stop where they had cups filled with NutterButter cookies - no food has ever tasted better to me! lol  I was worried about my energy chews running low, and I was super happy to see these cookies (they gave us 3, and after I ate one, I realized I should document it.  I thought of Malori repeatedly saying "That was from the Lord!" when a lady handed her some energy gel at Mile 8 of our Half many years back. lol)

I did my 6:1 intervals, but started off at a faster pace than I had trained to sustain... it's hard to gauge that when your adrenaline is up and the whole crowd is moving in unison at the beginning.  It's really good that I forced myself to take the walking breaks, or I might've had a real injury or cramping issues later.  Had I kept up the pace I was on in the initial 5k, I'd have finished by 12:15... the app kept alerting me with my pace at different markers and my anticipated finish times, and I was getting cracked up at how that kept getting further and further away as my momentum and energy shifted.  I'm honestly thankful I didn't know at the time that it was notifying everyone who was tracking me.  Gracious, I don't need that level of pressure in my life! lol

Sweaty Half-Marathon selfie!  Side note: I had lipstick in my pocket until I changed into new leggings at Mile 18, and I'm still annoyed by the photos where I don't have any on after that. lol

So the first half of the race was me and Jesus and Peloton. lol  And loads of random strangers cheering on the sidelines!  That's when I was at my strongest, so I'm thankful that most of my support came in the second half... (Kristin and Frankie got donuts for me and fought through the traffic hoping to catch me at Mile 11, then realized I was already past where they'd been waiting for a bit... so they went home to get their boys and came back later.)  Anyway, I was so thrilled to see Mom and Dad on Churchill Way at Mile 14! ❤  It had a strengthening effect for sure, and Mom gave me her sunglasses.  (It was a cloudy, overcast day where the sun was sneaky, and I had 3 chances where I felt rushed and failed to put on sunscreen, so this sunburn situation is totally on me.)

I got a FaceTime call from Chet Lee and Parker E and Tate not long after seeing Mom and Dad - they were about to head to OKC, and it was fun and encouraging to see them!

Rach texted to see if I needed anything, then she caught me and walked with me for a bit around Mile 15 - bringing this awesome sign and a Dasani water and some Cheez-Its!  We chatted and walked through part of this fun neighborhood together, then she told me she was headed to meet JoBug and would see me when I got there!  I called her several times with little questions, and she was super helpful and encouraging through the whole day!! ❤

Sister pic!  (Me in Mom's sunglasses and Rach in her pink Blenders)

Toward the end of Mile 16, I was so happy to see the Whitakers and high five the boys and get my chocolate glazed donut and orange energy chews and green Blenders sunglasses!  =)

This makes me happy!

Mom had sent me a photo and told me that JoBug's friend lived on Grand, and Rach was texting me with updates on how close I was to them... I was so very happy to see this street sign toward the end of Mile 17...

Their home was right at the corner of Mile 18... I arrived there around 11:18 and told myself that if I left by 11:30 or before, I'd be fine to get to Mile 20 by noon (our next timing checkpoint).  It was good to see JoBug and see Rach again, and I met JB's friends, who were kind enough to let me use their bathroom... they told me about another runner who collapsed in front of their home earlier that day - she had actually taken him to the hospital because the medics were taking too long to arrive - I hope and pray that ended well!  Anyway, Rach plugged my phone in to charge (yay!!) while I toweled off and changed everything below my shirt and ate a few mini-M&Ms. lol  (For real, though, throughout this race, I was continually struggling to figure out whether I was drinking/eating too much or too little.  My smaller stomach can't tolerate too much at once, and I don't wanna feel sloshy and gross, but I also felt genuinely thirsty several times, and I know I need water and electrolytes and calories and energy for that distance.  Thankfully, the Half-Marathons feel much easier to navigate, and I never have to do this again!!! #oneanddone)  I sat at their kitchen table and used BodyGlide (to help delay the inevitable and already-forming blisters on my feet) before putting on clean socks and a different pair of Brooks tennis shoes... after all that, I felt pressed for time, so I skipped the sunscreen (dumb) and forgot about the Advil (sadness) and left behind one AirPod and my lip gloss (noooo). lol  #soannoying  Here's me and Rach both wearing different sunglasses than we were 30 minutes before, and JoBug in her Gaillardia shirt! =)  All things considered, I never trained with zero breaks, so I have no regrets about this planned and much-anticipated stop. ❤ I'm super grateful for their kindness, and that this enabled me to avoid another PortaPotty and have a lovely bathroom where I could wash my hands properly!

And a quick pic with Emily, then I was back on the race course around 11:28!

Took this bc it made me laugh as I jogged through the park. =)

I called Rach about the missing Airpod, and she offered to meet me by Classen Curve at Mile 20 with that and some lip gloss - which I used once then handed back to her because my brain wasn't working at full capacity. lol  My energy was fading a bit at this point - not positive how strict they were on it, but the rules said I had to be at Mile 20 by noon to avoid being shuttled to the Finish Line, and thanks to Rachael's text encouragement, I made it at 11:57. lol #maximumeffort

When I crossed Mile 21, I knew that everything past that point was further than I had ever gone in training.  I was not winning the mental games just then, and my body was exhausted and my run intervals were getting shorter and slower.  Then I heard Chet Lee yelling "Go Lindseeeey!" and was so surprised to see the wonderful Wilson fam there at Mile 22... I wasn't expecting any more visitors until the Finish Line, so this was really perfect timing! ❤  Pretty sure the first thing I said was "I'm dying - this is so rough" (which is out of character for me, as I work hard not to casually or jokingly use words and phrases about death/dying/killing/etc.) and which Chettles immediately validated and then turned into a genuinely helpful pep talk! lol  "YEAH, it is - that's why only 2% of the population does it!  But you're here and you're doing great - you've made it this far - only four miles to go - come over here and get some snacks and keep your energy up!"  (They were right by a water stop with lots of food choices).  As I kept moving forward, he threw in, "Hey!  THIS IS IT - today's the day - you've trained for this, and you. can. do. this!!" 

Needless to say, my favorite people showed up in major ways on this major day!  Several times along the way, I also felt inspired by other runners or by the people volunteering and cheering for us... I so applaud this fireman doing a full marathon in all his gear with "For my Family" written on his race bib!

And these guys who carried this cross with them the entire way (I ran near them for a few minutes, and Kristin took this pic at the Finish Line bc she knows me well and knew I'd appreciate it). lol

Six out of ten toes have blisters, and there's one on my left foot that was particularly painful toward the end (and by the end, I mean the last 7 miles, so not a short time period).  I stopped at two Medical tents for Aspirin then Tylenol.  And I had one mildly scary moment where my heart started beating very rapidly as I was just walking - not sure if that was the caffeine in the energy chews or potential dehydration or just completing 24 miles for the first time ever after a 2-week training break.  I came to a full stop and took some very slow deep breaths and had my hand on my heart, and a guy from the Medical Aid station nearby walked over to see if I was okay.  A race walker stopped to see if I needed help and offered to walk with me.  It calmed back down, and right around then, Chet called to tell me to stay encouraged!  I wasn't sure I had it in me to rally and finish by the 1:30 timeline... I called Rach to have her ask the officials if they would actually let people finish later than that.  Then I got a text from Kristin that they had extended the timeline by 30 minutes, and that was just what I wanted to hear!! lol  I hated to make everyone wait, but I wasn't gonna push myself too much after the heart thing.  I walked most of the last 3 miles, then started jogging it in when I saw this section (they had posted on Facebook that the pictures of the 168 victims would mark the pathway to the Finish Line, so I knew I was close).  I closed the Peloton app - (LOVED those familiar classes and encouraging coaches as my playlist, by the way!) and I found and played Marching On by One Republic on my phone, but honestly, I could barely hear it with all the Finish Line noise and chaos.  I had pictured myself feeling all the metaphorical meaning in it and crying when I reached the end of the race, but my main thoughts in that moment were deep gratitude and joy about seeing all my people lining the Finish Line path, genuine shock that the announcer pronounced my last name correctly (thanks to Chettles, who thought ahead and had a convo with him about it!), puuure physical exhaustion, and of course, annoyance that I didn't have lipstick or gloss to put on for my crossing-the-Finish-Line photos! lol

Running it in - time to check this goal off the Life List - huzzah!

Finisher high fives from the boys!! ❤ (Post-race group pics in the next post!)

So I started a bit earlier and ended a bit later than I expected... like so many things in my life, it was a longer journey than I anticipated, but I got there in the end - with the help of God and the support of my friends and family!  I didn't process it all in the moment (which is often true for me), but now that it's officially done, I am grateful for that sense of conclusion - of proving to myself that I can do hard things - of finishing something that was important to me and having the photos and medals and car stickers and sore muscles to prove it!! ;-)  My finish time was 7 hours and 17 minutes on April 27th (all the 7s make me happy).  My average pace was 16:42, or 16:17 if you remove my 10-minute break, which was the only portion where I had a 20-minute mile pace. lol  But whatever - it's a marathon, not a sprint!

On this final Marathon Monday, I'll say this:  All glory to God that I made it through that Finish Line - His goodness and grace were enough for everything I needed yesterday!  The current sunburn and soreness will fade, but the sense of success and satisfaction will stay with me! ❤

I think many people underestimate the planning, preparation, passion, and perseverance it takes — the careful pacing, proper training, pre-race carbs, post-race protein... and the mental battle of pressing through fear, hesitation, and perhaps a random last-minute injury.  Running a marathon means moving on purpose, with purpose, and for a purpose — pushing through the ups and downs of the path marked out for you, grabbing pictures and memories with your people along the way, and feeling truly proud of your progress and perseverance!!

P.S. Bonus points to me for all that alliteration, and bonus points to anyone who took the time to read this entire post! lol

On Finishing Strong

"Come let us rejoice in who He is...
Our lives are in His hands,
and He keeps our feet from stumbling."
~Psalm 66:9

As I head into this final week before my race, I can’t help but reflect on how this marathon journey mirrors the bigger road I've been on for over a decade...

I first considered running a full marathon back in 2009.  I signed up for the OKC race in 2011, but I didn’t train well and eventually backed out.  Got into the Nike Women’s Marathon in 2012, then talked myself right out of those crazy San Francisco hills!  Now, 13 years and five Half-Marathons later, I have finally done the work to train and prepare, and I have a strong desire and determination to finish this race!

Much like the marathon, living out my calling in counseling has been a long and winding road.  I started pursuing this dream back in 2012 with night classes at SNU, only to be rejected by multiple grad schools afterwards.  Around the same time, I was grieving the loss of a fractured friendship.  So I settled back into court reporting, a great career where I felt secure and tucked away—but I could never quite shake the sense of God’s call on my life.

In 2022, I took the leap and started graduate school.  Now, 13 years after stepping into my first counseling class, I'm preparing to step out of my cocoon of career safety and familiarity — to actually live out the calling God planted in my heart so long ago!  I think people tend to assume joy and excitement are my main emotions here... 

But it’s scary.  It’s vulnerable.  It’s slow.
A marathon, not a sprint.

I am moving from something comfortable where I am at the top of my field into something new where I’m at the bottom of the ladder -- still experimenting, exploring, "paying my dues," wrestling through my own insecurities to figure out where I fit and how God has uniquely gifted me.  I’ve learned a lot over the past three years, but there’s still so much I don’t know.  And the best way to learn is through hands-on practice, critique and constructive feedback, actively embracing change and choosing a growth mindset, repeatedly showing up and being seen!  That level of scrutiny feels very disorienting after 20 years in a cozy background observer role.

I have to remind myself often: I am not alone.  God is with me.  God is for me.

This candidacy job search has stretched me more than I expected. Since December, I’ve submitted over 15 applications and completed at least eight job interviews—with places like CREOKS Broken Arrow, CRS-Tulsa, FCS-Tulsa, Charlie Health (virtual), Red Rock OKC, and Moore Counseling Center.  (That doesn't include the work of applying and interviewing for the PhD program - it's been a lot).  Fear/the enemy keeps whispering: You don’t belong here.  You’re not enough.  This is all too hard.  You’ll never find your place.  I have seriously considered pursuing a Federal CR job for the stability and great salary.  But deep down, I know God didn’t bring me this far to quit now - I believe there are real lives I am called to impact, and I cannot give in to greed or cowardice or the craving for comfort.

I do recognize that I’m a prime target for spiritual warfare in this in-between season.  Thankfully, God keeps dropping little pearls of wisdom and encouragement just when I need them—through friends and family, podcasts and books, etc.  I recently heard John Eldredge talk about how we are needed here on earth — how each of us is called to uniquely reflect God’s love and light to those around us, how the character of Christ is being formed within us, and how we are "in training for reigning" as we move toward our future in Heaven.  I love that!

You know I love a good illustration, and I’ve been thinking about that final scene in The Patriot.  The soldiers are retreating in fear, divided and overwhelmed.  Then Mel Gibson runs through all the chaos, waving their flag and shouting, “No retreat—HOLD—hold the line!”  A repeated line from that movie is “stay the course.”  Even now, it encourages me to remember what I’m fighting for, why it matters, and not to give up when the path feels far harder, longer, and more costly than I'd expected.

As real change draws near, I have felt more overwhelmed and inadequate than excited.  But these are all normal emotions at this stage, and I want to build a life marked by courage and bold faith!  I want to try new things and find my best lane in counseling.  I want to finish what I’ve started, which means stepping fully into this new identity and leaving comfort and hiding behind.  I am determined and called to make a Kingdom impact with my life and my work.  And I'm confident that God will lead, guide, and provide for me as I keep moving forward!

Okay, speaking of long journeys and forward momentum, my adoption story is at another pivotal point.  This is my third year of working with Snowflakes.  After two surgeries that made me healthier for a potential pregnancy — and two difficult setbacks with the previous matches — Shay completed my final home study update over Easter weekend.  This week, I am restarting the matching process, working with OU Reproductive instead of Dallas IVF this time.  I feel hopeful and cautiously optimistic, ready and willing to make major shifts and sacrifices if God chooses to fulfill this desire!

(For the record, if this third attempt doesn’t work, I will let go of this specific path to motherhood.  Not releasing the desire entirely, but believing this particular doorway is closed.)  Still, I am planning, preparing, and praying that the third time’s a charm — for my embryo adoption journey and for finishing the marathon this weekend!

In my hopes for adoption, my career calling, my health journey, and this long-standing marathon dream, I have encountered surprise plot twists, detours, rejections, loss, fear, and long seasons of waiting.  However, my soul is anchored in Kingdom hope, and I am decidedly stronger than I used to be.  I like being someone who dreams big and lives with purpose, but I don’t want to be the girl who never finishes anything.  (And I don’t believe God wants that identity for me either.)  So I am resisting the enemy’s lies and breaking those old agreements.

We can do hard things, and it's worth the effort!  Whenever it happens, physically crossing the Finish Line will feel so symbolic and hopeful for me.  I’m praying and believing for 2025 to be a year of courage and victorious follow-through.  A year of finishing strong.  I am grateful to know I am not facing these challenges alone.  And I’m trusting our faithful God, who finishes every good thing He starts!!

"Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the particular race God has set before us... Let God train you, for He is doing what any loving father does for His children... So take a new grip with your tired hands, stand firm on your shaky legs, and mark out a straight, smooth path for your feet so that those who follow you, though weak and lame, will not fall and hurt themselves but become strong." ~Hebrews 12:1-13

❤ ❤ ❤

Marathon Monday #19!

Happy Monday, friends and fam!!  I hope you had a lovely Easter weekend, and I hope this week is off to a good start so far.  However temporary, I am currently caught up at work, so brace yourself for a barrage of blog posts today! =)

We've made it to the final week of marathon training season... for recovery reasons, the past week has mostly been filled with short bike rides and a few strength exercises and stretches for me.  My foot is feeling much better, though, so I'm entirely grateful for that progress!  And I'm planning to go to a chiropractor and try the KT tape before the race, as suggested by Chet Lee.  Also planning to do an extra-short walk and dinner with Kristin on Wednesday.  All in all, I would appreciate your prayers for endurance and stamina on race day - and for good weather!!

In pretty characteristic fashion, I didn't bother to look at all the fine-print details until the week before, so I learned yesterday that this race will begin at 6:30am... and that there are two spots I must reach by a certain time (Mile 7.5 by 8:45am, and Mile 20 by 12:00pm).  Verrrry good to know... not impossible, but not easy either.  It will require me to push myself and pay closer attention to my time as I go.  The idea of being shuttled to the Finish after reaching Mile 20 is painful, so barring a foot injury flare-up, I will not allow that to happen!

I also looked at the course map for the first time... I'm not going to overthink the distance, but I love that they've listed the times when they will reopen the streets for each mile marker - helpful to know!  And there are so many water stops, bathrooms, and medical aid stations, which makes me feel more confident!

Something I'm grateful for is the Mile by Mile thing on the FB page where they post a daily video covering one full mile of the course track.  So far, there are big hills I'm glad to be aware of at Mile 2 and Mile 9, and several notable landmarks (Botanical Gardens, OU Reproductive Medicine, the State Capitol, Gorilla Hill, Classen Curve shopping center, Nichols Hills neighborhood, Lake Hefner, etc.) that we'll pass along the way...

I sincerely hope my next Marathon Monday will be a victory post after Finishing Strong!

Despite this "slight singultus" with the minor injury, I'm feeling proud and well-prepared.  After years of talking myself out of trying, I have finally pushed through my own inner drama and fear and trained hard.  I'm almost there now, which feels surreal and a little scary, but also exciting!  As it goes with most things in life, I cannot control everything, but I am determined to give it my absolute best effort!!

❤ ❤ ❤

LCM Life List!

Hello and Happy Wednesday, friends!  Our Jury Trial for today is going, but they did not need a record for voir dire - praise the Lord! lol  So I'm finishing up this list I started yesterday, inspired by the Netflix movie and by reading a couple other blogs on this topic...

As I'm writing this on 4-16-2025, my "Life List" includes 62 new items and 38 that I've already completed - (to give me a sense of momentum and accomplishment, all things that would have genuinely been included)!!

In random order...

1.  Eat delicious pizza and pasta in Italy!

2.  Celebrate a milestone birthday with Mon Ami Gabi brunch in Vegas

3.  A fun professional photoshoot with close friends!

4.  See the Grand Canyon; Visit Muir Woods in California

5.  Own the world’s cutest Pom puppies (#bestgirlfranz)

6.  Help my niece and nephews with resumes, college visits, and college applications; Watch them graduate high school

7.  Zipline over Niagara Falls; See those waterfalls up close

8.  Complete my dissertation; Earn my PhD!

9.  Start my own podcast (or co-host it with a friend)

10.  Be present for the actual birth of my niece

11.  Walk/Run a Half-Marathon (x5)

12.  Walk the stage at CCU Graduation for my Master's (5-9-25)

13.  Finish a Full Marathon!! (4-27-2025)

14.  Try out a few and choose my favorite bakery in France =)

15.  Earn my RPR (225 wpm) and my OK and TX CSR

16.  Ride in a fancy limo (JSB, Kristin's bday)

17.  Accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior! ❤

18.  Ride in a helicopter (Niagara Falls, Canada)

19.  Start a Friday Night Dinner group to practice hosting skills and initiating deeper conversations with friends

20.  Lead/facilitate grief counseling groups

21.  Mentor/tutor a younger woman

22.  Learn to play Clair de Lune on the piano; re-learn Amazing Grace

23.  CHA Homecoming; Graduate Valedictorian (2002)

24.  See the Hollywood sign and shop Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills

25.  Lose 100 pounds consecutively (4-29-25)

26.  Professional headshots to celebrate college graduation

27.  See Celine Dion in concert!

28.  Eat pineapple and attend a luau in Hawaii

29.  Vacation in Hawaii as an adult!

30.  See Hamilton on Broadway! (preferably later this year with Leslie Odom, Jr.)

31.  Officially/legally adopt embryos through Nightlight

32.  Lord willing, become pregnant via embryo transfer

33.  One way or another, become a Mom!! ❤

34.  Tour the Hearst Castle

35.  Visit/tour the 9/11 Memorial Museum

36.  Walk the stage for my doctoral diploma

37.  Visit all four Disney World parks in one day!

38.  See the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower

39.  Visit the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.; be there for Cherry Blossom Festival season

40.  Speak/lead a session at an AACC conference

41.  Lead a Bible study group

42.  Author a Bible study for women; speak at a Christian women's conference

43.  Share my testimony and major life lessons with a group

44.  Share the gospel and lead someone to Christ

45.  Become an LPC-Candidate

46.  Become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Oklahoma

47.  Get licensed to practice virtually with Texas and Colorado clients

48.  Become an LPC-Supervisor

49.  Open a private counseling/coaching practice; Try walk-and-talk therapy

50.  Take a short course in cake decorating, photography/photo editing, self-defense, sign language, flower arranging, oil painting

51.  Train/learn to perform assessments (ADHD, autism, bipolar, etc.)

52.  Complete EMDR and EFT therapy trainings

53.  Record my own audiobook =)

54.  Be a guest on a podcast I love

55.  Teach courses at Colorado Christian University!

56.  Counsel and create a safety plan with a suicidal client

57.  Be brave/assertive/tactful, but reach out directly to any man I'm genuinely drawn to and excited about in real life or online dating - (ongoing goal, but so far, I have a 100% success rate here, maybe minus the tactful part in my early adulthood. lol) *success in being assertive and honest when I feel something deeply, not in my feelings ever being reciprocated - in case that wasn’t totally obvious 

58.  Recover from something I thought might kill me

59.  Write the obituaries for Grandad and Babah; Give the eulogy and prayer at Babah's funeral service

60.  Visit Yellowstone National Park

61.  See Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran in concert!

62.  Pray with people I love on hospital days (ongoing)

63.  Find a church home I love and get involved - accomplished in the past, but definitely a current and future goal

64.  Mentor/disciple someone wrestling with faith questions

65.  Take Triston, Jace, and Kyndal for individual trips with me (one down, two to go)

66.  Build a new construction home that I love

67.  Confess hidden sin/repent and keep a clear conscience before God (ongoing clear conscience goal)

68.  Visit Elafonisi Beach in Greece

69.  Buy school supplies, pack awesome school lunches with handwritten notes, and go on school field trips with my child

70.  Write and publish a memoir book I'm proud of

71.  See the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in Alaska

72.  Ride the London Eye/ Millennium Wheel

73.  See Wicked and Lion King on Broadway

74.  Ride the High Roller in Vegas

75.  Decorate a fantastic nursery room (for my own child)

76.  Instruct/lead a meditative/therapeutic guided yoga class

77.  Find true love (mutual yes to the 4 questions) & get married! ❤

78.  Attend a Texas A&M football game at Kyle Field

79.  Train for and run a sub-30 5k; Do a Color Run 5k for fun pics!

80.  Give someone a $1000 tip

81.  Attend the Olympics (summer or winter)

82.  Take a live Peloton class with one of my favorite instructors

83.  Take an Alaska cruise; Take a European cruise

84.  Visit Goose Hill and have a real conversation with Donald Miller

85.  Go for a writing-retreat weekend with a good friend

86.  Attend a Captivating Retreat with John and Stasi Eldredge in Colorado

87.  Pay off my home and any $$ owed to CCU in my 40s; live debt free from 50 forward

88.  Get in the best shape of my life in my 40s

89.  Host a dinner for friends and/or family at least once a month through my 50s and 60s

90.  Go on a fun Disney cruise with my kids and/or families with kids I love

91.  See OneRepublic, Garth Brooks, Maroon 5, Elton John, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, and Backstreet Boys in concert

92.  Lead 77 people to Christ - going with a big number there, as it's genuinely the thing that matters more than anything else on this list, and I need to be far more proactive about it!! ❤

93.  Live in a neighborhood with a great walking trail around a pond/lake

94.  Maintain a healthy weight of 177 or below from age 45 and beyond (the plan is continued healthy weight loss progress and a possible pregnancy between now and then)

95.  Train and complete 7 pull-ups, for the childhood me who struggled with the flexed-arm hang =)

96.  Be a commencement speaker at a graduation ceremony

97.  Tour Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) in England

98.  Take ballroom dance lessons with a man I love (ongoing, as I'd love to do this again with my future husband)

99.  Visit the Hills of Aberfeldy in Scotland

100.  Go to Heaven and start a brand new "Life List" after death! ❤

P.S.  Some of these are long-term, well-established goals.  Others are super random and may change as life moves forward.  I keep thinking of more things already, and I like that this will keep me in a goal-oriented, growth mindset!  I really may write a Heaven List eventually, as I have loads of ideas about things I'd like to see and do and people I'll wanna get to know when I arrive there! =)  Outside of #92 and #77, whatever remains incomplete here can likely be completed in Heaven, so that's a lovely and freeing thought!

P.P.S.  About #77, the four simple questions Alex's mom suggested to help her determine whether she's "found true love" from The Life List movie are:

• Is he kind?
• Can I tell him everything in my heart?
• Does he help me become the best version of myself?
• Can I picture him as the father of my children?

Love that!  Obviously, must love Jesus would also be in there for me.  So if or when there's a good and Godly single man who meets the above list AND he believes me to be kindhearted, present and deeply trustworthy, inspiring/supportive of the best version of himself, and great mom material, then it is all systems go!! lol  ...And if those things never quite align here for me, I will continue to live a full and happy single life, confident that God will be a trusted Father for my kids and will help me become the best version of myself! ❤

Marathon Monday #16

Four weeks to the Finish Line!!  I jogged 16 miles Saturday morning, and I felt good and strong while I was out there!  Due to a bit of hip pain that may have caused me excessive concern, I toned it down and took Thursday and Friday as complete rest days, then Sunday was also rest and recovery, stretching and sitting with the heating pad.  I was sore post-run, but nothing out of the ordinary, and I feel better and ready for some light hills and strength training today.  My feet are getting tougher in a good way, and my mental resilience is growing stronger now too!  I want to use wisdom and avoid pushing myself too hard, but by the end of Friday night, I felt tired of my own excuses and determined and ready to get out there on Saturday morning, and that was good for me to press through my own fear and inner drama... I'm in the home stretch, and it's exciting!!

I'm super grateful for Central Park at The Station in Moore - it's been the perfect training ground for me in so many ways... a lovely lake/pond with ducks and geese and turtles, a 1.27-mile clean and open trail where loads of people come to train or to walk their cute dogs, the ability to stop by my car regularly for water or energy chews as needed, and easy access to a clean bathroom and filtered water at The Station - YAY!!  This = a turtle fam getting some sun this weekend.  They're much braver when they have crowd support.  One turtle by itself would've popped right back into the water when I stopped for a pic, as I know from lots of experience. lol

Once again, I stopped for a bathroom break and changed my socks at mile 9... I think that helps my mind to feel like it's a fresh start and it helps prevent terrible blisters (or so I tell myself), so I'm planning to pack a bag with extra running socks, body glide, etc. for Mom to have ready on Marathon day so I can stop and change into fresh dry socks once or twice. lol

I was out there for around 4 hours - I remembered sunscreen this time, but should have reapplied midway through.  This round, I spent the entire jog listening to an Apple Music playlist of 2000s hits, which was a fun dose of variety and familiar memories!  I had one slow interval set where I walked an extra 3 minutes because my heart felt like it was racing, but outside of that, I was very steady in my walk/jog intervals, so I'm confident that's the winning formula for race day!!

Yay for the redbud (should be purple-bud) trees!  Boo for the wasp duo that I dramatically changed course to avoid! lol

Four weeks from now, I'll have reached this long-anticipated goal, and I'll be recovering and feeling proud and grateful for this journey.  And shifting my focus to new meaningful goals for the road ahead of me.  I still feel confused and disenchanted sometimes, but the lack of purpose I felt for most of my 20s and 30s has vanished.  There is so much I want to do and accomplish, and I'm more concerned that there isn't enough time for all of it (but whatevs, we have eternal life ahead of us - what a gift!!)  Anyway, happy last day of March, friends and fam!!  I'm confident that you're finishing strong in this first quarter of 2025!  (*Friendly reminder that tomorrow is April Fool's Day.)

No Going Back

Happy Monday, friends and fam!  I hope your week is off to a good start.  I joined Jace and Kyndal for my first swim day of 2025 on Saturday... yay for Mom and Dad having a heated pool!!  I'm a little sore from the extra hills and speed training, so it felt really great to be in the water.  We had fun playing Marco Polo and Sharks and Minnows and watching J do backflips and cannonballs, then Mom and Dad and Rach and Tman joined us for a family dinner at Ted's - all fun!

The Wilsons and Mosses got together for dinner at the Moss manor that night, and getting this pic from Chet Lee made me happy!

Saturday morning was a 6-mile jog at the Station.  I didn't sleep well, so I was out there earlier than usual, and I was surprised and slightly concerned to see several Moore Police vehicles and policemen standing outside.  I hesitantly approached and asked one of them what was going on, and I learned that it was testing day for the Police Academy... so that was pretty fun!  They were running hard drills and various training exercises and had a drone filming it overhead, and it all made the run far more interesting/fun!  I cheered them on, partly in my head and partly whilst they were running circles around me... and of course, I still stopped to enjoy the flowering trees, as well! =)

Thus far (in all of life and particularly in the 75-Soft challenge), my adventures in dating have been a lot of effort with very little to show for it.  Over the years, I've sincerely tried friend setups, eHarmony, Match, Christian Mingle, Facebook dating, Bumble, Tawkify, and I'm currently trying Hinge.  At this age, I'm mostly finding panicked divorcees (or separated men pretending to be divorced) who are in a rush to find a replacement wife but aren't emotionally healed or ready to be dating again... or incredibly passive singles who are content to play video games in their spare time while messaging endlessly without taking action or asking anyone out and are "still figuring out their relationship type" in their mid-40s. #massiveeyeroll  There are a plethora of men who are too aggressive or too passive, but it only takes one normal, driven, mature man of God, so I'm holding onto hope for that!  And enlisting friends in this endeavor.  (So if you know me well and read this blog, consider this permission to play matchmaker if any good single men come to mind!)

I know precious little about it, but the Jaceman follows Paul Cuffaro on YouTube and was excited to get to talk to him on the phone this weekend, so I'm excited that he's excited!  He also had his friend TJ over to spend the night during Spring Break, and this = them checking out the new fish tank! =)

Me and my best couple franz! lol  (In my head, that's to the tune of Marshall's "Now that we're best couple friends" song on HIMYM)  I made a Tulsa trip on Sunday and joined the Wilsons and Shoemakers for Los Cabos lunch + the kids playing at the new Riverwalk playground + Marble Slab! =)  PS These sunglasses are incredibly reflective.  I meant to do a fun pic with the NYC skyline showing in them... maybe I'll find something like that in Colorado!

The kids all hopped into this canoe together... cuteness!

I got to sit by Miss Parker Elizabeth herself - one month before her 4th birthday and the much-anticipated Belle party!  It was good to chat with everyone and catch up on all that's new and changing in the Shoemakers lives!  *Happy 32nd Birthday to Mark Anthony today!!!

Then I went for a walk at the Addison Creek trail, my potential future neighborhood with a delightful tree-named street. =)

And on my way home, I stopped by Rachael's house... check out her cute front door hanger for Spring!  And her massive textbooks for the medical coding classes - yikes!!

I was there to bring her my graduation cap, as she's going to decorate it up for me!  Jaceman had to try it on first, of course! lol

In case you missed it, I'm going for my PhD at CCU starting this summer... Chettles talked about my decision to go back to school in 2022 being the first domino that started a line of things falling into place as I moved forward, and how this path would likely mirror that.  I think it's true - that God will open the right doors as I continue to step forward, and that the path will become clear one small step at a time.  Ever since I read Hero on a Mission and decided to set and pursue meaningful life goals, something inside me has gradually changed and transformed.  I'm realizing lately that there's no going back to a life of glorifying comfort and following the crowd and passively waiting on doors to open for me.  I'm taking action and my desire to lead and build and empower others is growing.  This path is decidedly harder and requires more courage and strength from me, but it's infinitely better in both the process and the outcomes!  In every area where I have made progress or gained momentum, I don't want to go back.  I want to hold on to what I've learned and keep growing and moving forward!  So cheers to living with purpose, passion, and perseverance - to believing my life can make a difference and "impact the world with grace and truth!!" #maximumeffort 

❤ ❤ ❤