Morning Thoughts...

Reflecting on my week:

SCHOOL: Going back to work this week was fine. My students worked on their state reports most of the week and then presented them on Thursday. This was a bit frustrating and tested my patience. They have had months seriously to work on them. I know I didn't do as good of a job as I should've done teaching and preparing them, and for that I feel badly, but I can just reflect and try to make it better next year. I am so excited that they are FINALLY over, and that we can truly move on to more important things.

EXERCISE: I was so excited to be back at school on Thursday, just the day after being very sick. I actually had quite a bit of energy and felt like a whole new person. I was able to get a short run in on Thursday night, and I am hoping to get a much longer one in today. I am supposed to be up to 45-50 minutes. I might slow down today and really try to just go for as long as I can. We'll see... Here's a link to my race and my training schedule:

http://www.ragnarrelay.com/wasatchback/index.php

http://www.ragnarrelay.com/wasatchback/novice.php

I am definitely doing the NOVICE training. As I reflect on exercise... I am really excited to be doing this race with my aunt. I really feel like in some way it's in memory of my uncle, and I love that I can do something to possibly help her and remember him. BUT... I just don't feel motivated like I used to about upcoming events / races. I used to get really excited and it was so motivating to train harder. This time... I would like to take my exercising a bit easier and do it more for fun, but I feel a little pressured to train hard and really get in the miles, etc... Maybe if I had been in better shape to begin with... I wouldn't be feeling this way. So... I don't want to say that next year I won't do this if she asks but at this point I don't see any future races / training schedules etc... I just want to exercise in moderation, for fun, to stay in shape and be healthy.

FAMILY: Randy is out of town as I mentioned before. He went to Nashville. HOW FUN!!! He's called me a couple of times and said that he's having a great time. Of course he pretends that he's lonely and wishes I was there. LOL! He really sounded convincing. I miss him too. I think it's good sometimes to be apart, because it really makes you appreciate the time we have together and how much we really enjoy each other's company. He is glad that the weather here isn't nice, because then he'd feel badly that we aren't out golfing. It's not looking like a golf weekend. It just occurred to me that if I were not abstinent, this weekend would have been A LOT more stressful. I haven't really thought of that until this second. I am so thankful that I am abstinent and that I didn't even think about that until now. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father is watching out for me and my family.

My children are really doing GREAT! They have really been getting along well. When I was sick on Wednesday, they really didn't argue / tease each other much at all. We were gone for most of the day yesterday. Whitney went to a soccer game and Ben went to a friend's house after school, because I had my math class. I picked Ben up and went to the end of Whit's soccer game, and we didn't get home until 7:30 or later. So... they weren't together much to fight.
They love it when Randy's out of town, because they get to sleep with me in our king-sized bed. It's fun! I usually lay down with them still every night and put them to sleep. I LOVE chatting with them, and Ben is so CUTE! He always wants me to put my arm around him and hold him as he is going to sleep. It really reminds me of this book:

http://www.robertmunsch.com/books.cfm?bookid=40

I've never read about the author before! I didn't know how this story came about. How sad! I have LOVED this book from the second I read it. I feel like my 9 year old son still lets me rock him back and forth as I hold him each night.

SPIRITUAL: I feel like I am making a lot of growth spiritually. I like attending my OA meetings. I tried this week to wake up at 5:15 and read / pray for 30 minutes, then exercise 30 minutes and get ready. This worked on Monday and Tuesday, and I've mentioned what happened on Wednesday. Thursday... I was just happy to be awake and feeling well, and Friday I was able to wake up at about 5:45 and said a quick prayer and went and exercised. I do feel like if I can't make it to bed early enough, that I've got to sleep those extra few minutes. I don't know though, maybe I have my priorities backwards. I WANT to exercise and almost feel like I NEED to as I am training for this event. BUT... I know I also NEED God and NEED to pray to him and NEED to meditate and listen to His answers. I am learning that without Him in my life, I am very, very lost indeed. Lost, unhappy, anxious, angry, frustrated, selfish, ok the list goes on and on. So... I guess I've just answered my own question. It's more important to mediate and pray than it is to exercise. There's me letting God in and not leaving Lynette in control. I want to exercise. I also know that I prefer to exercise in the morning, but if I miss it I often still am able to exercise after school. Or, heaven forbid, if I miss a day and rest from exercising I'll be ok.

As I sit here though and think about how I communicate with God and how I want to communicate. I actually am communicating with Him as I sit here typing. I am constantly out loud saying "thank you, thank you, thank you". I am thankful for so many things. As I read about that author, thank you for my two healthy children. I know so many people in this world that have had small children die, be born with disabilities, and several friends and family memebers that are not able to have children. What a blessing my children are! What a blessing my husband is! What a blessing my friends are! What a blessing it is to be alive, healthy, at peace today! I am a blessed person and really thank God for all that I have been given. I try to be thankful as much as I can, because I do request and beg for many favors from God also.