Sunday, March 22, 2009

Our Storm

Our family has been in the midst of a storm. At times it has been drizzling and then some times it seems to rain a little harder. All have seemed annoying or dreary but bearable. This week we were hoping for sunshine...but weather being unpredictable as life is.. This week was an all out thunderstorm for our family. The kind of storm where the sky turns pitch black and the winds begin to blow. A storm where standing seems difficult where you possibly think you can be blown over at any moment. And if you are blown over you would ask yourself, "Can I get back up?" I have asked myself several times this week, "Is the sun going to come back out" in more literal terms...Is God really here? Or maybe better said, "Where is he?? Just as I don't understand the weather, I do not understand God's plan for my family at this moment. But after feeling the wind blow and the rain trying to strip me of all I have believed to be true my whole life...I know some things to be true...God does have a plan and that he is bigger than the storms of life. I know that despite the winds that are threatening to blow us over or are making it impossible to stand..that we will grab on to the hand of the Lord through his Word and hang on for dear life...only through him can we fight and stand in this storm.. only through him can we see a light beneath those pitch black clouds. In closing, I happened to be listening to some Christian music and a Casting Crowns song which I have heard a million times was playing...but the words were so appropriate for the week we have walked through...I have removed the other happier songs from my blog for the week so that if nothing else when I look at my blog it will remind me. The sun is not shining and it is cloudy out but one thing I know for sure....the sun will return!! Until next time...

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Tri-camp

I decided to post on this topic because many of you have called to inquire "how it went?" I am sorry to not have answered some so I thought this might be a more effective way to do so. In answer, it was exhilirating, hard and overall a true to heart gut check! To sum it up, we ran track in the wee hours of the morning, continued on to bike in the hills and up Sugarloaf mountain, muscled out a weightlifting session, swam what seemed like a million laps and then worked on mental toughness. We did eat and then went to bed to rise for a simulated duathlon the next morning. I will say...the duathlon (22 mile bike...6 mile run all in hills) was where my personal gut check occurred. The first 15 miles of bike and four miles of run went great...then I hit a very big wall...muscled out the last seven of bike and went into transition thinking....I truly do not know if I can run the last two miles of hills. But I did...one step at a time! The funny thing is...as I watch my children play tennis matches on the weekend and get into 2-3 hour battles with opponents, I always tell them they can do it, to focus, one point at a time....needless to say..that is what pulled me up those hills (not wanting to be a hypocrite) but I was not loving my own words of inspiration. So I learned from that weekend that I have alot of work to do over the coming months before I compete in the 1/2 ironman (not only physically but mentally) BUT ....at the end of the day I am glad I finished everything that weekend...quitting just never feels good when you assess at the end of the day! Until next time!

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Our Weekend

This weekend could not have been better. We had very few committments which was unusual but so refreshing. There is nothing I love more than a weekend at home with my family. We spent alot of time outside enjoying bikes, ripsticks, swings, cookouts and each other. On an exciting note, Preston mastered his bike with no training wheels...Pinellas Trail here we come! Developmentally it finally clicked for him! I hope you enjoy the photos...next week I hope to play with some different settings on the camera...so hopefully the photos will be great. We hope you all have a safe and great week. Until next time..

Outdoor spots in the beautiful Florida weather

Fun Friday Fieldtrip

We spent Friday in Bradenton at Desoto National Memorial. It was an absolutely beautiful day. The kids enjoyed a weapons demonstration, information on Desoto, finishing their Junior Ranger Badge, a hike and movie. IT was such a pleasant day and we learned alot of interesting information. The boys are very into weapons used throughout history so this was right up their alley. Nicholas enjoyed catching lovebugs. That was a good hour of entertainment for him. During the weapons demonstration they fired off a gun of sorts...Nicholas looked at me, looked at the gun and said, "That was cool!" It was very cute! This was another fieldtrip that we thoroughly enjoyed and learned so much! As a Florida native, I am realizing there are so many places I have not been...so it is a fun adventure for me as well!

Our Fieldtrip to Desoto National Memorial

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Back in business!

Well, there are so many things I have to learn about my new camera...but at least I am beginning to function again! A friend cleared up an issue I was having so for that I am thankful. As you can see from the photos...it is all about family and the things we do. We were practicing taking some action photos of Mitchell from quite a distance. Preston decided to get in on the action when he decided to go play golf with palm branches across the club from us. I guess that is what happens when your older brother decides to draw the tennis match out to over two hours in length...you resort to nature for entertainment. He spent a good amount of time staring at the half a dozen woodpeckers that were in a nearby tree. But than it was back to action! Golf with pebbles and palm branches! But what can you say...nothing like a healthy imagination!! Well I hope to get on the posting path..I hope you all enjoy the photos and I am so excited to learn this camera and take great photos! Until next time!

Various photos from the past couple of weeks

My new camera and I are becoming friends slowly but surely




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