A Couple Things....

I've been trying to teach Marley how to pretend to be a puppy. Whenever I start, it's because she's crawling around the floor. Maybe she's just reminiscing about, "back in the day" when she used to crawl everywhere? Whatever she is doing it’s interrupted by mom saying, "Are you a doggie?" Then mom panting with tongue hanging out. Marley immediately stands up and starts looking for a dog. I say, "No, you're the doggie!" And she keeps looking. I think next time, I’ll get down on all fours and demonstrate. We can be puppies together.

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I can’t tell you how many times Marley and I have watched the trailer for “Where the Wild Things Are” I TOTALLY want to see it! And I think that is one I want to see in the theatre…those big wild things are meant for the big screen!

I also can’t tell you how many times Marley growled during the many viewings of the trailer. I love her growl. Remember, she’ll be your best friend if you growl at her!

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The other day Marley and I jumped from one fabric store to the next. We were looking for materials for some great Halloween costumes. (By the way, we were successful...betchew can't wait to see Halloween pictures!) There are times when I need to give Marley something while she sits in the cart, to keep her amused. Many times it's my car keys. When I hand them over, I take mental note, "Listen for them to hit the ground, we don't want to loose those!"

We lost them.

I didn't know until, of course, we had left the store and I was digging through my pockets and purse to find them. I was instantly SICK! "Where in the heck could they be? We've been all over that store!" Marley and I looked around. I kept saying, "Marley where are the keys?" She kept walking around "looking" for them with her hands in there air, palms turned upward, fingers spread. This mean, "GONE!!!" I tried not to panic. I did keep thinking, "Ah geeze! I don't want to have to enlist every person in this store to help me find MY keys!"

We found them.

(Marley and I...by ourselves...phew!)

They were at the cutting table.

I put them there...not Marley.

Oopsie!

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Wednesday I was to run 3.5 miles. Sounds easy enough right? However, this would be the longest run since the Incident of 2009 (dropping the bike trailer on my left foot). Well, it went badly...not because of my hurt foot....it was a myriad of reasons (Jeanna I used the preposition!). Mostly it was my body just not wanting to run, a long with my feet burning. I went the full distance but, I walked half the way. I felt so horrible. The race was a week and a half away. I felt old and fat! I felt betrayed by my body...though I've been betraying my body for awhile with not enough exercise and eating too much. Needless to say....I cried. I was actually an emotional wreck the rest of the night.

Nathan, as always, was so sweet and comforting. He poured out words of encouragement worked on refurbishing the confidence boosters. Hugged me a lot and let me cry into his shoulder. It worked he always makes me feel better. I love that man.

Why was I SO emotional?

I was SO scared for Thursday. I was to run 4.5 miles WITH my trainer AND another Relay Race team mate. They are both "runners" I was SO nervous. I didn't run well, I didn't sleep well and I was a big ball of nerves. I pushed through Thursday morning with the regular routine stuff and even did some extra cleaning to keep moving so I wouldn't cry.

I dropped Marley off at a friends house (Sonia, my trainer arranged for the babysitting...she is one AMAZING trainer). Then I dropped Nathan off at school. Then I met with my running partners. I told them I was nervous. They said, "You're gonna do fine!"

I cried twice on the way there. They couldn't tell because they ran about three strides ahead of me (which I liked). They also couldn't tell because there was a heavy mist about, our bodies were getting wet from the air. It felt nice, hot sweating body cooled by the mist. But, my feet burned and my body protested.

On the way back I didn't cry. I wanted to stop and walk twice. I told them. They said, "No, keep going. Almost there!" They were great. It even started pouring rain on us and they tried to get me to run faster...my body wouldn't run too much faster....but, my body kept running.

They encouraged me sporadically. They would slow to run by me every once in awhile. Sonia even spanked my boom boom (that’s my bum) twice! She said, “Jillian would do that!” I told you she’s my Jillian!

They talked and ran. I can't do that, so I listened. I loved listening to there faith filled conversation. Positive excited talk. Hopeful ramblings. I love these women. I felt so blessed to have such encouraging and loving and positive friends....not just these two lively and vivacious runners. My creative and thoughtful friends. My compassionate and humble friends. My fun and dignified friends. I felt blessed that ALL of my friends are ALL of these things.

At the risk of sounding like a "Golden Girl."

Thank you for being my friend!
(that's to all of you out there!)

At the risk of sounding like the Beetles…which is much better than sounding like the G.G’s.

I get by with a little help from my friends.

I ran the whole way.

I wore mole skin on my feet for the rest of the day. It helped, a lot. I kept moving by doing the grocery shopping.

Today I am to run 3 miles.

Tomorrow I am to run 5 miles.

Nathan offered to be my running companion and he will push Marley.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Just for taking the time to read ALL of this!!!

Here is your reward!

Nathan reading a book to Marley. Marley putting on her hat and saying “CHEESE!”

Marley reading to Nathan.

We love you ALL!!!