*Monday Memos*

*MONDAY MEMOS*

            

 (If pictures are too small, just click to enlarge - if print is too small, you need glasses! ☺)

dear monday run, I ran out west this morning and found this ↓...

  I thought it was pretty cool because it was Mother's Day yesterday.  I felt like it was a little Happy Mother's Day greeting from Tyson.

dear missionary mom phone call, one of the mom's on the Missionary Mom's website gave her phone number and told me to call her so she could tell me about Russia.  Her son is serving in the Novo (abb.) Mission next to where McKay will be serving and I was excited to talk to her, but after the phone call, I kind of was wishing I hadn't!  hah  She told me some things that didn't rest my mind or bring me a lot of peace. I am hoping the things she said are strictly for her son's mission and not mine.  Things like missionaries being beaten and thrown down stairs is a common thing.  Whaaaat?!  She told me the apartments are not nice etc.  I was telling McKay some of the things she said and in all his wisdom he said, "That's like talking to someone in New York trying to describe Brigham City.  You need to talk to someone in my mission or it does no good."  True...

dear altered suits, McKay and I went to the seamstress' house and had her help us decide if we should alter the jacket or the pants.  She advised the jacket.  We were relieved.  She did all her measurements and told us it would be done in time for his pictures on Thursday.  Whew...

dear taper week, it feels strange to only be running a few miles. It is kind of nice to have the extra free time.  Now to just use it productively!  I'm getting nervous about the weather for the marathon. Rain is in the forecast and it isn't changing.  I've also been doing the Plantar stretches and hoping it will help with the pain because it's been pretty bad this week.  I am also still wearing the Strassburg sock.  Time will tell I guess.

dear manic manican, this week's may be the best yet!  LOL

dear taylor basketball playoffs, Tuesday was the final playoff game for the championship and your team won it all!  Nice job!  It was so fun to watch.  They local newspaper came and took your team's photo and you got some t-shirts and gift cards for the win. 

 Very intense game....

Final score! 

 I chased you out to your car because you wouldn't pose for a photo with your new championship shirt.  This is the best I got. 

dear bryce taking off on another adventure, this time to Maui!  I wanted to sneak in his backpack.  He was planning on camping on the beach for most of the time while they are there.  I hope that works out for him.  When you are in paradise, who cares what the plans are, right? ☺  

 They made it!  They also flew over to Kona for the last half of the trip and were able to visit Skyler.  I wish they would post some pix of themselves.  But all I get is scenery.  He will be gone all week.

dear women's forum meeting, I was asked to be on the committee again for the local Women's Forum conference again this year. I enjoy being on it and it's fun to meet with the other women on it.  We met at the hospital and they served us lunch as we threw out ideas for this year's conference.  We got a lot done.  After the meeting, I ran into Ogden to do some errands.

dear last minute temple visit, Jen asked me if I wanted to go do initiatories with her on Thursday as sort of a prep for the marathon.  She said she loves to hear those blessings just before a marathon.  I agreed and it was very nice.

We headed over to Old Grist after and ran into these guys.  They invited us to sit with them and so we did and we had a good time chatting about all kinds of things including McKay's mission and my anxiety about it all.  It was a lot of fun to just chill for a bit and visit.

dear mckay senior and missionary pictures, we had them scheduled for Thursday night and I kept texting the photographer worried it might rain.  She was also worried.  It was a useless worry because McKay ended up coming home sick from school and so he couldn't do them anyway.  We are pretty sure his typhoid vaccine is what made him sick.  It did end up raining.  Now I'm even more stressed  because we need to get them done so I can get his graduation announcements made.

dear mckay wisdom teeth removal, we had this scheduled in April but had to cancel because he went on his senior trip the week we had them scheduled.  He had to miss school on Friday to get them removed.  Not sure why I keep saying "them" because he only had one.  Lucky guy!  The other boys had two to four. I had four, Dave had zero.  Talk about lucky!

 He was so funny when he was done.  But he didn't get too loopy like his bros.  I think it's because he only had the one and so he wasn't under the anesthesia for as long.  The medical assistant was really nice and we got talking and found out he went to Argentina on his mission and so I asked him if he knew CJ and he was CJ's trainer!  Crazy! I took his picture and sent it to CJ who happened to be at my house sleeping because he spent the night.  Then we found out his best friend served in Taylor's mission and they knew each other. THEN....he asked McKay which mission he was going to and when he told him he told us his Bishop's son is serving there!  Wow!  So many coincidences!  But not really.  I know they weren't just coincidences. He gave me his Bishop's phone number so I can call them and learn all about the mission.  It was crazy! 

McKay had an amazing recovery. I went and got him a shake and a movie but he wanted to go back to school.  He said he was fine.  He had a math test that he said he wanted to go take.  I wouldn't let him.  I told him he just had anesthesia and needed to rest for at least a day.  But by that night he wanted to go hang out with his buds and so I let him.

dear wake up call!  Just ingested a HUGE gulp of perspective. This just happened on my way to the marathon expo.

I've been insanely stressing about my marathon tomorrow because I developed plantar fasciitis a few weeks ago thanks to some new running shoes. I've been beyond frustrated because I've trained very hard for four months in hopes of a Boston qualifying time tomorrow. The training has paid off and all my times have pointed to a good outcome until the injury. That coupled with the fact that we will most likely be running in a downpour- has been taking it's toll. It took a fast flying three inch diameter rock that would've gone straight through my head had my windshield not protected me - to wake me up and realize what's really important. Tomorrow is just a race… a big one, yes, but it's still just a race. I feel such overwhelming gratitude that I can even run. Injury or not. Life is fragile. But it is also amazing and great! What a great time to be alive! I'm now going to run tomorrow with zero pressure and expectations but just enjoy being alive. I am going to dedicate each mile to something that I am grateful for. It shouldn't be hard to find 26.2 things! Rain is going to be dedicated to my 1st mile! Hah ‪#‎heavensentrock‬ ‪#‎wakeupcall‬ ‪#‎lifeisfragile‬ ‪#‎embraceit‬ ‪#‎evewhenitdoesntgoasplanned‬ ‪#‎GRATITUDE‬ ‪#‎runningisalwaysateacher‬

dear expo,  I ran McKay home and got him settled after his wisdom teeth extraction and then ran back to Ogden to the Marathon Expo. It was the only day we could pick up our packets and so I had no choice.  I was there around lunch time and it was packed but it always is.  I got my packet and shirt and then shopped a bit and then talked to Olympian Jeff Galloway (on far left) and got my picture with him as I always do.  I talked to him about my plantar faciistis but wasn't sure I liked his advice on it.  He said no stretching.  That is not what I keep hearing.  Then I kept looking around and noticed the hospital's sport's therapists were not really that busy and so I got in line to chat with them.  The line was for KT taping and I thought I would ask if they thought it would help my plantar.  I prayed I would get one that was knowledgeable and immediately a guy walked up to me and asked if he could help me. I told him my issues and he said it would be good to tape it. He said the tape is in no way an aggressive treatment but it might help some. I told him to go for it.  He also told me what Jeff said was not good info.  He said the best thing to do for plantar is to stretch it.  He taped me and kept telling me he thought I would have a great race tomorrow.  He said I should be fine.  I told him I would try and believe that too. ☺  On my way to my car I saw some food stands set up and realized I hadn't eaten all day.  I knew I HAD to carb load and that today's lunch was my most important and so I bought me a pasta meal.  It was really good.  I headed in town to run some errands and then headed back to McKay.  He was doing great!  He hasn't had hardly any pain and he ended up hanging out with his buds that night.

dear marathon, (I wrote a separate post HERE in detail about the marathon) the much anticipated day arrived!  It was one CRAZY and WILD run!  The temps were only around 40° and it was a downpour for the entire race!  I was not happy about that but somehow managed to survive!  The weather definitely slowed everyone down but I was happy to finish with a 4:13:41.  Nope, I did not get my BQ I was hoping and training for but I had no control over the weather or my dang injury.  If I had not made a pit stop at the porta potty (to get my gels where I could get to them because my hands were so frozen I couldn't get them out!) I would have finished with a sub 4:10 which is really what I was training for all along anyway.  So as let down and disappointed as I was, at least I did as well as I did.  Most people ended up 20-25  minutes slower than their goal time due to the weather.  I really didn't hate the rain, well, at least not until I finished and hypothermia started setting in. That was not fun.  Besides, I was so frozen while running and just so focused on pushing through and getting to that finish line that I don't think I focused on how cold I really was.  And that is a good thing!  I did have to ask a spectator to tie my shoe at mile 25 because my hands were so frozen I couldn't even bend them.

I did it!  It was tough with rain and cold but looking back now, it was worth it.

Oh this made me laugh so hard!  Two out of my five full marathons now completed in a total downpour!

Posted this on Facebook: Ogden Marathon this morning was one cold, wet, miserable race! 40° and a continuous downpour made it one crazy adventure! I survived and surprisingly PR'd by one minute [4:13] but missed a BQ by 13 minutes. I felt help from above when my feet wanted to quit and was somehow able to push through the Plantar issues. My handheld water bottle decided enough was enough and now lies to rest in Porta Potty #289 at the aid station at mile 17. Oops. I didn't mourn it's passing because my hands were so frozen I could barely hold onto it anyway.  I was SO happy to see that finish line today! ‪#‎whatdoesntkillyou‬ ‪#‎makesyoustronger‬ ‪#‎hypothermia‬ ‪#‎gratitudemiles‬ ‪#‎ogdenmarathon‬ ‪#‎getoutandlive‬ 

I usually post on Facebook what I post on Instagram but I have been slacking on the Instagram lately and so had to do two separate ones when I realized I forgot about Instagram.  I liked it better when there was only one social media!

Posted this on Instagram: Ogden Marathon 2015- Running always teaches me more than I sometimes want to learn. This was marathon #5 for me and my hope for a BQ. This race taught me that not everything is in my control and no matter how long and hard I may train - injuries happen and the weather will do what it wants despite my wishes and hopes. Running 26.2 miles in a downpour and 40 degree temps was not my wish but I somehow managed to finish with a smile and even a PR. Being 13 minutes shy of a BQ was pretty defeating....but I will keep trying and one day all the stars will align and I will have that perfect race. #itsgreattobealive #gratitude #ogdenmarathon #getoutandlive #frozen #plantargoaway #lovetherain #justnot26milesofit #nevergiveup #neverquit

dear stake conference adult meeting, I came home from the race and could barely walk as is par for the day of the marathon.  I tried to rest and get some sleep since I hadn't really slept at all the night before and I was able to get about an hour or so.  Before I knew it we had to go the stake conference adult meeting.  McKay was saying the opening prayer.  He did a great job!  I am so proud of that boy. He just makes me a happy mom and he is just the most amazing kid.  He is so happy ALL the time and so positive and SO GRATEFUL!  He never fails to thank everyone for the slightest thing.  How I am going to miss him!  The meeting was great and after so many peeps came up and asked me how the race went.  I was actually walking pretty dang good because I found some heels that made it feel like I wasn't sore!  Decided I should wear them all week!  We came home and grabbed Taylor and headed to the Maddox Drive Inn for some dinner.  It was so yummy and I was so hungry! I love their mini burgers!

dear stake conference, we pulled up to the tabernacle and low and behold there was a reserved parking spot right in front for Dave!  That was cool! Hey there's at least one perk to this job!  hehe  Conference was amazing!  They did a great job for a first time.  The speakers were fantastic and Dave was funny and his talk was also great.  He is a natural and really is the perfect person for the job.  He is just so calm and can tell stories with a lot of humor but also the spirit that hits you and makes you want to do what he counsels.  He recited a part from his first talk he gave in stake conference when he was only 12 that he gave from that very pulpit.  It was a poem about the word of wisdom and a pig and it was hilarious.  A lot of people came up to tell me he did a great job.  I got to hold the Hollingsworth's baby for a bit after. SO fun!  We came home and McKay made us lunch because he is trying to learn to cook more things.  We had waffles, eggs, bacon, and Taylor made muffins.  They were all so good to do the dishes so I could go rest my extremely sore body!

dear don and betsy anniversary, our neighbors celebrated their 37th anniversary at their church and so we ran over there to congratulate them.  We got talking to several people and stayed for over an hour.  They are great neighbors and we love them.

dear random, I love Snapchat and Facebook or I would never get to see half the stuff my boys are doing.  These are of Taylor and CJ.  They are in a natural hot springs in the first and golfing in the second. These two always make me smile.  I just love their personalities and they are just so fun to have around.  So glad they are home from their missions!  Love being around them!

dear quotes, here are a few that had meaning for me this week.

Even while running a marathon in a downpour!

Oh, this is just so true.  I need more faith!

So live HAPPY and do what you love!

dear message this week,

Today, Jodi, we believe God wants you to know that ...suffering is just as important as well-being. Like a tree accepts all seasons, accept your suffering with grace. Good days, like sunshine, will help you bloom and prosper. Hard days, like storms, will make you strong and resilient.

Okay could this be any more perfect this week?  Love it!