*Monday Memos*

*MONDAY MEMOS*

 

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

dear ELDER TAYLOR WILDING, YOU ARE COMING HOME! 

I am so excited I can hardly stand it!  You sent your last letter (we may possibly still get a short one next Monday) and it was so inspiring and so touching. I posted a link to it on Facebook and I have had so many people tell me what an awesome letter it was and what an incredible missionary you are!  You have been just AMAZING!  What an example you have been to SO many!  I know you aren't really ready to leave the land and the people that you have grown to love, but it is time.  You have done what you were called to do and now it's time to move on with your life.  I love how you said you are ready for that and that you aren't scared of the future. You will be returning with honor.  It is going to be such a great reunion and I am really trying not to get too giddy and crazy.  I have been so emotional this entire week.  I am not much of a crier, but this week the waterworks have been on overdrive for some reason.  You're not supposed to cry when your missionary comes home — but that is what I have been doing.  I think it's mainly happy tears and the emotions are just so high with anticipation and excitement that they just leak out.  I have even been able to go back and look at the photos of the day you left.  That was one HARD and SAD day.  It's hard to make myself believe you are really FINALLY coming home!  Two years is a VERY VERY long time!

 Very tough day!

 This ↑ was taken on the day of his farewell.

A collage of some of his mission happenings.

There are no words to express how proud of this boy I am!  He is just one incredible and amazing son and I feel so blessed I am his mama!

Here is his last letter titled: The Final Countdown

 

Family, Friends, Relatives, and whoever else reads my emails!
Wow.... Thinking back on these last two years, it's been life changing. I think now that I've really grown up haha. Living without a mom for 2 years can be pretty challenging, so I'll take full advantage of it right when I get home next week;) It's really been a huge honor to be out here on the service of God. Serving a mission has been the best decision I've made in my life until now. I've learned what it's like to make sacrifices, to serve others, to do hard things. Everyone of us is different and have our own needs. The smallest things we do, can make the biggest impact in the lives of others. I've been able to see my weaknesses, and I have lots. I haven't done much out here, but I did my best in everything. I'm returning home with no regrets, that was my number one goal I wanted to achieve. I've been able to forget about myself, to realize that I'm here to help others and if they're happy, then one day I will be too. I'm not scared to come back home and start real life, I'm excited for new experiences and new challenges. But it's hard knowing that I'll never see most of these people ever again in this life, but certainly the next life will be a glorious reunion! 2 years, 11 companions, 6 areas, 7 pairs of shoes, 1000's of Miracles and Millions of unforgettable experiences. Really has become the best two years of my life. I'll be seeing you all next week, I'll try to practice my English this week so I don't mix up all of my words:) Thank you all so much who have supported me in one way or another, whether it be through letters, or packages, or reading my letters, or asking how I've been, or a simple prayer or thought. I know it has helped, and I'm out here because of all the help you've given me. I know this is the true church, that the scriptures tell us everything we need to do, and that Christ lives! Love you all!
My testimony I put in the missionary journal of our mission that they give to all the missionaries.
Puxa vida...
Guerreiros, meu tempo acabou. Foi mais do que eu esperava. Aprendi amar as pessoas que eu nem conheci. Minha Fe foi provada, Paciencia foi testada. Mas nao me arrependo de nada que eu fiz, por que eu fiz o meu melhor! Eu ate gostava de ser rejeitado, porque sentia mais como meu Salvador. Agora eu sei, que milagres sao reais! Foi uma grande honra ter servido o Senhor por 2 anos da minha vida. A Igreja e Verdadeira! Amo Voces!!!;)
ELDER WILDING

Testimony translation: (done by me through Google translator- so hope it's close!)

Wow ... life

Warriors, my time is up. It was more than I expected. I learned to love the people I'd never met. My faith was tested, Patience was tested. But do not regret anything I did, why I did my best! I even liked being rejected because I felt more like my Savior. Now I know that miracles are real! It was a great honor to have served the Lord for two years of my life. The Church is True! Love You !!! ; )

My friend Jen had me listen to this song that brought the flood gates open.  Holy heartbreak, the lyrics get to you!  Here is the link to go listen to it.  And please do.  It is one of those songs that touches you deep to your core.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr5Kzy4FF1g 

dear missionary mom group, my friend Jalyn (sitting next to me) posted this picture on Facebook with her status saying:

"Have had so much fun with these ladies as we have gotten together as missionary mom's. Now our boys are returning home one by one. So grateful for the love, friendship, and support from freshman basketball thru 2 years of missions."

What a great experience it has been to share so much with these ladies.  We have been pals since even before that Freshman year.  Our sons started playing basketball together when they were around nine years old on their first comp team.  We have sat through more basketball games, practices, bad ref calls, exciting hero moments, cheers and jeers, temper tantrums from coaches, heartbreak losses, nail biting triumphs, state playoffs, proud moments, sad moments, Miriam's crochet fests (and a few technical calls), distracted score keepers, half time shows, summer camps, and I could go on and on.  Suffice it to say, I love these women so much (and the other basketball moms whose son's didn't serve missions) and I am so grateful I have them in my life.  We kept saying this was our last lunch together but we are going to get together when all our boys return and bring them with us like we did before they left.  ☺

dear trials in life, some times your timing is not the best.  But I guess we don't get to choose when those times will be, but just try and go with them and learn from them.

 I am counting on this!

dear last time, I wrote a post about you not too far back and when I saw this, I had to add it to my blog.  It really says what I was trying to say.  

dear running with a pal, it sure makes the miles go faster and the motivation easier when you have a partner to run with.  My friend Robin text me to see if we could get together for a run this week and I was more than happy to agree!  I have had a hard time getting out this week because I have so much to get done and it seems when I run then I have lost half my day by the time I get showered and ready for the day.  It makes it a lot easier when you know you have a set time and someone will be waiting for you and so I get out much earlier that way.  We did a seven miler and it felt good to have company.  Robin is so fun to chat with too and I needed a listening ear today.

Photo opp on our course we couldn't pass up!

dear day in logan, I headed up after my run to get some errands done and hopefully find a new chair for my family room.  I want a purple one and it's slim pickin's.  I had a lot of things to check off my list (returns included) and even though I never stop and eat lunch when I am out shopping on my own, today I was starving and so when I walked past Paradise Bakery in the mall, I couldn't resist going in for some hot soup and one of their yummy cookies.  I got a lot checked off my list, but still didn't feel really productive. I then met Dave at Mountain Crest in Hyrum for McKay's game.

dear mckay's last away game of the season, I was already in Logan shopping and so I just made my way to Mt. Crest and met Dave there.  The game was on Wednesday this week because of fall break.  It was windy and chilly!  And the concession stand wasn't even selling hot chocolate!  I bundled up with my coat, gloves, hood, and even my blanket around me and I still froze!  That wind was a killer.  I felt sorry for the boys playing.  It was a good game but our boys made some silly mistakes that cost them the loss.  There is still a slight hope we can make it to playoffs.  Our last game will determine that.  But we are playing Logan and they have a better record than we do.  But, never give up!

dear mr. cat, you are irresistibly cute!  I wish you liked to be snuggled as much as I want to snuggle you!

dear backyard, how I love you!  You are the one reason I don't ever want to move.  I have the best backyard and it's so fun to get wild critters down to visit.  We see deer so often that I have always feared it would become just commonplace to me and I don't want that to ever happen.  I always want to be excited when they venture in our yard.  It was fun to see the dad hanging out with his wife and kids today. 

dear pennies from heaven, yes I believe that is where you are from.  Today I hit a gold mine!  I went on a run over by the high school and I went through the parking lot and found most of these in one area.  When I went and ran the track I was so shocked that I found two more pennies!  That is very unusual to find them on the track!  It was just one of those amazing days. I felt like they really did come from heaven because my loved ones there knew I needed some love this week.  It was much appreciated for sure.  

I also saw some amazing birds on my run.  There must have been over a thousand of them all sitting on the wires for as long as I could see and as soon as I ran past them, they would fly away right down the row.  It was an amazing sight.  I found it funny that there would always be a few that would stay on that wire right until I got underneath them.  Maybe some birds are even a little rebellious.  Hah  Or maybe they are just extra brave.  It was quite a sight though and the pictures don't do it justice at all.  The one on the bottom left is when they had all left the wires and were flying together. 

click to enlarge 

dear manic manican, you can definitely tell you are a lover of  Halloween!

  

 

dear serendipity, you are defined as "a happy accident" and that is what I happened onto today.  I was heading to the store and just by a few seconds was able to witness the annual herding of the sheep from Mantua to Corinne.  If I had been just a few seconds earlier I would have missed it and not even known I missed it!  Well, I probably would have when I saw the street.  They do leave their "mark" that is for sure!   It happens every October but I never know what day or time and so I have just happened to see this sight a couple times while out running.  Today I was in my car but so glad I didn't miss it!  It is the coolest sight!  There are 2500 sheep in all and it's a massive group!  They herd them right through my residential neighborhood.  I am about six blocks east of their course.  It is just one of those sights that you puts 'ewe' in awe.  Okay, that was baaaaaaaaaa-d. 

 I got the pictures below off of Facebook (with permission) because they were taken with a much better camera than my iphone.


 What a bea"ewe"tiful sight!

dear haunted half marathon!  What a fun race!

How can running be anything but fun when it's mixed with Halloween!?! The SLC Haunted Half marathon was SPOOKY-tacular! Challenging course, but the costumes and crazies along the way helped with that! Got 4th in my age division (best I've ever placed in a half before!) but frustratingly missed a trophy by only 8 seconds. The best part was the headless horseman starting the race! The grim reaper at the finish line was a close second. Oh wait, hitting Swigs for cookies on the way home was the best part! 

 This was actually pretty creepy! 

But I was brave and got close enough to touch him.  Well, his horse anyway!

And, of course, I must have a picture of the porta potty line!  The scary guy decided to forgo the line and find his own spot!

He took our minds off of our nervousness.

The only way it would have been creepier is if it had been dark!

 Before the race with Jen. 
They didn't start the race without us this year.  We ran the Provo Half last year and as we were on the bus and getting close to the start, we heard the gun go off and watched the race start without us!  They hadn't planned on enough buses and so some had to go back and get the rest of the runners (us included) and instead of waiting they started the race on time without us.  We had some pacers on our bus too.  This one was more organized. 

Some sights along the course.  That guy carried that heavy guitar the entire 13.1 miles!  And he was speedy too!  I didn't get too many pictures of the crazy costumes, but there were many!  I was shocked at some of the stuff people ran with!  A lot of wigs and huge hot hairy costumes!  I was so hot by mile 7 that I have no idea how they survived running in them!  We saw two cemeteries along the course.  Pretty cool.

 We ran right past the Primary Children's Hospital.  As I ran past it, I couldn't help but think of Tyson and all of the many hours, days, weeks, and months we called that place home.  I am grateful for that place.  It gave me strength and the boost I needed at mile 10 to feel grateful that I was healthy and able to run long distances unlike my son.  I felt his presence with me at that time cheering me on.

The last mile was down through Memory Grove and I loved it!  I don't very often say that about the last mile of any race, but this one was all downhill (I LOVE downhill!) and it was full of spooky things!  Right before the finish line there was this scene of scariness and then a dark spook alley that was pitch black as we ran through it and then scary creatures jumped out at you! I was NOT expecting that!  I screamed so loud and jumped so high that I am surprised I didn't end up with an injury!  The grim reeper was right there at the end and just trying to get away from him made me put on the gas!

 Unfortunately, I didn't put it on soon enough because my goal was to finish with a sub 2:00.  I ended up with 2:00 straight up!  Well 2:00:24.  25 seconds away from a sub 2:00!  That actually makes it worse!  Because I KNEW I could have EASILY cut off 25 seconds!  I could have carried my own water and then not had to stop at the aid stations to drink which would have cut off 5-10 seconds at each of the six or seven aid stations.  And I could have not taken the pictures along the way.  So in my head, I know I could have if I had just known I was going to be that close to it.  I also wasn't in line on time with my pacers (1:55) at the start and so I had to really push it the first mile or two to try and catch them.  I even ran a 7 minute mile for my first mile.  Not a smart thing to do at the start of a race.  But the MOST frustrating thing of all was when I saw that I took 4th in my age division and the lady that took 3rd was only 8 seconds faster than me.  She got a trophy for taking 3rd!  EIGHT SECONDS!  If I had only known I was going to finish like that I could have easily finished much faster!  Groan!  8 seconds!  I have never placed in a half before and so I wasn't in the mode of trying to beat those in my age division like when I run a 5K or 10K.  Now, THAT was frustrating because I bet those trophies were so cute!  The medals were amazing!  I think it is my new favorite medal of all time!

 Jen's brothers and sister in law also ran it.  I am with them in the bottom right photo.  I saw my buddy Adrian after as well.  He was pacing the 1:45 group.  I should have started with them!  Had I known he was the pacer I would have for sure!

It was a great race and I'm glad I ran it.  The course was hilly and tough, but I needed the challenge to get stronger and faster.  I can always tell how tough the course is not only while running it, but after.  I was pretty sore the next day!

There is my name on the result board.  8 seconds behind the awards!  

This awesome medal made up for it!  And it glows in the dark!  LOVE IT!

HERE is a cute little teaser about the race.

dear cleaning and organizing, I am really getting spent!  I have worked so hard for three weeks now on organizing and dejunking and deep cleaning my house.  Every single day I have had a major project to attack so I can cross it off my list before Taylor gets home. I am motivated to get it all done before Taylor's return, but some it is going to have to be done once he gets home the few days before his homecoming.  I am not sure why I feel such an urgency to get it done because I really didn't before he left, but just getting a missionary ready to go was so time consuming that it wasn't my priority then.  I really wanted to have it painted and the hard wood floor refinished and the basement done before he returned, but that was wishful thinking I guess because none of that happened.  So I have focused on organizing and deep cleaning.  I have always loved to organize and I always had a cleaning schedule and kept up on things pretty darn well until after Tyson passed away and that changed me in the fact that I learned that there are more important things in life than to always be cleaning because it never lasts and is an endless process.  I lightened up a lot on my standards which was a good thing in many ways, but in others it got me a little behind in keeping on top of things that need constant attention such as filing paperwork, getting rid of stuff that we no longer need or use, keeping up on my deep cleaning schedule, etc.  After I got home from the race on Saturday, I spent the rest of the day (into the night) doing the basement.  That is one big job and so I asked for help on it.  Dave and the boys helped me with it, but I was very discouraged.  I am not a fan of my basement because first of all it's not all the way finished and second of all I have seen way too many spiders down there for my liking.

How I felt while cleaning and organizing the basement!

This really made me laugh! 

But there is no denying how good it feels once it's done!  Now, if it would only last!

This has always been one of my favorite quotes!

dear inspirational quotes, sometimes you are the only things that get me through!  I will keep this one in my head!

I loved my Messages From God this week:

Today, Jodi, we believe God wants you to know that ...

you were created to be alive.

You weren't made to simply survive until you die. Live it up, embrace life. This entire planet exists for all God's creatures, - and that includes you. Don't wait to start living, begin right now, with your very next breath. There are many wonderful experiences waiting for you, so get going.

Today, Jodi, we believe God wants you to know that ...

when you are feeling anxious, remember to breathe.

Allow yourself to breathe in and out slowly. Allow your breath to bring you to a place of calmness. Allow yourself to be calm like the eye in the center of the storm.

Amen to both of those!

*Monday Memos* (Marathon Edition)

*MONDAY MEMOS*

 

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

dear elder wilding, you are such a great missionary!  This Ma couldn't be prouder of her missionary son!  You are so obedient and so willing to do what ever it is you are asked which was evident by your letter. You are being transferred for your last time (until you are transferred home in SIX weeks!) even though you really want to finish your mission where you are, but you will go because you are told to.  From this week's letter, I could tell you do whatever it is you are asked even when you have other preferences. 

The people from the area you were just transferred out of, have been posting things on Facebook about you and how great of a missionary you are and how much you have helped them and helped them change their lives for the better and how they miss you so much and how they miss your smile and happiness.  You made quite an impact of so many and changed so many lives.  Makes this Mama proud!  Only 40 more days!

dear taper week, I am actually enjoying this week of not having to run so many miles!  Usually taper week gets me in a panic because I feel like I won't be able to do the 26.2 on race day if I have stopped running a lot of miles.  But having run three other fulls, I now know that I will be okay and that the rest really will help my muscles and legs get ready for the long race ahead.  SO.....I am loving it!  I only had to do four miles on Monday and Tuesday and I have to say, that was great mentally for me! I loved the rest!  I found a piece of chalk laying by the high school tennis courts and so I took advantage of it and wrote some Run Happy signs on the road to help other runners.  I know when I see things like that it helps me!  But then it rained that night and so who knows if anyone even got to see them.  hah   McKay lost his keys and so he took my car and so I ran to the high school to get it.  It worked out perfectly for the four miles I had to go.

dear halloween open house at secret haven, oh wow what a fun time!  My friend Tracy called me up Monday and asked if I wanted to go with her and a group of ladies to Fruit Heights to a boutique called Secret Haven.  She said if we wear some kind of costume (even just a hat) we get 30% off one item.  I was game.  I got out my witch hat and cape and was ready to fly.  I couldn't find my broom unfortunately and so I had to catch a ride with her.  

Julie, Tracy, Sheila, Joanna, me

 It was so much fun!  I was SHOCKED at the costumes we saw.  Mainly the peeps who work there, but a lot of shoppers also went all out.  And when I say all out, I mean ALL out!  I couldn't believe some of the ones I saw!  They have definitely taken Halloween up a notch!

 Julie was more decked out than the rest of us.  I was just in amazement at some of those costumes!  I wish I had taken more pictures of them.  It was so fun and they had so many cute things to buy! I found a great table runner and a super cute gift for a friend that had made me a witch broom.  We are going to all go back at Christmas time too.  We got in a downpour on the way down.  So much fun!

dear sista lunch for september, this month we met at Cracker Barrel so we could crack up.  I was afraid there was only going to be four of us, but we ended up with seven!  I was so happy Jacki came!  I just love her.  She doesn't make it too often and so it was fun to have her there.  She joked about who chose that place because only 90 year olds eat there.  We discovered she was right!  hah!  But it was fun to shop after in the store.

  Robin's birthday is Saturday and so we sang to her and they gave her a free piece of cake.  She shared.  So nice of her.  Yummy!  So many photo opps! I would have loved to stayed a bit longer but I had to go tie shopping for my son for the Homecoming dance and his date only told him her dress was "kind of peachy".  Great!  That helps!  ugh

 They had a lot of animated animals that we had a good time with.  I love these sista's because they are the sista's I never had!  I do LOVE hanging out with my "old" high school pals!  :0) 
♥ ~~~ ♥

dear new discovery, I have decided all the new discoveries that I love seem to always be crunchy! I must have an addiction to all things crunchy.  I also love to crunch on crushed ice all day, so who knows!  These Half-pops are something that were like heaven sent to me!  I have ALWAYS loved granny heads...ya know those popcorn kernels that never fully pop.  I seek them out!  Dave always finds them and gives them to me when we are eating popcorn.  I really really like those things!  Half-pops are almost like granny heads.  They are lot lighter and not so hard to crunch which is good, but I wish they had less of a greasy aftertaste.  But even that won't keep me from them! I bought a bag at Costco and tore in to them on my way home and put quite a dent in the bag.  They are addicting!  If you like crunch, you will love these!

dear heavenly aroma, when I got home from lunch and shopping I walked in to find the aroma of chocolate chip cookies baking.  It was my son Bryce baking them!  He loves chocolate almost as much as I do!  I asked him if they were the frozen ones and he said no he had made them from scratch!  Wow, I was impressed!  They looked much better than mine ever do!  The aroma of cookies baking really is one of the best scents in the world!

dear witch broom, I also found this ↓ when I arrived home!  My dear and sweet friend Jamie had it made for me!  She is the most thoughtful and kindest person!  I love it!  I got her something special at the boutique that I can't wait to give her to thank her for her generosity!  YAY for Halloween!  It's almost here!  It's my favorite holiday of them all! 

 This is what I got for her!  Can't wait to give it to her!

dear last minute shopping, I set out to get Dave a swimsuit for hawaii and mckay's homecoming dance outfit.  I had got a tie on Tuesday, but then his date sent a picture of her dress and it was NOT peach.  It was orange!  So back to the drawing board.  I took McKay with me in town to a store, but they didn't have what he wanted.  He wanted orange suspenders, but to no avail.  So I called some places in Ogden and found a store that had some and off I went.  I really did not have time to go, but I did anyway.  When I got to the store they were flaming fluorescent orange!  Nope!  Not gonna work.  After looking all over, I found him a vest that he can wear with the tie and bag the suspenders.  But then I found some at Zurchers and so bought them as well and I will let him choose which he prefers.  I found a killer deal on swimsuits too!  Joe Boxer $38 suits marked down to $4.99!  I sent Bryce and Dave photos and had them pick some out.  I got McKay one too.  I love great bargains!  So I guess my trip was worth it.

dear concession stand shift, I hurried back from shopping so I could do one of shifts for the sophomore football game.  I had fun working with some great ladies and it went really fast.  I think I have two more turns to do it.  I don't mind.  It comes with the territory of being a football mom I guess.

  

dear carb loading week, I have been trying to carb load this week for the marathon.  I haven't been doing a very good job.  I haven't been wanting to eat much at all.  NOT normal for me!  I think the nerves are just getting to me and it's making it hard to eat.  I know if I don't load up on the carbs, I will bonk about mile 20.  So I am forcing myself to do it anyway.  I made a huge pan of ham fried rice to help me get some of those babies down the hatch.  I have also started on some Iron supplements.  I have really needed them, but they probably won't help much for this race as they take about a month to see any difference.  I do however see a huge difference after certain monthly times when I have zero energy whatsoever, which happens to be this week and that is not good for running a marathon on Saturday.  I am praying that I will find the energy somewhere and I can dig deep and do okay!

dear carb load lunch with Dave at Firehouse, I forgot to take a picture!  No surprise though because my nerves are in my stomach and I'm seriously a nerve bundle!  I am SO nervous for this race!  Take how I felt last week for Peach Days and times it by 10!  I have to keep telling myself to trust in my training!  I have prepared for this for four months!  I need to get myself some motivation and some mantras going in my head and then I know I will feel better!  Best news is that I found out my good friend Adrian is pacing the 4:00 runners!  That is my goal time!  I honestly am NOT putting that pressure on myself to finish at 4:00, but that would be what I ultimate want so I could get a Boston Qualifying (BQ) time!  I will be happy to finish under 4:30 because my training hasn't been as good as it was for Ogden.  I know it's  a lot of downhill but I'm not so sure how I will do AFTER all that downhill when my body is shocked back into the reality of flat and hills!  I am really in fear of that! Always a little nerve racking when you haven't run or even seen the course before!  The other bad thing is the weather took a dive!  Yeah, the temperature at race start is supposed to be 43 degrees!  WHAT?  YES!  There goes my plan for wearing my Lulu-lemon skirt that I have saved all year for THIS race!  I am afraid I will freeze to death if I wear that now!  Maybe I can go with the tacky capris under the skirt to stay warm.  It just takes away the skirt look though.  So sad!  Not sure WHY, but it seems every single marathon I have run so far, there is a weather dive the day before and I am always scrambling for what I am going to wear the day before even though I have it planned out months in advance!  Oh well, I have to just focus on the things I CAN control and let go the things I can't! 

dear homecoming game, wow!  What a great game!  McKay's team is really doing well this season.  It is so fun to watch them win and play so well.  McKay had a great game and got some nice tackles and even got his name announced over the loud speaker which was great because both sets of Grandparents were there as well as cousins and other relatives.  It was an awesome game!  They won 48-38.  Always good to win on Homecoming.  I went out on the field after for pictures and had so much fun watching McKay interact with all his friends.  He is a great kid and so well liked.   It was FREEZING though because the wind was pretty fierce!  Didn't get home until 10:45 even though I needed to be up at 2:50 a.m. for my race! 

The lighting of the B is a great tradition!  

Great game!

Great win!  

McKay with his cousin Natalie.  McKay with Riley Burt.

 McKay and his good friend Cooper.  They have been buds since birth and played football together since they were seven.  So sad knowing this is their last year!

 I love these pictures of these two!

dear big cottonwood marathon, I am SO glad that is over!  I got up at 2:50 a.m. and headed down with Jen and Linda to SLC to catch the buses for the race.  Robin had picked up our packets and so we met her to get them and then her and Linda headed off for the half and Jen and I for the full.  I have been a bundle of nerves ALL week worrying about this marathon.  I have never ran the course and I have been putting pressure on myself to get a BQ (Boston Qualifying time) because if I shave off 14 minutes from my PR then I can qualify.  Much easier said than done!  14 minutes is a lot of time, but I knew I could do it.  Problem is my training hasn't been as good as it was for my last one and I just didn't know how I would do.  I was honestly scared to run it because I know how painful and how much inner mental strength it takes to get through a full marathon.  Half's are much less draining that way.  But a full marathon makes you dig deep and see what you're made of and how much you can endure.  They are tough no matter what.  And you train for four months all for ONE day.  Anything can happen that day and you can have a great day and all the stars are aligned or a crappy one.  You just don't know what will happen.  And then there's the pressure to qualify. Getting a BQ time is VERY tough but a dream for many runners.  I REALLY want to run Boston...it is my goal.  I was so hoping today would be the day, but it wasn't meant to be.  I ended up SEVEN MEASLY MINUTES shy of a BQ!  Seven!  Oh well.  Guess that means I will have to keep trying.  Not looking forward to that though.  Marathons really take it out of me and training for that long really takes a lot of time.  There were so many reasons I wanted to do it today, but I gave it ALL I had and still came up shy.  That's why it's so hard to qualify and why it's such a coveted thing among runners.  It's kind of like the Super Bowl for runners.  It's my dream though and I really want to run it someday!  I'm soooooooo close!  Anyway, I signed up for this race (Big Cottonwood) because it touts itself as one of the fastest BQ races around. And that is just what I need - a fast course.  That was before they changed the course and made it MUCH tougher!  The first 15 are downhill and fast but then it turns and there is an 8 mile out and back that is BRUTAL!  SO. MUCH. UPHILL!  And so painful to go uphill after going 15 down!  I was surprised how tough it was.  I have never seen so many marathon racers have to walk in a race like I did in this one... ever.  It was that tough.  I didn't walk once in my last two marathons, but this one I had no choice.  Either that or kill over!  I stayed with the 4:00 pacers (I actually really tried to stay ahead of them 30 seconds or so for most of the 15 miles) but on the out and back and uphill I got behind a bit and then more and more.  My friend Adrian was the pacer for my BQ time of 4:00, and when I heard that, I was SO happy because he is one of the funnest people I know and so smart about running.  I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather have as a pacer.  He kept us upbeat and positive and it was just so fun pacing with him!  I met some ladies in my age group who flew in from Oklahoma to run it.  They went ahead as soon as the uphill started at mile 16 and I was sad I couldn't push it more. I did great until about mile 17 but at that point I was really hurting and felt sick to my stomach.  I kept going though and kept pushing it and gave it all I had. Trying to get down a gel was impossible.  I knew if I did, I would hurl!  But I also knew if I didn't, I would hit a wall and bonk.  So I took some blox that had a small amount of caffeine and hoped for the best.  The out and back was tough as far as the course goes, but I really liked being able to see the other runners going out or back and passing them.  I got to yell and wave at Marci and Sherri as I was going out and then I saw Jen as I was going back.  It was inspiring just watching the runners that were on the tough miles (20 and up) as they passed me.  The looks on their faces was inspiring because I could tell how painful it was for them but they kept on going.  It was like being a spectator at a marathon while running it.  I did like that experience.  Miles 20-22 were tough.  I heard another ask a couple that were walking and limping if they were having cramping and she told them she had a salt tablet if they needed it.  My calves were getting tight and starting to cramp and when they said it wasn't cramping and they didn't need it, I asked her if she had a spare I could have.  Thankfully she did.  I think it helped me during those last three miles.  I kept having the thought go through my head, "Would I rather have a baby or run a marathon?"  When I have thoughts like those, it means I am hurting.  haha But I was still trying to keep it positive.   I was even super excited because I need a 4:00 to BQ but I found out that today and ONLY today if I ran it in that time I would BQ for 2015 and 2016.  AND, since I will be 55 in 2016, my BQ time goes to 4:10 and if I finished today with a 4:10 I would BQ for 2016!  That made me motivated to do it!  10 extra minutes!  But as hard as I tried, and as excited as I was that I knew I could do it, about mile 22, the 4:10 pacers passed me and I sadly kissed my Boston Marathon goodbye.  Oh man that was tough mentally.  Heartbreaking.  But I didn't have enough energy to even think about the loss of that.  I had to just keep pushing and moving forward.  As I approached mile 23, a man cheering for us said it was all downhill from there.  I said, "Really? Is that true?"  He told me it was and so that gave me some extra strength just knowing the uphill was done.  I finished strong with a time of 4:17.  My marathon PR is a 4:14 and so I was very happy with my time, just very disappointed I didn't BQ. I wanted to so bad!  Guess this means I am not done running fulls.  UGH!  I want to be!  That is after I run Boston!  Anyway, I felt good about my time and knowing that I didn't leave anything on the course was also a good feeling. I did my best.  It just wasn't good enough today.  I didn't train as hard as I needed to either like I did for the Ogden.  So, I wasn't really surprised I guess. Just let down.  Oh man did I hurt after that race!  I was really sick to my stomach and dizzy and had to sit down a long time and try and get feeling better.  I am sure I was dehydrated.  I even got a short massage after and that was helpful.  I sat down by Adrian and he told me I did great.  He even went and got me some chocolate milk.  That is the best recovery drink ever!  I ate some other things but they made me sick.  I waited for Jen to finish and was so happy for her because she got a PR and was so happy.  I was so proud of her!  She has had a bad year and turned it around today!  Jen's friend Rachelle and another girl were so nice and fun to talk to after while recovering a bit.  I was really not feeling well.  I just wanted to go home and lay down, but we headed to Jimmie Johns and got a great sub.  It was a good thing to do because it settled my stomach.  I felt a lot better after eating that.  Then I got home and had so much to do.  I helped McKay get ready for the Homecoming Dance and then tried to pack and clean and get Taylor's letter written and this post done.  It's almost 11 pm and I am so stinking tired!  I have to get up at 4:45 a.m. and so I need to get this posted and hit the hay!  LONG day!  I was so stressed and nervous about this race that I breathed a huge sigh of relief now it's over!  

 My supplies all laid out the night before...

Dave was ALSO up at 3:30 to see me off!  He is so supportive of all my races. Too late to turn back now!  I could NOT decide if I should wear my capri's under my skirt or not since it was going to be only 40 degrees at start. I didn't want my legs to freeze for the first two hours.  But I had planned on wearing this new purple lululemon skirt for months!  I opted to be warm and wear it underneath. Big mistake. By mile 15 I was really hot! Isn't it cute in the back?  I LOVE ruffles!  Especially purple ones!

It was SO freezing at the start and so hot at the finish line!

 I did it!  Yea!

 I have such great running friends!  The fall colors are in full swing!

Check out this picture ↓

My friend Jen found a photo of one of them when she was looking through unclaimed photos!  They have my shirt and purple skirts!  I wish I would have seen them, but they ran the half instead of the full.  Still made me smile!!!  GO PURPLE!
I wrote another post on this race here.

dear homecoming dance, Mckay had a great date and lots of fun, but of course I didn't get a lot of details and the pictures won't be back for a while so I will just post the ones I have of him.  Bummer being the mom of a boy on boy's choice dances because you don't get to see the girl. 

Man, he's a good lookin' kid! ☺

dear mr. cat, this is what you do ALL day when you stay out ALL night.  Gosh how I wish I could relax like that!

dear manic manican, I was surprised you were behind closed blinds all during Peach Days last week.  But this week, you were out in full view again. 

dear gratitude list for this week... 

1. Taper week!  It just feels so good to get a little rest from all the hard months of training!
2. Homemade chocolate chip cookies made by my son!  Nothing better! They always taste better when someone else makes them!
3. Finding new discoveries at Costco.
4. Talking to my son in Hawaii knowing I will be there with him soon!
5. Being able to accomplish a lot on my to do list this week.  
6. Lunch and shopping with friends! 
7. I survied the marathon and even though I didn't get a BQ, I still had a great time!
8. Maddox Mini Burgers!
9. Sleep!
10. A ticket to paradise!