day 9: red

Red (ahem, Maroon) and Gold are the new school colors, and I couldn't be prouder of the new athlete in our family.

Kelsey began running cross country in August, and tomorrow is her final meet of the season.  She didn't run all summer, and yet, she started with a 10:14 mile base (a time for which I had to train for months!), and she cut that down to 9:42/mile for 2.5 miles in her last couple of races, which is excellent!  What's even more mind-boggling is that sub-10 minute pace is with her having walked some of the courses!  

Last week, she was proud of herself (and I was too) because she ran the entire course.  We don't have her time yet, but what an accomplishment!  She told me after school today that she ran Friday's race in 22:07, exactly 2 minutes less than her previous personal best!  We were so proud together.  We celebrated.  8:53 pace, maintained over distance - WOW!  

It's been busy, but well worth it.  I wanted her to have a sense of belonging at a new school, a crew of kids with whom she could fit and we have found it.  The encouragement of the kids on the teams for EVERY teammate is really special and I know we made the right choice to put her in this sport. 

 

Run through...

Courtesy of Coloradoan
Fort Collins 2011 FireKracker 5k

Run through the FAT days,

   Run despite whoever loves you {or doesn’t}

  Run through REGRET and GUILT,

 Run through FRUSTATIONS,

  Run though LONELINESS,

 Run through those BLISSFUL days

Run despite your DYSFUNCTIONAL family

 Run through people drifting IN & OUT of your life

Run through your own fits of SELF-DOUBT

Because i am NO LONGER that girl 

who thought constantly of her struggle to disappear

I RUN

to be HEALTHY, 

grow STRONGER, 

and be as ALIVE 

as I possibly can

  

poem from a pinterest post I stumbled on eons ago.

Today was one of those blissful running days.  I of course, had the kids with me, and couldn't go as fast and free as I felt like going, but it was one of those gorgeous, warm and sunny in Colorado winter days that is such a gem after being indoors too long.

So glad to be able to get out again, and pray that this weather continues.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and 

let us RUN with perseverance the race marked out for us. 

--Hebrews 12:1

Stream of Consciousness 12/19/11

Three years ago today....

I quit my job working in local government to stay home with the kids.  While it has been invaluable to me and the kids to have this time together, there are some days when I look back and think, What the hell were we thinking?  


Our finances have been shaky ever since.

Colton has changed dramatically since he became a middle child....and on days when the doubt surfaces, I often mourn the loss of the easy-going, agreeable little boy that he was before we had three kiddos vying for our attention and affections.

I'm often overwhelmed, wondering how I ever did half as much as I did while working full-time, going to school part-time and volunteering because now?  I find myself floundering, a lot.

But....then....

I remember.

I'm working on publishing my Facebook Timeline (gotta go in there and delete all of that TMI kind of stuff I used to post back when it was just my interwebs friends on FB, before the whole free world jumped aboard).  In doing so, yesterday I found myself drawn to May, 2009.

The start of it all.

May 12, 2009 at 1:33am via BlackBerry 

Heather Blair Meyer is @ PVH w/pneumonia and an obscene amt of fluid outside of her lungs

May 13, 2009 at 6:08am via BlackBerry

Heather Blair Meyer is just so blessed w/ family, friends and church family who are always there for us in a huge way!

May 13, 2009 at 10:25am via BlackBerry 

Heather Blair Meyer just got discouraging news: gonna need surgery to get all the gunk out

May 17, 2009 at 8:44am via mobile

Heather Blair MeyerTentative plans for today: 1 removal of chest tube 2 eat lunch w/the family outside on the patio 3 GET BETTER!

May 21, 2009 at 8:20pm via mobile

Heather Blair MeyerIs going home tomorrow! I expect my room will be a zoo in the morning

And then the recovery....

 May 23, 2009 at 4:10pm

Heather Blair Meyer is feeling stronger everyday, loves being back at home, and is richly blessed. God's love is everywhere in my life and I am forever grateful for it.

Friday, June 12, 2009 at 8:43am Celebrating Health!
by Heather Blair Meyer

Hello all,
Yesterday, exactly one month after I went into the ER, I received a preliminary clean bill of health (meaning I still have follow-ups later this month) from the Infectious Disease doctor, praise God! I also got my PICC line out and was able to enjoy my first shower in a month that I didn’t have to “suit up” for with plastic wrap on my arm – ahhhhhh, the little things we take for granted ;)My CRP’s were in the normal range and my white blood cells had gone down even more since my last visit (they were in the high normal range last time).
We cannot thank everyone enough for the prayers, visits, food, housecleaning, babysitting, flowers, and financial assistance that you all have given in some way. We are truly blessed to have the church family, friends, neighbors and family that we do, and without you this would have been impossible.
Throughout this whole ordeal I kept reflecting on Philippians 4:13, and I now have a new take on this special verse. You all were (are) the body of Christ – his hands to prepare meals and his feet to run errands, his ears to listen, his shoulders to lean upon and find comfort, and so much more. Now when I read, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” I think of Christ in totality, not just the Savior who died for me but the people who make up his body here on earth today as well. And it’s true, I made it through a horrible illness with the aid of our Lord and His people and now feel stronger than ever.
Those of you getting this message who don’t do church, please don’t feel excluded by my words, because we are all children of God and I count your help as part of this wonderful blessing of which I speak also.

Love to all,Heather and family

And then the running... 

 August 19, 2009

Heather Blair Meyer has had a productive day: much needed prayer time with my girls, RAN for 19 minutes, cleaned etc etc. will crash hard tonite!

October 9, 2009

Heather Blair Meyer gearing up for tomorrow's busy day....5 k in the morning and a lia sophia party in the afternoon!

October 10, 2009

Heather Blair Meyer 43:54 straight jogging, no walking! felt so good!

February 13, 2010

Heather Blair Meyer is getting the fam ready for the sweetheart classic. 4 miles, here I come

May 31, 2010

Heather Blair Meyer in the car on the way to Boulder. As this month has been the anniversary of my illness, I've been pretty unemotional about it. til this morning, got a bit teary watching prerace coverage on the news, and realizing Just How Far God has delivered me 

May 31, 2010

Heather Blair Meyer  http://bolderboulder.onlineraceresults.com/individual.php?bib=GK544

It's pretty amazing to go back and see things in hindsight...

We'll be ok.