The 18 miler that uh...wasn't :(

Yup. Ventured out for my scheduled 18 miler over the weekend. Which would have been the longest distance I have ever run. But yeah... it didn't happen. womp womp. The first 4 miles flew by, and I had to try hard to keep my pace at around 11 min miles so as not to burn myself out, but somewhere around mile 10, everything started to hurt and I began to lose faith in whether or not I could pull this 18 mile run off. I'm pretty sure the fact that around mile marker 10 I was also dangerously close to my house and had to make the mental decision to go the distance, or wuss out. Yeah. I wussed out. Ironically, when I stopped my watch as I entered my driveway, it was at 13.1 - weird. So yeah, I ran 13.1 miles, which to the average person is huge, but when you set out to run 18, ehh, not so much.

Sure hope I can get the 26.2 sticker instead of this one!

I'm not sure how much of me was "listening to my body" or just psyching myself out. Regardless, it WILL happen after my half. January 25th, I hope you're listening, cause I AM going to make you my bitch! (OK , I know I'm a Christian and shouldn't talk like that, but I've gotta pump myself up, plus, Hi, my name is Candice, and I'm not perfect, but I still love Jesus, so there.)

I came across this verse this morning while I laid in bed reading a devotional (it was actually from Sunday - which I supposed I should have read that morning, and perhaps I would have actually ran the 18 miles, but I digress):

Ah to run and not grow weary... so many life applications there. This may be my new favorite verse. Tattoo worthy? We'll see :) I'll just let that soak in a minute....

 

Mkay, moving right along. If one more person asks me how the adoption is going, I think I may scream, and maybe cut somebody (awesome verbiage brought to you by the ever funny Gayla). And that somebody might be our adoption coordinator. I'm not sure how much of this is me being impatient and type A, but it sure seems like this guy has sub par communication skills. Like for real. Everything is still hinging on whether or not we get into this February adoption training class, if we do, then we can schedule our homestudy, and once approved can "officially" be waiting, aka paper pregnant. But, the only way to get into the February class is to wait for placements between now and then. For every placement made between now and the class, a spot will open up. If we don't get in, we have to wait until August :( Which also means we can't do our homestudy until September, wait for it to be approved, and then wait (usually 9-18 months), so basically Max and Emma will be in college before we can give them a sibling! Dramatic much?? It just makes me sad. I wish someone would just drop a baby off on our front porch. On the other side of the coin, we've got surrogacy. Not much going on there at the moment either. A friend of a friend did express interest in possibly carrying our baby, but alas it was not in the cards :( It did give me hope though that there are amazing people out there willing to offer such sacrificial love to complete strangers, how cool is that?!

So yeah, still looking for a womb and/or a baby - any leads?? I kid. But no really, if you hear something say something :) Pretty sure this was not the context they had in mind when coming up with that phrase, but whatever works, right?!

Things I am grateful for right now (cause I feel I need to balance this post out)... I LOVE our new house, and we are almost completely unpacked! PTL The kids are back in school = mama gets a break! Holla! I have amazing friends & family!

Anyone in the market for some Scentsy? Advocare? doTerra Essential Oils? Arbonne? Velata? Thirty-one? Rodan+Fields? Cute women's boutique clothing? Stella & Dot? Premiere Designs jewelry? Lia Sophia jewelry?  AND help us bring home baby in the process? Stay tuned and I'll tell you how! I am about to make a new post now and you don't want to miss it!!!

Happy Tuesday all!


-Candice

New Year, New Goals

I'm all for people making New Year's Resolutions, but I always find that I set myself up for disappointment when I do that, because I inevitably fall short of the resolutions I set for myself. Does this happen to you??

For instance, I have had floss everyday on my resolution list for the last 10 or so years. Have I ever once flossed everyday for a year? That'd be a big fat NO! Do I floss for a week straight before a dentist appointment? You betcha! So, a few years ago, while sitting in our ABF (adult bible fellowship), our group leader suggested choosing a word for the year instead. I really loved this idea and adopted it for myself (interesting choice of words, eh?) So, what is my word this year you ask??? Well, I couldn't decide on just one, so I picked two! Surrender and Intentional.


I chose Surrender because that's exactly what I need to remind myself to do in all situations.

Everyday. Surrender my control. Surrender my fears. Surrender my worry. Surrender it all to Him and let him to do His work in my life.


I chose Intentional, because I often find myself not being the parent or the wife that I know I should be.

I need to be more Intentional with the time I spend with them. For me, that means, less yelling at my kids, spend quality time with them. Try to see the wonder and the world through their eyes. Laugh more. Be more intentional about teaching them about the word and living out the gospel through my actions and more importantly reactions (I struggle with this one). Be more Intentional about the words I use, cause these guys are sponges I tell ya! Be more Intentional about the time I spend with the hubs (ie: read the bible together, pray together, spend time in conversation rather than Homeland and Mad Men). Be more intimate with the hubs. (sorry for the tmi. sorry I'm not sorry)


So yeah. There you have it. Those our my words of the year! Aside from my WOTY, I also try to set a few goals for myself:


-Run a marathon

-Get out of debt once and for all (Thank you Dace Ramsey)
-Take my medication as directed, everyday (I am SOOOO bad about this, seriously it's embarrassing! But in my defense, it's a lot of medication!)
-Read the bible (like the whole thing, can't tell you how many times I have started this task! Let's just say I have read Genesis ALOT)


And of course, there is always the usual, eat better, work out more, yada yada yada. I left off: grow our family, because we are not clear yet if that is what God has in store for us, we hope it is, but we will just continue to listen and follow where the Lord leads us.


My half marathon is in a week and half!!Well, 10 days, 22 minutes, and 22, 21 20 seconds (you get the idea). I was worried at first that I might not be ready for it, and I'm not yet at the pace I was before my injury, but I'm getting there! I am proud of myself for getting every single run in since December 20th! Over the weekend, I had a 12 miler on tap, and was able to get it done in 2 hours 3 minutes (about a 10:15 min/mile pace), so if I keep that up, I am set to PR in this half! I'm pretty pumped about that. If you also take into account that the 3M half is almost entirely downhill (holla), then there is no doubt that I should PR (double holla!). I was finally able to break through the 10 min/mile pace yesterday in my 4 mile run! 9:50 pace yo! I am slowly but surely getting my pace back to where it was. I have my longest run ever scheduled for this Saturday... 18 miles baby! I'm a little nervous about it, but I know that it is supposed to be a be-you-ti-ful day, so that makes me feel a little better about it.


Let's see what else... oh yeah, we moved over the weekend, so that was fun, said no one ever.

I really loathe moving, especially since I know we are going to have to do it all again in a year or so - ugh, gag me! Anyway, at least we aren't moving on my birthday. What? It's almost your birthday you say? Yessir! I'll be turning the big double 3 on Friday, which I will likely not remember until I am almost 34 - that's the way getting older go, take note youngins!

I literally have to do math to figure out how old I am sometimes. But, at least I still get carded sometimes, so I have that going for me :)


So yeah, that's what's been going on around here lately. Oh and an awesome Adoption Fundraising opportunity which deserves it's own post, so be on the lookout for that today too!  For now, we are off to the gym for some 400 yard sprints and a little mommy sanity break (don't act like you don't know exactly what I'm talking about!)


I hope you all have an awesome hump day!


-Candice

Calling all sellers of stuff

I'm quite sure there was a better way to word that, but for now, that's the best I've got!

Can I just say that I have some pretty awesome friends? Seriously, the most generous and selfless friends on earth! My friend Jenn has created a domino effect with her amazing generosity, offering to donate all the proceeds from the sales of her doTerra essential oils in the month of January (also my birthday month by the way), so that they may go toward helping us fund our domestic adoption! Then, I get a call this morning from my bestie, Lea excitedly telling me that she has recruited 3 or 4 of her own friends to do the same. WHAT?! Are you kidding me?! That's amazing! I don't even know these people and they are willing to do this for us? I don't even have words (shocking, I know) to express how overwhelming and incredibly generous that is! God is so good, and I will boast in the one who's worthy!

So... I will be putting together a virtual facebook party featuring companies like, doTerra esstential oils (I swear by these oils!),

It Works Body Wraps (hey hey, just in time for all those New Year's resolutions ladies!),

Stella & Dot (love, love love!),

and possibly Thirty-One (love their Utility Tote!)

 

and Advocare (I think we could all use a little Spark in our lives!)



If you have your own business and feel led to help in our cause, please let me know and I can add you to the party too! Talkin' to all my Rodan+Fields peeps, Plexus Slim, Pampered Chef? Anyone, Bueller? I understand that for many, your business is your livelihood, so please keep in mind that you can donate any amount or percentage you wish. I also totally respect and understand if this is not something that fits into your life at this time, I just thought I'd throw it out there!

Anyway, thanks for reading and please join us in January for our AWESOME facebook shopping party - woot woot!

Humbly yours,
Candice