Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Bucket Bracelets




I know I have been blogging A LOT lately but I have to get this entry in before the end of the year. 

I have so many friends who are making life goals and accomplishing dreams. I'm talking running after their dreams with all they have and accomplishing them!!! I have an idea and I am calling them Bucket Bracelets. I'm bringing back the charm bracelet (James Avery will be proud). I am urging all my sisters to get a BRAND NEW charm bracelet (if the only one you have has high school accomplishments and choir notes, like mine). We are starting fresh with a new bracelet and adding charms when we accomplish these life goals. 

Why "Bucket"? Watch the movie The Bucket List. It's a little slow going but it really is one of the reasons I have decided to run that marathon NOW! The basic idea is to make a list of things you want to do before you "kick the bucket"/die. I'm reminded of the Tim McGraw song where he went "sky diving, rocky mountain climbing, and 2.7 seconds on a bull with a names I cannot spell"  

Here are examples of how I would give charms 
for Bucket Bracelets to my friends:
Christina gets a Palm Tree for going on a Long term mission trip to Indonesia. I know this won't be her last but YAY for starting on that journey!!! You totally inspired me in ways you DO not know!!!

Jenny H gets a wedding charm because she is down to the same weight she was on the day she got married. I am looking for her a leg charm because her legs are about to be hotter than they already are!

I'm gonna go ahead and post the picture of the shoe because I will finish that marathon. 

Make a list of things you want to do before you die and start the process of doing them. It's the new year! Make some goals and set up some steps to achieve them. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Honest Scrap

I was tagged by Meagan Hogg to blog about 10 things about me that most people don't know... here it goes. 

1) I got my belly button pierced when I was 18 to rebel against my parents. It was really irritating and I ended up removing it less than a year after getting it pierced. The hole is still there (6 years later) and will not heal. I wonder what will happen if I am pregnant some day?

2) I organize the clothes in my closet by color. Then sleeve length. And in RAINBOW order, you know ROY G BIV. I think that all closets should be like this and it bothers me if they are not. :)

3) I HATE wire hangers. Can't stand them. I hate the sound they make when they "cling" against each other and how they easily get tangled. If I end up with a wire hanger I throw them away. Some day I will lock my keys in my car and regret this weirdness in me but for now I am okay with it. 

4) I used to eat my boogers and tell my parents what they tasted like. I would make things up like, potatoes, chips, or...candy. Don't worry. I stopped this during the first week of 2nd grade when Eddie Hernandez made fun of me on the play ground because he caught me having a "morning snack" during Monster Math. :)

5) I am afraid of the dark. Still. I think it has something to do with the fact that I have really bad eye sight and at night when  don't have my contacts in I still get freaked out. 

6) I want to be the next Beth Moore (I know) but I can't finish reading the Bible. I CANNOT make it through the Old Testament. I can't focus and so much of it is so very confusing to me. Can we get some order here people?

7) I waited until my wedding night to have sex and it is a miracle. I did not become a Christian until I was a junior in high school and prior to that I was boy crazy..okay I was still boy crazy once I became a Christian but am SO humbled that He protected me WAY before I ever even knew what He did for me on the cross. *sigh* 

8) I want 5 children. I have names picked out and I want to adopt 2 if not all of them. I feel a HUGE pull on my heart to give children a home. 
NAMES I LIKE:
*Joya
*Jaycie
*Kate
*Kendall
*Klayton
*Jake
*Jason

I used to want to have 3 girls named :Faith, Hope, and Joy. Triplets is what I prayed for 

9) I would live in Costa Rica and think Kyle and I should go there and start a church ;) I studied Spanish there in college for 3 weeks and it is the most amazing place I have ever been! Everything is so much simpler there! Pura Vida

10) I'm scared to death to run 26.2 miles. I put up a strong front but today I realized that 26 miles is from the Home Depot in Kyle (on 35) To Gruene, TX that. A little intimidating. 

THAT WAS REALLY FUN! I TAG JENNY H, NOCONA, JULIE C, AND JULIE W. 




Monday, December 29, 2008

Registered

I AM REGISTERED! Something feels great about it. I will need lots of support so please put February 15th on your calendar. I will need people along the course to hand me power gels and cheer! Keep praying for my training! It will be here soon!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Ratliff


That's what Stephanie Elizabeth McGilberry calls me. My old last name. I love that it now sounds foreign to me and that I have fully embraced the name of my wonderful husband. I got to see Steph  and Christina on Tuesday. We called it our Christmas party and had a blast.
"The Girls" (that's what I will call them because both of their first names are ridiculously long) and I became friends in youth group way back when. I think we were all Sophomore's in high school when we met but am sure I will get corrected if I am wrong. After graduating from SVHS in 2002 we all went our separate ways but have managed to stay close at heart! I love love love them! Steph teaches 4th grade in Marshall TX and Christina just returned from a 4 month long mission trip to Indonesia. I equate our friendship to the sisterhood of the traveling pants and nothing can separate us. 

LOVE YOU GIRLS!!!!!!! 

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Be Ready

This mornings run was the worst one I have had so far. 
Mistake Number 1: Didn't eat anything before I ran...WHAT??? Who can run 16 miles (or even think about running 16) on an empty stomach. I was dizzy by mile 4. 
Mistake Number 2: I have been putting off getting new shoes. The tops of my feet were killing me by mile 6. 
Mistake Number 3: I let my mind get the best of me and was in desperate need of encouragement. I didn't make it the full 16 but I also did not prepare myself to run 16. I now CANNOT wait to join up with my new running team. Please pray that I will keep pushing it to the marathon. 

ONLY 58 MORE DAYS

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Rogue Running

I joined a running team today!!!!!!! It didn't take long to realize that running alone is, well, L-O-N-E-L-Y! After much difficulty in the last few miles of my half marathon I began research on a running program that would fit right for ME!! My husband's cousin Lynette trains with Rogue Running and she told me all about how wonderful it is to run with them. I went to the Rogue Running Website and found that the marathon training program had been in session since September 6th (which is what I figured) and I emailed the name listed as person to contact. Ruth wrote me back first thing this morning to let me know that they would be happy to have me join their program AND they would give me a prorated rate of $75.00 (instead of $300.00 if I would have started back in September)!!!!!!!! I am very excited and encouraged! She said she will be sending me emails with exactly what I should be eating as I train and we meet 3 times a week to run!!!

I will let you know how it goes! Other than that I have a 16 mile solo run in the morning to stay on schedule with them and will be able to complete it only because I know it will be my last long training run BY MYSELF!! HOORAY!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

20 Miles


My 20 mile race is on January 11th. I still have plenty of time for training but am frustrated by pain in my right foot from the half marathon. I finished the half in 2 hours and 27 minutes. 3 minutes faster than my goal time. Mile 12 was the hardest one. I really thought that I was going to be sick but when I could see the finish line I was able to make it. This is most definitely one of the most challenging things I have ever set out to accomplish. I think it might be more challenging then finishing 4 years of college (and I'm not kidding). I have a goal and must persevere. 

I hope that everyone is getting as excited about Christmas as I am!!!


Monday, December 8, 2008

Jenny Squared


I have only known Jenny Helm for 2.5 years and already she has become my supportive friend. She cheers for me daily in whatever I achieve and will be the first to pray for me on days of joy and struggle. We do a really good job of letting each other know what is going on in our lives and speak on the phone an average of twice a day. I love all of what the above picture represents of us. A picture is worth a thousand words and I will do my best to describe this moment. I think it's pretty significant:
*Jenny H started her own business making the very cute and inspiring banners that you see hanging behinds us. She sold them this past weekend at her first ever craft show (BudaFest) and you can order yours at Helm House Creations 
*I arrived at the booth to root for my dear friend after completing my first ever Half marathon in 2 hours and 27 minutes. 3 minutes faster than my goal! *NOTE* the word "half" on the shirt I am wearing. I don't allow myself to wear the race day shirt until after I have completed a race! 
*Jenny H has been working out and setting goals and achieving much at Gold's gym where she trains. She looks fabulous and her outlook on life is pretty inspiring. She beams and feels great and it shows!
*I am still running and training for that marathon because of the encouragement of my dear friend Jenny. On mile 12 I was about to throw up and I kept thinking about how in a few short hours I would be posing in my race day shirt with Jenny at her booth! 

I know that this is just one of the many things that Jenny and I will  go through in life together as friends but it sure feels good to have a friend who brings you up and who you bring up. There are so many things that I could not have done if it weren't for Jenny H and I am so blessed to have her as a friend. I think that this picture represents a world that is wide open for us and we just have to run with the challenges and go for it. I will end with a quote that I saw hanging on a high school wall about a month ago, "The truest test of relationships is not how loyal we are when our friends fail but how THRILLED we are when they succeed" Jenny H is thrilled when I succeed and loyal always. May we all be that kind of friend and be thankful for friends like that!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

How He Loves Us

KIM WALKER
HOW HE LOVES US

He is jealous for me
Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me.
Oh, how He loves us so
Oh, how He loves us
How He loves us so.

Yeah, He loves us
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves.

So we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way

That he loves us,
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves us
Woah, how He loves

Half

So here it goes. I am running the half marathon on Sunday. The race starts at 7:30 AM and should end for me by 10:00AM (most take approximately 2 and 1/2 hours). I am going to be honest here and tell you that I almost quit my Austin Distance Challenge but have been told by 3 different people that I have inspired them through my running. So here I go! Please pray for my right hip (it tends to hurt around mile 8) and that my feet don't start to tingle (I think I was wearing the wrong socks last time). I appreciate all of the encouragement and am reminded by my dear friend Ezy that I should not take my running for granted. After the race on Sunday I will have 3 more races in my challenge and am striving to complete the Motorola Marathon in February. I am thankful that I have a husband who encourages me in my running and inspires me daily with how he perseveres. 
Thank you Lord that you put things in our life that challenge us and push us to strive. Thank you Lord for my ability to run and I give you all the glory for every step I have run so far. I praise You because You already know the outcome of the race and that, "I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ so firm on YOUR promise I stand" -Desert Song (Hillsong United)