Don't Blink

Don’t blink!

 

My little monkey is growing up. Riley started kindergarten this morning. She left the house with a smile that screamed of excitement. For me, it was a flood of emotions.

 I was excited and full of energy and anticipation for her. At the same time, my mind flashed back to a little 8 pound snuggler in footy PJs asleep on my chest. How did this happen? This is just one of many milestones in her life, but it is a big one for me. For almost 6 years, I have created a bubble. I am not overprotective...... However, no one will ever physically or emotionally hurt Riley if I am watching! I have been known to call down bigger kids who are not paying attention in bounce houses J Today, I had to loosen that grip and let her go. I know that she will be fine. Riley is smart, independent, sweet, and thoughtful. My eyes tear up not because I am afraid, but because I know my roll has changed. Riley has confidently taken the next step in her journey and in order to not hold her back, I need to take the next step in mine as well.


"You're beautiful baby from the outside in.
Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again.
Go on, take on this whole world.
But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl."
--Tim McGraw

 

 

 

Unplugged (It is all the Yeti's fault)

How long has it been since you looked at your phone? For me was about 8:00pm last night. Riley and I were laughing at pictures of a Yeti, when the Yeti got mad. He then jumped from Riley's hand and landed on the floor, cracking my iphone screen as payback for laughing at him. I have to be honest. I was upset. I was very upset. After cooling down, Linds and I sat down to watch a movie and something felt off. My hands felt strange. You see, in the evening after Riley goes to sleep, Linds is either on her phone or computer, and I am on my phone. We are talking, but in a general state of zoning. I am either playing a game, reading an article, or mindlessly checking e-mail, the weather, or scrolling through old pictures.


When did I become addicted to my phone? I got my first Cingular cell phone in 2002 just before Linds and I got married. At that time, I think we had 500 minutes shared between us, no texting, no data, no gps, apps, touch screen, or e-mail. It was a phone, plain and simple. For some reason, over time this has morphed into a devise that if we had to choose, we would rather forget our underwear than forget our phone.

A few years ago, we cut the cord with our house phone. This was a great thing as we never used it, and the only people who would call it were surveys and marketers. In doing so, we became even more reliant on our cell phones.

One reason that I have given for always having my phone is that it keeps me connected. But is that really true? When sitting and waiting, without fail, I reach for my phone. It is a security blanket. It allows me to look occupied. Wouldn't I be more connected if I looked to my left or right and engaged with the person beside me?

The second, very common reason for always having your phone is for emergencies. I think this term has gotten overused. We should really say I have my phone for convenience. There are very few things that qualify as a true emergency. Remembering to run by the grocery store, or letting someone know you are stuck in traffic are not emergencies. If I only used my phone for emergencies, I would not be able to tell you the last time it was used.

Since we do not have a house phone, I know that I cannot be without a phone indefinitely. However, I do think that a fasting period without my phone would be a great way to break the addiction.


So remember, the next time you encounter a Yeti, hold on tightly to your phone and never laugh! It can end badly if you laugh at the Yeti!

The worst 4 letter word............Busy

Are you busy? So many people today are busy. They are going from one thing to another in a constant state of motion. They are working more hours every week, sleeping less, and filing their remaining hours with sports, committees, parties, e-mail, texting, TV, the internet, etc. The list could continue forever.

At what point does being busy, transition from an opportunity for personal growth and the ability to positively impact others, to a negative impact on one's mood, level of stress, their ability to renew, and their personal relationships?

Try to sit down for 5 minutes with no distractions. Turn off your phone, the TV, the radio. Close your door and just sit. ..........................How long could you do this without looking at the clock, the pile of work that needs to be addressed, or the mental list that you started making? I am guessing you did not make it to 5 minutes. If you did, Great!!

The clutter and stuff in our lives keeps us busy. We fill our lives with possessions, e-mail, apps on our phones, TV, this meeting and that committee, and all the while dream of the moment that we have a few minutes (5 minutes) of quiet.

I would guess that if you were to ask any group of people if they would like to have 30 minutes more everyday to spend just playing with their kids or connecting with their spouse or significant other, they would all say yes. So why don't they? Say NO. Say no to your phone, to the mindless shows on TV, to the shopping trips that fill our closets with more, to the weeks packed full of nights working late, and to the time living up to other's expectations.

Take your shoes off and pick up a book, go for a walk, play a game with your kids and breath in the peace and simplicity of being.

Can you hear that song in my head?

I always have a song in my head. I am either humming it, singing it, or bobbing my head to it. Almost everyday, I walk into work singing something. I am thankful that I have a diverse taste in music, as the song is always different. This morning It was The Who. Yesterday, it was Alan Jackson. Monday, I believe it was Carrot Car (This is a Riley original). I find that on the days when I have a song in my head, my day has a rhythm. I tend to start and move through my day with a smile when I have this rhythm.

In writing this, I got to thinking. I am not a very serious person. Big surprise, right? Since you can find anything on Google, I found a 8 question quiz on “how serious are you?”. When I clicked results, here is what came back:

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♥Goof♥

You're a total goof! You laugh at everything and you make the best out of bad situations by cracking a joke. Barely anything is ever serious. And you probably don't get mad too much. You just enjoy making people laugh.

***********************************

 

HA! This is right on point. If you are interested, here is the link to the quiz. 

 

http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/cSvy2V/How-Serious-are-you

Now that I have come to grips with the fact that I am not serious, I will go back to singing the current song in my head. “I’m in a carrot carrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr,  OH YEA!”

"Daddy, is Jublia right for me?...........But how do you know? You are not my doctor."

BIGGGGGG STRETCHHHHHHHHH......AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH It feels good to be back. I have not blogged since the last time.

Life has been good.

We have a new baby due in August, Riley starts kindergarten in July, and the weather is warming up, which means beach time is almost here. Life is full and satisfying.

It has been about 2 years since we started to live more simply. Like any change in life, it has been eye opening and sometimes challenging. When you begin the process of pairing down, there is this sense of fear and anxiety.  What if I need this in the future? What if I get rid of this and "later" really miss having it, but I can't replace it? The funny part is that none of these fears have come true. Life is happier, less stressful, and more satisfying with less stuff. We are still continuing to reduce slowly and being trying to be more intentional about what we purchase. We completed Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University this spring, and are currently going through a weekly class on spiritual parenting. Both of these classes have allowed Linds and I to further strengthen our connection and communication with each other.

We have also started to make an effort to only have the TV on if there is a specific show we want to watch. If you are like us, too often the TV would be turned on for the news. But, then it would remain on through 2,3,or 4 programs that we did not care about. We would half watch while cooking, doing homework, talking, etc. Unfortunately, if we are honest, multi tasking is the art of doing multiple things in a unfocused mediocre way. We are not giving our full attention to the one thing that is really important.

Last night, the TV was on, and during a commercial Riley says, "Daddy, is Jublia right for me?" "What? No", I respond being a bit confused by the question. "But how do you know? you are not my doctor". Then I realize that a drug commercial for toenail fungus was on TV! Granted, it was hilarious, but this confirmed the decision that less TV will be a good thing!

There are no words

It has been awhile since I have posted. Life has been busy as always. The days blur into weeks and then months. 

Since Ironman in January, I have found it hard to muster the motivation to wake up early to workout. In the evenings, the sofa and a cold beer have replaced the bike and my running shoes as a daily ritual. After accomplishing my goal and climbing the mountain, you forget that beyond the peak is a valley just waiting to steal your drive.

Over the last two months, everyday I say to myself, "today is the day to start fresh." Unfortunately, my fresh start is still waiting to happen, but not anymore.

Have you ever felt so fired up that you could barely sit still? That is how I feel right now. I have a friend that I respect and admire. No matter the day or the situation, she always has a smile on her face. She always asks how I am doing and wanting to know what Riley and Linds are up to. She is like this to everyone I see her interact with. She is special and a blessing to everyone that she touches.

Without going into detail out of respect for her privacy, her family has experienced a tragedy beyond my understanding. After learning of this, my heart broke. I am not effected by this personally, but when I look at Linds and Riley, I felt like I needed to do something.

I am signing up for the Beach 2 Battleship half ironman which will be October 25th. I was on the fence about another race this year, but not anymore. I will be racing and raising money for the Carousel Center. The Carousel Center is a non profit organization whose mission is to provide a child friendly environment for abused and neglected children and to support child abuse prevention efforts in Southeastern North Carolina. My goal is simply this, to raise as much as I can for this great organization. When I am feeling sore, tired, or lazy, I know that there are those that have endured far greater that I can imagine.

I hope that whoever reads this will help me spread the word so that we can be Jesus for those who need him most.

Please check back as I will update you on how you can donate.

What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.

Henry David Thoreau

My Ironman Journey

I am writing this with my left leg elevated and swollen with snow on the way. To think, only 3 days ago at this time I was on my bike riding A1A in the Florida Keys. As the song says, "Sunny and 75". At 12:01am New Year's Day 2013, our journey to Bone Island Full Ironman Triathlon started. I say "our" journey because as the year and training progressed, you realize how much your entire family is committed. The months of training, the early mornings at the pool while Linds got Riley ready by herself, the 4+ hours Saturday and Sunday workouts, the postponing of house projects, the "I'm sorry Riley, Daddy is too sore to carry you", and the falling asleep at 9pm effects the whole family.

I am not fast. I will never qualify for a Kona slot with the top age-groupers. I race to challenge myself, for the community, and for the love of triathlon. It is hard to describe to some. The idea that racing for hours sounds crazy to most. A few years ago, it sounded crazy to me too.

Race morning, standing on a palm tree lined white sand beach watching the sun break over the ocean was emotional. What a blessing to be standing here! God is good! One of the athletes lead the invocation, then the national anthem played. Over the noise of the generator, Eminem is pumping from the speakers, "if you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted. one moment would you capture it or just let it slip?" The air horn blasted and we were off. The swim was 2.4 miles in the ocean. The water was a crisp 68 degrees, but was crystal clear. This was my first time swimming in water that cold and it took a good 30 minutes before my breathing got into a rhythm. Once I got comfortable in the temperature it was just a matter of swimming to the finish. I am more of a sea turtle than a dolphin when it comes to swimming. Slow and steady, but I always get there. I exited the water at the end of Higgs Beach Pier, removed the wetsuit, and put on my bike gear. The bike course was 112 miles starting with a few miles to get off the island of Key West and then two loops down A1A to Middle Torch Key, then back into Key West. The temperature was perfect. There was a headwind the way out on both loops of the ride, but I was able to hold a steady pace. The bike course was open to traffic, which was heavy, and the road surface was pretty rough in sections. I saw several riders changing flats. Thankfully on this day, my ride was uneventful.

Back in Key West, the final leg was a 3 1/2 loop run course for 26.2 miles. The first loop was not too bad. I felt good and my pace was decent. By lap 2, my legs started to give out. My pace slowed, the bottoms of my feet were blistered, and my shins were throbbing. I never thought about not finishing, however my goal quickly shifted to putting one foot in front of the other. That is when I heard a car horn and saw Linds yelling out the window. "You got this, I love you!". This was a push right when I needed it. 7 miles later with 3 miles to go, Linds and Forest were on the side of the run course waiting for me. They "ran" with me the last 3 miles. As the finish line came into view, I burned the last bit of energy I had to run as fast as I could across the finish line.

The folks at Setup Events put on a great race. I would recommend this race to everyone. The volunteers were great, the aid stations were good and well stocked, the police were super nice, and the locals were very supportive.

Reflecting on this journey, I learned a lot. I learned what I am capable of and that anything is possible. I learned that I am blessed with the best support system in the world! The outpouring of support has been overwhelming. Hearing that people have been inspired by my journey is exciting. So many of us work desk jobs and finding endurance racings has provided me more energy, a way to release stress, and a reason to be active. I am looking forward to continue racing and challenging myself in triathlons and endurance events. If I never get 1st in my age group or qualify for Kona, I will not be disappointed. There may always be someone in front of me, but as long as I know I left everything I had on the course, I was successful.