Running, Priesthood and Parents

What a wonderful and memorable weekend this has been for me.

Saturday was my first 10k. It was the Pioneer Day Special 5k/10k that started on Timpview Drive in Provo, by Timpview High. It went up the "Goliath Hill" and then wrapped around and down Foothill Drive and down some residential streets, coming down the Temple View Drive and past the MTC, then back up Timpview Drive. It was hard for me but I finished and in a time I wasn't embarressed by. I think my next goal is to work on improving my 5K speed. Now that I know I can do both, I just want to improve on it. But I am glad I did it. It feels good to have accomplished it. Not so much physically, I am pretty sore. But it it is a good kind of pain right? My upper back and shoulders especially. I hunched my back apparently. Going up that steep hill...or maybe it was going down hills, made me do strange things to compensate.

Sunday was special because my oldest son Joseph recieved the Priesthood. He was ordained a Deacon by his father and he was assisted in doing this by my two brothers David and Eric, Tim's brother Ben, his Dad Tim and Bishop McIntire. How many times have I day dreamed of this day? One of those snapshots that shall forever remain in the memory book of my mind.

One more great thing about this past week, and probably the most lifechanging of these three events is Tim's dad got a job offer at UVU. He accepted it after much deliberation. I am so happy to have them moving nearbye. I have never lived near either of our parents in the whole 14 years of our marriage so that is special. I am also glad my kids will get to know their grandparents better. I never had that opportunity so it is special to me that my children will. What a HUGE blessing to have them nearby. An even bigger blessing however is that I WANT my in-laws to live nearby. Not everyone is so lucky.

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I'm Back!

I have been so harrassed by a few who shall remain un-named so I will try to re-start this Blogging habbit. I will start with a post about what I have been up to that has kept me so busy.

1. Running- I have kept up the habbit! Yay! I have already run a 5K this year in June and I have a 10K scheduled for July 24th. I am not sure I am ready for it, (especially the Goliath hill that is part of it) but my brother who is also a runner said "Do it!" and has agreed to do it as well. I loved running with him and my other brother's wife in the 5K last month. It is so fun to have that extra support among family. Tim of course is always supportive as well always coming to cheer me on in the races, along with my daughter.

I still love how I feel when I run and hate how I feel when I havn't. I am afraid I am to the point of addiction because if I go too long without running (a whole week is murder) I can tell and I don't like how I feel psychologically. I don't know if that is a good thing or bad thing to be addicted to anything. I guess it is good, if you judge it by its fruits.

2. Hospice Volunteering-What can I say. Very enjoyable and very rewarding. My volunteer supervisors have been wonderful mentors guiding me in my training and experiences. I am so thankful for them, and for those patients who have taught me so much as well. Great learning experiences.

3. Classes- January to April I took an Introduction to Group Psychotherapy class. That was a growing experience and a half. I know because I dreaded it much of the time. Not because it wasn't interesting or enjoyable, but I always came away from class knowing something more about myself, and it wasn't always things I liked. Like that I have a hard time participating in such large group personal sharing and exchange. I think I came out of it having learned a lot about myself and more importantly the subject of therapy. Great class!
Now I taking a class on Intro to Sociology. Interesting, but it is a TV course and it requires me to show great will power when it comes to sitting down and watching it, and reading the texts. Especially with Tim's family here. There is always something more fun to do when they are around, and when they aren't plenty of stuff to catch up on.

4. Tim's family is in town- Usually they come in the middle of July, but this year they came early for a family reunion in the middle of June. It has been wonderful to have more of them. The hard part is trying to do those things I am supposed to be doing on the side...You know...like house work. . and homework mostly. It is worth it to have them here though. A busy life really is a good life.

It has been a great and busy half a year and I hope the rest of the year continues in the same way! I also hope I can pick up this Blogging again. I apologize to those who I havn't been keeping up with or commenting on their blogs. I have been kind of locked out of Blog for a few months. Not sure why. When I just sat down to show Tim and ask for his help it worked. ARRRGHH!