Adventures in Parenthood

Oh Boy I am not a very good blogger and so thankful for all the other blogger moms who have helped me on my journey. Well it has been just six months that we have two preschoolers in our family ! I am not going to share any pictures to keep things confidential and we certainly did shout it out when we decided to go forward. We are so blessed and very happy but it has been a very challenging and emotional few months. Wow it certainly is a lift changer for us but just what we were hoping for. We found out May 23 that we were a match for a sibling pair a boy( 4) and girl ( 2). We deceided for sure to go forward May 25 and meet the children on June 7 ! It is so hard to describe how it feels to be waiting in a hotel room waiting for the Social Workers to come to our room with the children. It was such a sureal experience and as much as I like to live in the moment I could not truly process the intense emotions till much later ! It is true what they say that kids are resilient! They are so brave and so happy to have each other during the transition. We did a quick transistion and came home a few days later. They both had some grief over leaving foster parents and unfortunately we don't have and openness agreement that includes visits and we did not meet the foster parents. This makes me sad but I trust the social workers decisions. Mr. Man took some time to open up and is still challenging but little princess was a little doll from the start and very willing to please. However her willinings to please also worries me a bit ! In my readings kids either handle transistion in one of two ways and they both are doing one of each do different approaches and for each. Well I thought I was prepared by doing lots of reading on positive parenting and positive discipline. Soo much more challening to put into practice. I know I know the books can be crazy but I wanted to be prepared. My biggest challenge is that I tend to try to be the best I can be in everything I do and pretty confident even in new challenges. This new challenge of parenthood has really rocked me to my core with such intense emotions and wanting to ensure I am doing things to ensure they learn manners, and are kind and gentle little souls. Piperdog is adjusting OK and they both love dogs so this has been great and they are great little hikers. We get out each day for playground or walk in the woods. Blaise and I are still trying to balance some time for us but that has been tricky but we definitely try to keep each other a priority. So all in all the change has been good and it really has only been 6 months ! WOW We are so blessed and looking forward to celebrating and starting new tranditions. Trying to balance Baby Jesus teaching and Santa is so tricky. We are taking the kids to church and saying prayers it is so interestig to see how open they are to knowing their is a loving GOD who loves them just the way they are !! I am not sure if I will continue to write but I will keep this open for a while. Must go back to watching the old animated show| Santa Clause is coming to town " they enjoyed the Grinch,littel miss " Ah he grew BIG heart and turned nice , what a nice Grinch " LOL Looking forwrd to our new Journey of Parenthood Oh I did survivie the half marathon with a bad knee and did a great 16km and hobbled for the last 5 km with a time fo 2: 45. I am still trying to run at least once a week and have done a few 10 K races. I am so happy I did the half marathon when I did and look forward to my runs. Little miss says " when I am a bigger girl I am going to run with you mommy to get exercise and be fit and strong ! Cheers Karen

One more Sleep before first Half Marathon

Yikes ! The day is finally here ! Who is this crazy running person who has taken over me. The last 18 wks have been amazing. I have been focused, organized and doing all I can to ensure that I am ready. Two weeks ago my IT band issues resurfaced so I was a bit down but did more exercises, stretching and physio so now it is up to me to just Giv'er and get it done ! I feel so emotional. Life is so short. The Vegas trip was amazing but while we were there we found out our dear friend Tanya's sister in law was in hospital in ICU and fighting for her life and she passed away at age 36 with two young girls and a beautiful husband. I also was keeping in touch by facebook prayering for a friend who delivered triplets early at 23 wks and just saw on Friday that one of the triplets passed away at 44 days old. Heart breaking stories that remind us to not take life for granted. So I am running for me but also keeping in mind those that would love to run but can not. Thanks to my half marathon girls for keeping me going and for the enthusiastic group leaders who came every run and kept us on pace. John Stanton the creater of Running Room spoke at the friendship run and ecouraged us to enjoy the race, smile at the finish line and keep running a part of our healthy lifestyle. Yeah I am so excited and nervous but looking forward to meeting my goal Sunday morning. Karen

Vegas Baby Vegas

I am hitting the airport in about an hour to head to Vegas with the girls. We are celebrating our 40th birthdays and have 5 nights booked at the Aria hotel at City Center. I am so excited just like Christmas morning. It has been a while since I traveled without Blaise. I will miss him and his humor but will have an awesome time with the girls. Running is going well but I injured IT band on Sundays long 18km run. It was a great run with a few hills that were not that bad but final 2km I had to limp home. I am so annoyed but trying to take it in stride. I know what I have to do ( squats, roller time oucch ! and hip hikes ) hmm so now I really have to do them more frequently. I am icing and resting and having a massage when I get back from my trip. With the walking in Vegas I should be OK and hope to run on treadmill at least once this week. On another note Blaise and I are waiting to hear about two potential sibling groups that our names have been put forward. We have been there before so we are prepared that it may not be us. I am leaving it up to God to handle the details and praying if it is meant to be that we will be picked. Gotta go collect my stuff and check my to do list to ensure I did not miss anything. I hope to take lots of pictures and post when I get back. Cheers Karen

Hills and Spiritual Growth

I have decided that I have to change my mindset and thinking about running hills. Last night we did 7 hill repeats on Point Pleasant Drive. Oh my nerves it was challenging but I did it. Very tough and I am feeling it today as I sit and reflect. I am getting stronger and enjoying the running and the hill training purpose is to create strength and increase endurance. So why would I not like hills that is a good thing right? I guess like anything hard in life we want to avoid it and wish it away and hope that we have an easy time of it. Well guess what life is a journey and it was not given to use to have an easy road.

I have been thinking about this after my runs as I think about Easter weekend and the WOW of having the privilege and choice to participate and truly reflect on the great love of GOD. All we have to do is ASK, and open our hearts to the love and forgiveness or our Lord. However with this ask it brings great responsibility to try to live our lives as a reflection of Jesus and to serve our community with love, kindness and humility. It is hard, it is much easier to just be a 'little bit Catholic". As I was running hills last night I kept singing praise and worship songs in my head and the songs of Easter. Crazy eh ? At one point when I thought I had to stop and walk I realized that this exercise is making me stronger and in a funny way thought " Dear lord you carried your cross for me and suffered crucifixion for me and the world the least i can do is to not give up and keep running! Seriously that is what I was thinking. At this series time the holiest of weeks I like to think that Jesus still has a sense of humor !

Heading home today for the annual Simmons Hockey tournament. It is a great weekend and Blaise loves the hockey time and handing out with friends. We meet at this tournament 12 years ago so it has special meaning in our hearts. However I woke up this morning and have been trying to push away my thought of " well another Simmons tournament with no kids to bring to the rink to see Blaise " Where the hell did that come from. I don't want to be sad. I am doing so well but this kid friendly weekend and with all the kids around the rink it really tugs at my old heart strings. So yet again I have to be strong and smile and meet the new kiddies and be told " you guys are lucky you are so free to can do what you want ' Yes yes we are isn't it great we are so lucky we don't have to get up early for Easter morning! Really? We both would give anything to celebrate this special weekend with kids but have to wait and see what is in store for us next year.

I guess the honesty and pure rawness and strong emotions and meaning of Easter is opening my heart to feelings that I continue to bury. However I know my Lord Jesus has a plan for us and we have to use the waiting to build us up and offer this little ' suffering ' to God.

So I will keep running and I will look forward to hills as they strengthen me in body and my prayer and reflection is strengthening my spiritual life and the " hill's of waiting are going to be worth it in due time.


Manny Blessings this Easter Weekend

Karen

8 Weeks till Bluenose Half Marathon

Wow time is flying by and just 8 weeks until the Bluenose. The long runs are getting  tougher but it is great to run the route that I will be running on race day. Very luck with great weather for Sunday runs. Today was 14km and we did the waterfront boardwalk however with PPP Drive hill at the end then back to Spring Garden. I just get going slowing and stayed with the group. I find I have to start doing some more stretching and doing my exercises to strenghen abs and glutes. My IT band is starting to act up on my R leg so I have to do some preventative work and hoping to add a hot yoga class in this week and ongoing. It still feels so surreal that I am doing this ! LOL Why and I still in shock every Sunday after the run ? It is a great feeling of accomplishment. However I am pooped by mid afternoon and of course still take Piper for a walk. It is good to go for a slow walk to stretch my legs.

Val , Isabelle and Catherine were up for a highland dance compitition this weekend. It was great to have them stay with me and spend time with them. Isabelle is turning 9 in April and is so confident and mature for her age. She loves highland dance and is doing well in the competitions. She won another overall Beginner trophy today and only has one more  placing to move to the next level of comptition. It would be so nice to live close to Val and spend more time with her family.  I mentioned to Isabelle going camping with Blaise and me this summer in PEI and she said she would love too and Lachlan as well.

Another week down and only two more weeks of school work and I am free. One more assignment to do next weekend and looking forward to a break. I love the newness and freshness of spring. Not sure how much running I will get in this week as my church Lent Mission is Monday - Wednesday. May have to run at lunch time a few times this week.

Number of runs this week: 4
Longest run : 14. 7 km
Hill reapeats: 5 at PPP Drive

March Running Hot Hot Hot

Oh my nerves March 21 it was 25C and today March 22 it hit 30C. We are all in shock in Nova Scotia. However it is back to normal on the weekend. This week was a tough week running. Wednesday evening we did 5 hill repeats on Point Pleasant drive and I think I left part of my lungs and heart on the road ! Yikes that was tough but it will make me stronger.

This Sunday up to 14Km. I just received my "i run like a girl " order so looking forward to sporting this this weekend to motivate me. I also ordered headbands with sayings and my favorite one is " I run for Wine " LOL

Enjoying this amazing weather and only 8 more weeks until Bluenose

Cheers
Karen

Spring has Srpung !

It was a beautiful morning for a run. I think spring is finally settling in to Halifax. Although we did have snow and freezing this week. It was a great morning for a run. My running run group did 12Km today and it was basically the Bluenose 10K route with the Macdonald Bridge ! Sigh ! I survived it was long slow steady run. Thanks to my running buddies and chatters Nancy and Sarah for keeping me going. I am still getting stronger and when I feel like stopping and walk the momentum of the group kept me going. Looking forward to the rest of the experience of training for the half.

Spring and the lightness in the air really helps with the transition from Lent to Easter. I have been really challenged this Lent to reflect and meditate on the ares of my life that I can change and have faith and courage to truly allow God's grace to heal and strengthen me. I have been trying to not let my negativity about the length of our wait and the politics and policies of community service get me down. I know there are wonderful people doing the best they can with the resources they have to ensure the safety and welfare of the kids in care. However to be honest it makes me crazy that " parents" are given so many chances to in the end have kids in care who have suffered under sometimes horrific living situations or having to be " caretakers to other siblings or their parents. Why aren't these kids placed in care sooner ? There I said it! So this Lent I have been praying for forgiveness for these "parents" and compassion and to not focus on "me" and to pray for all the kids in care and their current caretakers.


I mean really many folks have so much larger burdens that I sometimes feel silly even thinking about it. I have so many blessings in my life and so much to be grateful for and realize it is by God's grace that I have these blessings in my life.

Today's' gospel was John 3:16

New International Version (NIV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

This verse has received a lot of media attention lately with Tim Tebow but I think that is a good thing. It is a powerful message.


Looking forward to nice spring week with lots of running. ( after I recover from today's run


Number of runs this week: 2
Longest run this week: 12KM (the build is on)

Nameste

Karen