My 1-Year RUN-niversary

On March 24, 2015 I left my house to go on my first run since high school (11 years ago if you must know). I meandered down our neighborhood sidewalk and downloaded the MapMyRun app. (I’d obviously planned ahead)

After my first 10K with my girls!

That night I ran 1.08 miles in 15:20 minutes. I probably walked a bit more and headed home sweaty and winded.

Thanks especially to the Waco Women’s Training Program, learn more about my experience here, I kept on running and completed my first 5K race in May 2015.

When the program was over, I just kept going. It was too much work to just throw away! As my 30th birthday loomed large in the fall, I set my sights on running a 10K race to “Run into my 30s.” With that goal and a training plan in hand, I forged ahead with my running.

You too can run in the dark!

Since summers in Texas are too dang hot to handle, I started getting up at 5 a.m. and running at a nearby track. (Note: I really didn’t think running in the morning was possible till I tried it. Especially in the summer, it’s the most lovely time of day to run! ) I joined the local running club and started doing Saturday long runs. (4-5 miles at most)

And I started to see some progress. SLOW, slow progress. I’ve always joked that God didn’t make me to run. I’m slow, I’m awkward, I have bad knees and ankles, and asthma for pete’s sake! But I can run. I CAN! I’m going to say it: “I’m a runner.”

After my successful birthday 10K, (by successful, I mean finished without dying) I audaciously dreamed of completing a half marathon by 31. Can’t let all that good training go to waste! I’m taking my time working my way there over the year and I’m running a lot more races to prepare in the meantime.

Most days, running still feels like I’m fighting against nature. But I’ve gone too far to stop now. Literally, I’ve gone too far. According to my MapMyRun app, I’ve logged 338.6 miles in the past year!

I’ve made new friends, found a passion for a type of fitness I’ve always loathed and really found running to be a place of joy.  I’m thankful to have joined a tribe of some of the most supportive people on the planet, and I’m excited to head into my next year of running the same way I entered the last–with a one-mile run out my front door. (or maybe 1.4 miles to even out that number ) It’s a cross-training day anyway…

If you take away one thing from this post, let it be that a year of running can and will change you. If I can do it with all my excuses, then so can you! (and I mean that in an encouraging, I-truly-can’t-believe-I’m-doing-this way and not in a look-at-me-I’m-so-awesome way)

If you take two things away, know that no matter how hard it is,  JUST KEEP GOING. (just keep running 😄) The miles pile up and the hard runs are worth it. I (figuratively) ran from Waco in Central Texas to Padre Island on the coast. (I could sooooo use a beach vacation.) Anyway, it’s neat to see the miles plotted out on a map for perspective:

Keep going and who knows where running can take you?

Thanks for joining me on the journey!

 

 

For daily run-spiration, follow me on Instagram at @sjrunsTX.

To join a free Waco women’s running club, check out our Moms Run This Town/She Runs This Town group on Facebook.

Learn more about the Waco Striders running club.

These are the days of…

One more story so I can snuggle with them longer

Recently listened to a great podcast from Inspired to Action on celebrating life’s smallness. One tip that the interviewee Emily Freeman recommended was making a list about the small things that make up life in the moment. This “These are the days of” list was inspired by her.

Snuggles in the morning.
Praying they sleep in past 6.
Stinky diapers and wet beds
Mountains of laundry and tiny socks
Sticky fingers and sticky everything else
Three blankets and stuffed animals
Temper tantrums and pacis
Endless questions and “Mama?”
Locking the bathroom door for a little alone time
Not letting them out of my sight for a moment
Baby proofing everything
Installing shelves so I can decorate out of their reach
Interior design projects masquerading as art projects
Having no energy at the end of the day and a baby that wakes up the moment you lay down
Cutting food in to bite-sized pieces
Never ending dishes
Wearing headphones to listen to music or podcasts during naptime
Diaper bags and sippy cups
Growth spurts and sleepless nights
Picky eaters and going back for seconds
Making up songs to sing at bedtime
One more story so I can snuggle with them longer
Teething (why are there so many teeth?)
Quickly growing out of clothes and shoes
Small plastic toys all over the floor
Peanut butter and jelly and goldfish
Playgrounds and swings
Endless energy
Learning colors and numbers
Learning to spell
Constant disciplining and repeating
Building character
Saying, “Listen and obey” a million times
Hearing her potty and go back to bed without having to get up and help
Sparkly fairy wings and dress up
Boo boos and Band-Aids and cream

Keep a list of the things that fill your days with your kids and celebrate the small things.

Thought of the Day: Move Toward Health

As I continue to train for my first 10K race, this was a thought I had today. Life is a series of choices. Are you moving toward or away from health?

That can look like taking time to rest or saying no to extra sugar in your diet. Or carving out a few minutes for healthy movement.

I’m there with you friends. Together we can step forward today.

SJM

Serving the Servant: How We Spent Our Summer “Break”

We’re back from our mission trip in Colorado, and now that we’ve caught up on a little sleep and (sort of) unpacked, we wanted to share how the trip went.

First off, we are humbled and over the moon grateful for the supporters who helped us raise the money get to Colorado. This was a service trip doing some not so glamorous work. We so appreciate you hearing God, praying for our family and giving! Thank you!

But, raising the money for the trip was just the first major milestone… In my times with the Lord leading up to the trip, I kept saying, “If you really want us to go, you’ll provide all the funding. Then I’ll know we’re not crazy to be doing this.” When we were fully funded a week before we left, going to Colorado truly became a reality.

It wasn’t the last time I asked myself if we were crazy though!

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A post shared by Sarah-Jane Menefee (@sarah.jane.menefee)

Between group travel with small kiddos, schedules that didn’t really fit with nap time, altitude acclimation and colder than expected weather, our first three days of the trip were pretty messy and we all needed an extra measure of grace.  It reminded me of something I learned in our discipleship training school days:

We’re all going to go through hard things when we will feel squeezed. The question is, when you’re under pressure is it the love of Jesus that comes out or your own selfishness?

We definitely had moments of both.

For this trip, our family was part of a big group of childcare workers putting on a summer camp for missionary kids from all over the world. We had two days of setup to turn ski resort meeting rooms into kid-friendly spaces for 300 kiddos.  Matt worked with 11-year-olds and I served as a teacher for the younger 1-year-olds class. Thankfully, the resort we were at had a great children’s center used for childcare in the winter, so there were some baby safe spaces to keep the youngest campers.

Just strollin’ on my holiday break.

Once rooms were set up, we ran the camp from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for six days while the missionaries attended a conference to get refueled and refreshed. Then we had one day off to do things around the resort, do laundry and pack for home before a very long travel day back on July 14.

Here’s are a few things we learned on this trip:

We were way out of our comfort zone in a lot of ways, and that was ok.
Throughout the beginning of our trip especially, we didn’t know the full schedule or even what would be for dinner. It was big exercise in trust, especially with our kiddos in tow. Nothing was really set up for our kids to do the first couple days, and there was a lot of praying through how to best care for them and prepare for camp. They were both troopers and adaptable throughout the process, probably more so than we were as parents! I am really amazed at how when we increase our expectations for kids, they often surprise us with their responses.

We had to trust that God would provide what we needed when we needed it, and he was FAITHFUL to provide.
Along with being out of our comfort zone, we were also out of control. We didn’t have a car to go to the store, we only a had a few free hours at night once the kids were down and my class had several days without much free time to even stop and eat lunch! Thankfully, we ran into a friend who let us borrow a car a couple times so we could grab extra food and Norah’s milk. A couple times others who were going to town got us necessities like diapers.

Beyond the obvious needs, we also had a physical need for rest and energy to be kid-loving machines. There was a lot of waiting on God for strength for the next hour, or even the next five minutes. It was very hard some days between Matt sustaining a few injuries and Norah getting a fever on the next to last day, but we made it through!

Joyful Norah at the worship night that was hosted for childcare workers.

We got a small taste of what it’s like to be a missionary/ministry family and it gave us a new perspective on serving with our kids.
About four days in, I had a minor pity party about how hard the week had been and how frustrated I was with trying to keep up with the pace we had at camp and take care of our girls. (Feeling like I was doing neither job adequately…) After a good cry, I clearly heard God give me a new perspective on the whole process–

“This is what it’s like for missionaries all the time. They travel with their kids, make up schedules as they go, adapt to new foods and living conditions and serve alongside their kids. And the kids take part in the blessings of the work too.”

This perspective made a big difference for me throughout the rest of the week. I had great respect for the families we were serving and a renewed vision for why we had chosen to serve with our kids. I really feel more confident in parenting after going on this trip together. We were stretched into new places and we not only survived, we thrived.

We’re so glad we went on this adventure with God! And we’re very happy to be home to hot, sunny Texas until the next adventure!

Here are some more photos from the trip:

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We would’ve loved to share lots of pictures with all the kiddos we served, but have not out of respect for their privacy. Instead, look at how cute OUR kids are!

The Grass is Always Greener in the Big Fenced in Yard with a Patio [House Tour & Reflections]

Ever start dreaming about what it would be like to live somewhere else? All the possibilities! We recently went through a 3-week-long period of trying to decide if we wanted to move, and I’ll admit I let my heart get too involved.

Mind you, in the grand scheme of moving it didn’t seem like that big of a deal. We are long-time renters on a local college campus and the house we were looking at is just 11 lots down. The main selling points? Well, slightly more space inside, a fireplace and a huge fenced in back yard with a patio and trees.

The instant I walked back to the yard I could picture how much fun my kids would have in it, and how nice it would be to know they were somewhat contained and cut off from the street. (we don’t have a fence right now) I could see us entertaining on the patio and enjoying the kitchen free of the space-sucking washer and dryer which currently dominate a third of our current space.

And that was it. I was sold. These houses very rarely come open, so I knew we needed to pounce on the opportunity. After all, part of our reason for renting is the ability to move whenever we want to. Carpe domum!

So we put down a deposit and waited for the house to become available. In the meantime, I dreamed about where I would put furniture and what room would be what. Every time we walked the dog past the house we’d go into the glorious backyard and I’d get a little more excited.

But then, when we found out about the timeline of moving and things started to become a reality, I waffled. My heart betrayed me. Suddenly, all I could think of was how much I really loved our little house. And how I’d recently started making some interior design choices to help me love it more thanks to this awesome book.

I sat rocking the baby to sleep in the beautiful nursery we painted in anticipation of our first daughter. Then I wandered into the living room where the baby had made her first entrance into the world. (we had a planned home birth) Talk about a sentimental moment! And as washed dishes in our small, but cheery kitchen, I thought about the meals we’d made and all the modifications we’d put in place to make it work for us.

Again, I was sold! Sold on staying. The heart is a fickle thing indeed. It’s so easy to get into the grass is greener mentality of life.

Surprisingly, the decision to stay helped revitalize my excitement over making small design changes to our home and decluttering a bit more here and there. We may even look at sprucing up the backyard. The grass looks pretty green out there to me.

Unofficial cell phone photo house tour:

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On Making Mistakes in Mothering (or How I Screwed Up During Bedtime Routine Tonight)

The moment I started brushing her teeth, I knew I was in the wrong.

But, after several flat out refusals and then an absolute break down over not getting the princess she wanted in the Magic Toothbrush Timer app (which is a lifesaver most of the time by the way), my patience had run out with my eldest.

Just like my daughter, I willfully and angrily pushed back in the power struggle that has been a norm here lately. I held her head back and quickly brushed her teeth so we could move on. All the while my very tired younger girl wandered around crying because she wasn’t getting attention.

I was already feeling remorseful when I finished her teeth. Then, when I had her rinse her mouth she spit out blood. I felt the guilt and pain right down to my toes.

Now, I know it was just her sensitive gums (they bleed sometimes when she brushes them) and not me being overly rough. But, all the same I had totally failed at treating her with kindness and respect and above all love.

The whole incident ended with me sitting on a bean bag full of stuffed animals holding a girl on each knee with them both crying. I would love to say that this type of struggle isn’t common around our house, but it’s just not the truth. There are many times I’ve selfishly lashed back at my wide-eyed wild girl when she yells in my face or throws a tantrum over one thing or another.

But oh, I felt it tonight. The flesh on fleshiness of sinful behavior mirrored back from the person God gave her to teach, guide and direct.

I apologized multiple times to my toddler. We both cried. She apologized for refusing to brush her teeth. And then we prayed this simple prayer:

Lord Jesus. Forgive us. Help us to love one another better. Amen.

Sometimes (a lot of the times) that’s the only thing we can do: Ask for forgiveness and model what to do when we’ve sinned.

It doesn’t make up for my mistakes, but I want to be the first one rushing to ask for forgiveness. I want it to be normal in my house. I hope that the more I acknowledge I’m a sinner and my desperation for Jesus, the more my kids will see him as savior.

The evening ended with us curled up together on her bed with a pile of new books from the library. We happily read until the baby dosed off and big girl rolled over into dreams I hope are happy.

I hope that forgiveness is a part of your family life dynamics. It’s actually one of our family’s core values we have hung on the wall in our living room:

“We Value Openess & Forgiveness– This home is a safe place to be open. We will lovingly forgive all wrongs just as we’ve been forgiven. This family keeps no records of wrongs.”

I know I’m not the only mama out there who struggles with this. Be encouraged friends! If you’re interested in our core values and family mission statement, let me know! I’d be happy to post the file.

Spinning Gif for Twirly Tuesday

I have an Android phone that connects automatically to Google + and it creates Auto Awesome photos from the images I take with my camera.

One fun feature is the automatic animated GIFs it creates from photos taken in a series. Here’s one from today’s Twirly Tuesday challenge for Dress a Day in May.

Twirly Tuesday

Throwing Off All that Hinders & Running with Perserverance

I’ve always joked that God didn’t make me to run. I have asthma, weak ankles and I’ve never been particularly fast.

Throwback to my high school track days. Isn’t my long jump impressive looking?

Part of my high school’s requirements for being in sports like basketball and volleyball was you had to participate in track and field. So each spring, even though it was the worst time for my allergies and asthma, I’d lace up my cleats and pretend to care about running. I did everything from high jump and hurtles to relays and discus. Even attempted shot put a few times.

But the worst event for me was the 800 meter run. For some reason, my coaches thought that with my long strides I would be perfect for it… I was not. The race is basically a sprint endurance competition. Two full laps around the track (1/2 mile) as fast as you can go. Confession: Once after a very long day of track meet events I false started on purpose so I didn’t have to run it. I acted really upset, but was inwardly relieved. 

When I finished with high school athletics, I didn’t see a reason to look back at running. I had many other exercise interests like dancing, yoga and biking to keep me healthy. With no coaches spurring me on to run two miles while lecturing us on the definition of integrity, I moved on.

Ten years and two kids later I’ve started a new relationship with running thanks to a great group of women in my city and a whole mess of grace.

It all started when I evaluated my bucket list of things to do before I turn 30 in October:

• Lose 20 lbs ✓ (Completed! I’ve lost 25 lbs since January)
• Fit into my wedding dress by my fifth anniversary in June (we’ll see)
• Establish healthy habits that I can carry into my 30s (in progress)
• Finish a race of some sort. ✓ (completed!)
• Start a blog & invest more time in writing ✓
• Reduce my social media usage and focus on the people in front of me (in progress)
• Come up with more bucket list items

In the past, I’ve wondered about people who are super into running races. What’s the motivation? WHY would you pay so much money to run when you can already do it for free. And (at the time) I wouldn’t even run for free if I could avoid it… Whenever the topic came up,  I would cite my reasons stated above and make some coy comment about how God didn’t design my body to run. (pushing down some deeply seated memories of my inadequacies in high school track)

A friend and marathon/triathalon participant Kim Dea encouraged me (unknowingly) by telling me when she started she couldn’t run a mile straight. That (of course) it takes lots of practice to get to her level. It stuck with me, but I didn’t have the drive to get started.

After three years straight of intense mothering (aka pregnancy and breastfeeding), I wanted to “get my body back.” Not that I expect to get back to my pre-baby self, but I want to understand the mechanics of my new post-baby body and push myself to get into a fitness routine that works with my busy working mommy schedule.

Enter the Waco Women’s Training Program from the Waco Striders, an 8-week running program that ends in a 5K race. I could tell it was the program for me when I read this on their website:

[WWTP] offer the opportunity to improve your fitness no matter what your current skill level. Whether your are a walker, a beginning runner, or a runner with a time goal, the Waco Women’s Training Program will help you achieve your fitness goal.

The program was $52 and just one night a week which fit perfectly into our family dynamics. In addition to the weekly runs, we had homework to run and cross train on specific days during the week. I was pleasantly surprised to have a few of my former coworkers and friends in the crowd of more than 100 women participating, so I instantly felt at home.

But the most encouraging part were the Waco Striders who run the program. Shannon Cross the director, texted back and forth with me when I was deliberating about joining. She told me she also couldn’t run a race the entire time, but did intervals of running and walking and had completed several marathons doing intervals. The individual pacing leaders encouraged me constantly during our runs, and I found the whole group to be very accepting of all fitness levels and goals.

The first night I attended was exhilarating! I joined the 1:1 group (running a minute and walking a minute), and though I felt winded from time to time, I survived! After the short run we came back to the central location and enjoyed a 20-minute Zumba demo. After that each night was similar: run increasing distances with your interval group, come back and do 20 minutes of another type of fitness program.

Between the weekly runs and running homework, I slowly increased the distance I felt comfortable running. Doing intervals was a revelation for me. I’d always tried to run until I couldn’t breath anymore, then walk and then run some more. But with intervals, I had time to recover and run further faster than I would otherwise because it was in short bursts.

As the program drew to a close, we were running between 3-4 miles each Thursday night. Being in a pacing group with a lot of other women helped me feel included and normal. For some reason I’d always assumed that to be a runner meant not walking. That is so not true.

Before the race.

I completed my first 5K run on May 9 with many members of the WWTP cheering me on. And in that moment of crossing the finish line, my relationship with running changed. It was no longer something to be conquered or feared.

Running is about personal perserverance. It gives me an opportunity to push past the boundaries I’ve set up in my mind about what I can and can’t accomplish. I’m not in competition with others, just myself. Even with my asthma and weak ankles, I can run. And I don’t hate it because it isn’t an assignment anymore.

For me it’s a way to push myself forward with fitness without the need for a gym memberships or set out hours. Running is free and can happen during nap time and just after my kids are down for the night. It’s an hour of free time spent worshipping and praying for the strength to finish.

I look forward to doing more races (maybe even a half marathon at some point) and increasing my distance and speed over time. In the end, it all comes down to starting. As our fearless leaders at the WWTP said:

THE ONLY WAY TO FINISH IS TO START, So, Let’s Go!

Any running tips from readers? Share them in the comments. Heck, comment if you made it all the way through the 1,100 word post. Thanks for reading. I hope you are encouraged!

5 Reasons Why I #DressaDayinMay

Four years ago a group of friends and I started a little project wearing dresses or skirts every day in May.

Dress A Day in May 2015

Dress A Day in May 2011

A Dress A Day in May was a fun fashion challenge for me. I was newly married and had plenty of fun dresses I’d bought for showers and our honeymoon. We started a blog and shared our photos with the world, and by the time we were halfway through the month, we had a following. Several of our friends joined in, mostly sharing on a Facebook group which has nearly 100 members.

Now four years and two babies later, I’m still getting dressed up every day in May. (Follow photos with #DressaDayinMay)  Upon some reflection, I wanted to share why I both love and hate this project. (By that definition, I guess Dress A Day in May is my frenemy.)

1. It’s a challenge.

Can you wear nothing but dresses or skirts for a month? Of course you can, but it’s not easy if that isn’t your normal wardrobe. You have to plan ahead a bit more, try outfits on before bed, play more with accessories, and actually think about what you are going to wear in advance. What? You do that all the time? Yeah well, I don’t. Plus, it gets harder as the month goes on. I try to change a dress up if I’m repeating it, and let’s just say I tend to overthink it a bit.

But, I like a challenge. Limitations can bring out results you’d never come up with otherwise.

2.  It’s a like a reset button for my wardrobe.

Dress A Day in May 2012, post baby #1

Forget January 1, it’s May 1 that gets me resolved to clear out my closet of sweaters and pants and pull dresses out of storage. It’s a built-in excuse to go shopping for tank tops and sandals, cardigans and belts, and of course dresses!  It’s so easy to get in a rut in the winter. It’s cold and dreary (yes, even here in Texas) and pants become my uniform. Sure, I wear the occasional sweater dress, but when it’s truly cold, tights ≠ pants.

Inevitably wearing dresses and skirts every day reminds me that I really like how I feel in them. If it wasn’t for Dress A Day in May, I think I’d go for months without wearing dresses waiting for a special event or something.

3.  It opens up new and old friendships

We have community built around Dress A Day in May. I have friends in other states I’ve never met who dress up with us each year and share their photos and their lives. It’s an all-around encouraging experience where other people like your photo and comment. People share tips and advice and even share dresses.

I’ll mention again that our Facebook group is the best! Who doesn’t want 90+ people affirming that you look nice today? I know I do. And it certainly helps me feel more comfortable posting photos of myself online. (something I don’t frequently do outside of the month of May)

4. It makes me feel feminine and a (very) little fashionista

Yes, I said it. Dresses make me feel feminine. They make me feel good about myself and put together.  I also really pay attention to my accessories during DADIM. I take some fashion risks and feel a bit more like a fashionista than usual. All out of my comfort zone, but (most of the time) totally worth it.

Taking the photos every day causes me to take more care with my hair and makeup. Nothing wrong with a bit more TLC from time to time. As mom of two young kids I often write off wearing mascara or blow drying my hair as 10 minute I just don’t have to spend. This gives me a good excuse to do them anyway.

5.  Hopefully it inspires others.

In the end, the project isn’t about me. (though it’s really a good thing we only do this for a month and not all the time. Just say no to narcissism) It’s about getting a fresh perspective on clothes and ways to wear them. It’s a shared experience of enjoying the springiest month of the year in a fun, flouncy way.  It’s putting yourself out on the line by snapping a photo of what you’re wearing and uploading it to the internet without a personal stylist or gobs of Photoshop. It’s real. (Trust me, I did it one year just a couple month after having a baby.)

I hope this post made you curious about Dress A Day in May. Know that you can join any time in the month of May and enjoy the challenge. Connect on our Facebook page or website and tag social media images with #DressaDayinMay. 

Stay dressy.

Reflections from the Quiet Hour

Hello from one of the quietest moments of my day. It’s the moment right after both kids are down for the night. Every sound seems magnified, and it’s just too loud to try and tackle the dishes yet.

So, let’s face it. I’ve been a terrible blogger. Or maybe I should say “blogger.” (Imagine that in air quotes with a very sarcastic tone.) I haven’t written anything here in months.

In my defense, a lot of life happens in a few months of toddler mommyhood…

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We’ve had a birthday :), a hospitalization :(, Spring not-so-much-of-a Break, a couple thousand emails, more boo boos than I can count, more diapers than I care to think about and at least a dozen new words for the littlest one.

In a good faith effort, I wanted to write today. I’ve had so many ideas and momentary excitement about post ideas, but just haven’t had the desire to look at a computer screen after staring at one all day.

It’s moments like these when I’m so thankful for grace. (free, unmerited favor from God) There is so much of it when I pick up a project I’ve started but haven’t finished. In fact, most days I don’t think I could really survive without knowing that I am loved by God and accepted by him despite my obvious shortcomings.

I recently (ok this afternoon while running) listened to one of my favorite podcasts, Inspired to Action, and the author being interviewed Shauna Niequist had a lot of truth to speak about savoring motherhood life and grace:

“Invest yourself deeply in what is instead of being so caught up in what you thought it should have been, I think that is a recipe for a very present, very rich life.”

The truth is my life is rich. And full. And messy. But, there is so much grace — a mess of grace as we would say in the South. (as in a big bunch)  When I finish writing, there will still be dishes to put away and dirty floors and a sticky dining room table. And it’s so worth it for the sweet sleepy heads I read bedtimes stories for and kissed goodnight.

Praying that anyone who reads this would know the peace of God that comes from accepting the gift that Jesus freely gave when he offered His life so that we could be free from the burden of sin. In that freedom comes a whole mess of grace for you and me, friend. He loves you and me. LOVES us! He looks at our messy, sticky and imperfect lives and sees beauty.

Don’t get caught up in what you think life should be like. Invest deeply in this moment and thank God for his never stopping, never giving up, always and forever love.