It's Been Awhile

It's been quite a while since I have written anything as three days after my last post we found out we are having another baby! Which we are very excited about. We already have names picked out and everything. While being pregnant is not my idea of a good time, we feel abundantly blessed that we get to have a new little person in our family. We also moved from Fresno, California to Bothell, Washington so Eric could start a new job at Trident Seafoods. We adore Washington. I told Eric if he ever takes me away from here I will pitch the biggest fit he has ever seen. Just kidding. But I would be very sad if we ever had to leave.

Between throwing up and packing/unpacking boxes I have let nearly all my writings fall to the wayside. I have written in my journal a few times but doing so has not gotten me any closer to my original goal of having a book written within a year. My initial response to not meeing my goals is to completely stop all efforts and tell myself that I will try again in some arbitrary amount of time. As is to be expected, this approach leaves me at the exact same place I started. This habit must change if I want a different result then what I have been getting. Since I find quotes to be a useful tool I have made the following by Mary Pickford my new mantra;
"You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down."

I shall once again take up my pen (or keyboard) and write.

I have tried writing about a couple of different topics but since I have the Olympics on in the background all I  can think about is the Olympics. I am amazed at the talent and discipline all of these athletes possess. Especially the teenage gymnasts. These athletes are a great example of what, I believe, every person has the ability to accomplish in their lifetime. Obviously we cannot all be Olympians but we can devote our time and talents to achieving worthwhile goals. Goals which will be different for each person. Goals that when reached, will probably not bring home a gold medal or a trophy.  My goals are to; raise children who love the gospel and who love their fellow men, to have a book published, to run a marathon, to learn how to sew beautiful dresses, to overcome my constant worry about me weight, to be able to start a conversation with anyone and leave with a new friend, to make one loaf of challa bread and the list goes on..I am at the beginning stages of all of these goals but I figure ten years will pass regardless of what I do with my time and I can either be closer to these goals, hopefully I will have reached a couple, or I can be exactly where I am today.

I have always loved watching and competing in athletic events. Watching the swimmers jump off the blocks reminded me of when I used to swim. My first year on the swim team I was absolutely terrible! I didn't jump off the blocks so much as I belly flopped off the blocks. I was laughing so hard as I tried to act it out for Eric that I had drool coming out of mouth. There was one race when I forgot what stroke I was supposed to be doing so I started to sink to the bottom until I could remember for fear of doing the wrong kick and being disqualified. Not that I was expected to come in any place but last but...still. Even though I was a horrible swimmer I still went to practice every day and I still tried my best. I received the "Most Inspirational," award that season which is the nice way of saying, "You are not any good but you gave it a good shot and, oh by the way, thanks for the entertainment." So true.

After high school I started swimming again and gradually forced myself to swim non-stop for ninety minutes a day at one point. Doing this, plus losing fifteen pounds, helped me run my fasted 10K time ever which was 44:15. Running faster is not a goal of eternal or even long term significance to most people. For me, though, for me it is. I learned that I can do much more than I think I can do and that plays into many aspects of my life. I encourage everyone to set some realistic and some far reaching goals while keeping in mind that life does not always go the way we plan and setbacks happen. All the time. To everyone. It is so easy to write that worthwhile goals take time and to just keep working. In reality discouragement can be quite difficult to overcome since it always seems to speak a little louder than encouragement. My advice, which I should heed more often, is to pray. In your mind, on your knees, out loud in the car. Wherever and whenever. God wants us to succeed. We are, after all, His children.