To run, to hop, to skip, to jump.......

In the past, my workouts have always felt similar to this...



You?

My husband has been on the fitness bandwagon ever since our first son was born in 2004. He has completed a full marathon and several half marathons and is about to start doing these things called "adventure races".

Me? Well, I've been resisting anything that sounding like "exercise" and I've been enjoying eating whatever I please. "I'm nursing" has always been my excuse :) Ha.

My hubs inspires me. Truly. He grows on me. Like mold. But he smells WAY better than mold. And for the record, there is no fungus growing on me.....but I digress.


I've started officially working out. Daily. Even on a nutrition plan!

My kids think I've lost my noodle as we have ousted all the junk food from our cupboards. It's baby steps people. I've replaced cookies with carrots and brownies with bananas and apples.

I'm not so much concerned with losing weight as I am as just our family, as a whole, being intentional with our nutrition and health.

My good friend,Lyz, is also a newbie to this fitness world. She incorporates cross country skiing into her routine and pretends it's not exercise. Keep goin' Lyz!

The program I personally follow is done through Beachbody. TJ is following P90X which I'd rather skin myself alive than do that routine.

I am following Turbofire. I like Turbofire because it's short workouts and I can fit it into my schedule everyday very easily. Not to mention it's FUN!!!!!

But I do whine. A lot. Don't worry, I'll get over myself.

But anyways, our local marathon is coming up this spring and my husband will be writing posts to keep those of you who may be interested in training for the full or half marathon this year informed in how you can reach your goal.

Do you have fitness goals this year?

Week with the Huffmans

The first week of January my husband and I hosted the Huffman family. They are from Texas but live in Kenya working as the Directors of Mattaw Children's Village. The time they spend in the States is dedicated to raising awareness about orphan care in Kenya and raising support for Mattaw. My husband and I visited them back in 2008 and I lead a team in June 2010. My husband also plans to lead another team from our church sometime this summer.

But it's not all work-there is plenty of time for play.

See, these fellow long horns have not ever experienced the weather that comes with living in Minnesota/North Dakota.

It.Gets.Cold.

People question how individuals like us can live in conditions like this. (Mama always said we make the best Christians...you know, because we have to endure so many hardships and all.....or something).

They had seen snow before, but didn't know that it got so cold that you couldn't form snowballs with the snow.



They played.


They were venturous in their outings.





They sure stayed cozy.


We had a great week with the Huffmans. They are more like family to us than just friends.

This particular week we were working hard towards raising money for Mattaw's baby rescue house that will be called "Sprouts". It's fitting, because after the name was thought of, we realized that in Isaiah 61:11 it says, "For as the soil makes the SPROUT come up and a garden causes the seed to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations"

Cool, eh?


As we said our bitter-sweet goodbyes, we know that it will not be the last time we see them. Surely, we hope to join them soon in Kitale and support Mattaw Children's Village.



Will someone just make sure they returned to Texas with all of their fingers and toes?

My idols

Last night I was talking with my husband about how I can now truly identify with other moms who say "I'm lucky to get a shower in on a given day". For the 7 years I have been a mother, I have been a working mother. I was thrown into the routine of being up, showered and dressed and sweeping my kids out the door, into the van and to daycare.

It was the hardest 7 years of my life.

At least I smelled good :)

Since November, I have had the privilege of loving on my kids full time at home. It was a difficult transition for me, all of a sudden we were not in need of my income. We had worked very hard to pay off our debt so I could be at home. November was the time I had yearned for for 7 years. It came...and it was hard.


I learned that my profession was something I put my identity in-it became an idol and I was struggling with my pride to let it go. I was struggling with letting go of the income I was making because we would be on a tighter budget.


Now, as a full time mama to my three little loves, I can say that I wouldn't trade it for a second. I'm lucky to get a shower every day....and to get a shower without a little fist knocking at the door, now THAT would be a gift.

Trust Jesus.

A lesson I could never get sick of learning.

Even as I type this with one hand and hold my daughter in the other, I look at her and thank God that we put the discipline and sacrifices in our lives that we did for me to not miss another moment of my kids' growing up.


Being at home broke me if my pride and idols I've had in my life without knowing it. Thank you Jesus.

As this year unfolds, it is my prayer that my identity remains in who I am in Christ and not how great or not great of a mom I am.

Food for thought

"Better to love God and be an unknown than to love the world and be a hero; better to be content with poverty than to die a slave to wealth; better to have taken some risks and lost than to have done nothing and succeeded at it". -E Lutzer

2011 Woot!

It's a new year. Naturally, this is a time where most reflect on the year that just past and the year that is yet to come.

One of our biggest highlights of 2010 came on November 9th 2010, when we welcomed our third child, and FIRST little girl, Alayna Joy. She was 8lbs 1oz and 21 inches long.



She's protected by her two older brothers who love her more than "chocolate ice-cream" (which is a LOT)




In 2011, I am looking forward to being present with my kids, as I am now officially a stay at home mom and doing may things with them that we haven't had the ability to do because of my husbands and my work schedule. We are also looking forward to taking a team from our home town to Kenya in the summer again and traveling to see extended family in various parts of the country. What are your plans, hopes and dreams for 2011? What were highlights from your 2010?

Happy New Year!!! Make every moment count!