Becoming One!

Something has been stewing in my mind lately....an overwhelming sense of gratitude to God for where he has brought Jason and I in our physical beings.  Sounds strange I know but hear me out.  When Jason and I met nearly 16 years ago, we were anything but athletes.  Although yes, Jason was the captain of his golf team (if you call that a sport :) and I toyed with sports in high school, taking care of ourselves physically was not at the top of our lists.  Jason lived near his grandparents in college and they spoiled him rotten with tons of home cooked meals and snacks to the rim.  While I, lived with my father who cooked healthy but for that reason I would eat out every chance I got.  We were extremely unfit and unhealthy. 

 We married in 1999 and had our first son in 2000.  It was about this time that Jason decided to kick it in high gear and get into shape.  He built his first mountain bike and purchased a road bike that became his baby. He also started running and I remember quite vividly the look in his eyes when he would come through the door after one of his workouts.  The endorphin high!  For about the next 5 years, I would resent him every time he would leave us (me and our children) to go out for his exercising.  I truly didn't understand his need and desire to ride and run.  After our youngest child was born, I remember thinking to myself, I need to get in shape.  Jason and I had had many fights concerning this issue.  Keep in mind that the fights were not over my body or him unhappy with it, it was over my emotional state and being unhappy with that.  He knew from his own experience how working out could help me.  

So there it began... In September of 2005 I decided it was time to change my life.  I'd never been a runner or really even ridden a bike.  But who cares.  I wanted my own success story and more importantly I wanted to be happy and feel good.  I signed up for a marathon!  My best friend and I trained for nearly 5 months and finished our first marathon in February of 2006!  I'd managed to lose nearly 40 pounds and gotten myself into a never worn before size 4!  Wow!  I've truly enjoyed running and the camaraderie of friendship.  About 2 years ago however I decided I would get into cycling with my husband.  Here is where the gratitude comes in the most.  Here's the sprinkle of faith in the story.  Understand this wives, when we partake in a sport that our husbands enjoy, a whole new level is introduced into the relationship.  Better yet when you can enjoy a sport together the level goes deeper.  Jason and I have done many mountain and road bike races together and I can honestly say it is one of the highlights of my life.  There is no better feeling in the world than a feeling of togetherness and pride that comes from finishing a race holding hands.  I now understand the endorphin high!  I now support his hobbies instead of resenting them.  I cherish our times together and feel so completely blessed to have a husband who even though I didn't support him, returned to me the complete opposite.  He has supported me every step of the way, making sure that the kids are taken care of and I have my me time and our us time to exercise!  I encourage each of you to give something new a chance.  Learn to love the others hobbies!

Life's lessons...

This morning was a rough morning!  As I sat in my bed this morning writing in my prayer journal I looked up only to see my 7 year old son Pierson so excited to tell me about a couple of tricks his new rat Sugar could do.  He said that she now knows how to play dead and also she plays freeze tag.  Let me just say, that this is not an exaggerated story!  Seriously this is what he was telling me!  At first, I took it lightly.  I mean this kid comes up with some crazy stuff!  And quite often amazes me too, so maybe he did teach Sugar these new tricks.  I asked him to bring her to me.  Yep, she was laying upside down with her feet up and barely breathing.  Oh my, how was I gonna break the news to him that she was dying.  He dearly loves her!  In order to get her, he had written a 2 page persuasive writing to us and managed to save money to buy her.  He was such a good rat owner.  He played with her everyday in the morning, afternoon and evening!  She was such a great rat!  She never, not one time pooped or peed on us and loved being held.  Oh my!  I had to tell him the truth.  His first real life lesson.  He broke down in tears and held her until she took her last breath.  We got a small box and put her in it and sat her outside the back door until we can later bury her.  I found him throughout the day sitting by the box.  Staring into it sometimes.  His 7 year old heart and mind sat there praying that she would come back to life.  I held Pierson in my arms as he wept.  He didn't understand.  It's a life lesson that I'm not sure any of us understand.  Death is one of those things that we mourn but as I sat today explaining to Pierson not to be sad, that Sugar is in heaven I remembered my brother.  It was 9 years ago today that my brother died.  I was even more sad.  Ok Angela I thought, can I take my own advice?  Rejoice he is in heaven.  This was not only a life lesson for Pierson but also for myself.  

Pierson telling daddy about Sugar dying!