yes you can

Yes You Can.

I hear these three little words every Monday night at 4:15 with Alice H.

She's the instructor from my Total Conditioning class at Lifetime that I would be lost without. Alice's three simple words have made me think differently about tough challenges in life.

It's only an hour. And we break it into 60-90 second intervals. You can do anything for 60 seconds.

Yes you can!

Sometimes life is about getting through the tough times in 60-90 second intervals. Or a week. Or a day. Or let's face it, ten minutes at a time...

On Friday I took a half day, picked up the kids early and then picked up my niece Zoe to go to Fargo for the weekend. I figured it would be a long ride. It was.

But my internal dialogue kept humming along... let's just make it to Alex and we'll get a coffee. And when the kids asked for the hundreth time if we were in Minnesota still, I just said yes. Again. And hummed along to the rhythm of 'it's only another hour and a half, yes you can' in my head.

Saturday morning was when my mantra became even more important though. That's when I was hanging out at the Fargo Dome, all by myself, wondering why I had signed up for the Half-Marathon. It always seems like such a good idea when you're sitting at home by yourself late at night and surfing the web... and then you get to race day and you feel undertrained and overwhelmed by all the athletes around you and you wonder if you'll even get through mile 9 without needing a break. And you second guess your outfit, wish you'd have remembered your favorite necklace, and envy all those girls with the cute headbands.

But I was there. And I figured I'd paid $70 to run in the rain. I might as well try to do something great with the road in front of me. So as I made my way to the start line, I thought about all the people who lost their limbs in Boston last month, and those who will never likely run, even walk, again. And I decided I'd run in honor of them. Of those who couldn't run anymore.

Yes You Can.

And I had the best time. I just smiled at the fans cheering their favorite runners along. At the nervous energy among the first-timers. And the calm enthusiasm from those who had been to the finish line so many times before. I clapped for the bands who were out in their garages playing to keep our spirits up. At the old timers who were polka dancing and at the mother-son duo playing their fiddles. I laughed at the use of Fargoisms in the signs along the way and I enjoyed the sunshine, the people, and the feeling of being alive!

And most of all, I enjoyed seeing my family at the end (and being done!). It was the perfect start to a wonderful weekend!

After the race we made a picnic and headed to the park for some fun while the weather cleared up for awhile.

 

Then we picked up Grandma Barb and headed home for dinner and a first for the kids- root beer floats. I'm pretty sure they were enjoying them.

 A great way to end the day!

And now, I have the kids all to myself for the week since Scott is out of town on his Canada fishing trip. (I'm putting a positive spin on it this time by saying this is a treat for me instead of dreading it-I am hopeful it's like 'the Secret' and that which I put out into the universe will come back to me).

So here's to a great week of good behavior, fun times, and taking it one day at a time. (or if we're being real honest, 1 minute at a time).

For you...





This morning I woke to the sound of whispers and giggles... to little smiles and jumps of joy greeting me quite literally, right in my face. And even though it is a weekend and it was 6:15 a.m. and I'd stayed up late catching up on shows on Hulu, I greeted the wake-up call with a smile.

 

I know that some moms really want to be pampered on Mothers' Day. Go to the spa or brunch, or have their husbands wait on them all day. And while that sounds nice, I'd rather just soak it all in.  This thing called being a mom.

 

Rather than getting upset with the constant 'Mom, mom, mom!' today,  I'm trying to make sense of the really BIG meaning of that tiny little word.

 

The responsibility, the blessings, the absolute nonsense and pure craziness that comes with having children.

 

 Figuring out that building a fort, no matter how flimsy, is better than not trying to build a fort at all.

 

That not everything I say needs to make totally clear sense.

 

That I can let the dishes go a little bit longer in order to put a diaper on poopy Karen or Thomas.

 

Listening to Jaxon read for the first time and knowing that we had maybe a small part in helping him develop a love for reading and learning.

 

Helping Kiley go potty and 'not get any on her leg' ( a common fear these days). Wiping butts and cleaning toilets for the umpteenth time.

 

Listening to Kiley sing 'The Wheels on the Bus' and watching as she takes such good care of her babies...

 

These are the moments I love so much about being a mom. Even though I could use a little less whining in my life, I know that I wouldn't be who I am today without these two little cuties and their dad in my life. It's amazing how it changes you...makes you want to be a better person... and makes you cherish the moments when you get to take an uninterrupted shower, go to the bathroom, or eat by yourself. Seriously. Now I guess I'd take a little more of that!

 

Jaxon and Kiley, I am so grateful and honored to be your mother.

 

 

 

You're my backbone. You're my cornerstone. You're my crutch when my legs stop moving. You're my head start. You're my rugged heart. You're the pulse that I've always needed. Like a drum baby, don't stop beating. Like a drum, my heart never stops beating, For You.