Milestones

Today was a pretty big day in the life of my step-daughter, C. She graduated from 4th grade today and will be leaving elementary school life behind forever. I met C when she was 6 years old - almost 7 to be exact. I remember the day I met her perfectly, one because I was madly in love with her dad and two because she and her cousin, T, were the cutest little girls I had ever seen (besides my sister, G, of course). I met them right at Halloween and remember Chad coming to the door holding the hands of these two itty bitty girls dressed to the nines. I remember that they were amazed by all the Halloween decorations my parents had up in the house and especially liked/were terrified of the animated zombie that laughed.

They were on their best behavior because I was a stranger - I would see the true little girls as Chad and I began dating, getting engaged, and eventually getting married. They were sometimes so cute it was ridiculous and sometimes so aggravating that I wanted to scream.

I remember when C was learning to read and write - now she reads constantly and has a beautiful cursive script. I remember taking her to the lake house for the first time and letting her intertube and how much she loved it. I remember the day I became her step-mother and how grown up she looked as my junior bridesmaid.

Even though C is a great kid, it hasn't been easy learning to step-parent - not because of her, but because it's just freakin' HARD (as any step-parent who is honest will tell you)! There are times that the two of us don't get along. And then there are times, like today, when the world stops for a minute and I realize just how precious she is and how fast she's growing up. She sat with me when the 4th grade had their Powerpoint presentation of pictures of the year set to music - one song in particular was "My Wish" - a song that I normally find cheesier than cheesy, but today it brought tears to my eyes. Time goes by so quickly and kids grow up so fast. One minute they are tiny 6 year olds holding your hand at church. The next, they are 10 and going to intermediate school in the fall.

I'm very very proud of C and all of her accomplishments this year. She is well-liked by all her classmates and teachers. She's smart, indepenent, and can be quite sassy when she has the mind to be. She's also sweet as pie. And cute as a button!

Miles to Go

After my fun lunch with Chelle yesterday, I got an email from her, letting me know the EXACT day that sign ups for the half marathon on Kiawah Island would take place. For your information, it is August 1, and, according to Chelle, Chad and I will be joining the group this year.

Because we're Crossfitters now, and all.

A half marathon seems like a GREAT idea in theory...pushing yourself to the limit, crossing the finish line, getting a free t-shirt. All well and good. So I was feeling okay about the fact that I had many months to train and get myself into tip top shape before gracing the half marathon with my newly athletic self.

Cut to 6:45 pm last night...we arrive at Crossfit and look at the work out of the day (WOD):

Run 1 mile
Row 2000 m (about 1.25 miles)
Run 1 mile
For time

In case your math is struggling, that's 3 miles total. And my stomach dropped. Because the truth was about to come out: I hate running and I've never run one mile in my life. Not even in elementary school when you have all that bottled up energy plus the bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch in the morning. I just could not do it. And I would always come in last place.

I have made several attempts recently to become a runner. I love the idea of running. I love the benefits that running gives. But the actual act of running? Not so much.

I was negative throughout my warm up last night and kept saying "can't" - which is something that is pretty blasphemous at Crossfit. Chad got kind of ticked off at me - him being a former Marine and all - because "can't" was not part of his vocabulary. And I really have made progress since starting Crossfit.

Long story short, I did the first mile - running/walking. More walking, to be honest. I did the 2000 m row. And then I stopped because the trainer said I could. I did those two things in 28 minutes and I was so embarassed because I knew deep down that my body could keep going, but I let "can't" get in the way.

My sweet husband finished the two miles and the row in less than 30 minutes. I was so proud of him. He's such a trooper and such an athlete. I can't wait to see how much he progresses. He will excel because that's just how he is.

So there are 13 miles looming months away in December. But there is a Mile Road in my face right now. One goal at a time, one mile at a time. I'm done saying I can't.

Friend Lunch

Usually, I spend my lunches running errands or just trying to chill out and make it through the rest of the work day. I am, afterall, a working girl, and time is of the essence since there is never enough hours to get everything done. Lunches with friends are rare and far between.

Today was an exception, thanks to an invite from my friend, Chelle. We got to spend some quality time together, laughing and gossiping (what girls do) over large salads as I salivated over Chelle's cream of broccoli soup...which I can't have right now. :( Conversation made up for what my plate could not fill and I left the restaurant feeling happier than I normally do and better prepared to take on the rest of my day.

Today's lunch was just another example of how important friends are. Unfortunately, I think that sometimes relationships with your friends can take a third row seat after you either get into a serious relationship or get married. Yes, marriage should be priority number one. It is our priority number one - putting each other first (well, behind God of course, but you get the jist). But friends are not too far behind because guess what? Life happens. Things fall apart, people fall apart, lives fall apart. And having a nourished friendship that you know is strong and true is sometimes the only thing that is left in the rubble.

My friendships have changed over the years. Some have been snuffed out, some have been rekindled, some are in the process of growing and maturing. It is a beautiful thing, these people we call our friends. They have seen us at our worst, laughed us off the ledge, and been by our side during the best of times. They are mandatory.

We love our friends!

Happy Hour

A couple of weeks ago, Chad and I were invited to join some friends for dinner. Our hostess with the mostess, Sam, is an incredible cook (like gourmet) and she always has something tasty up her sleeve - this night was no exception. In between chips with fresh guacamole dip (this was pre-Paleo diet), we drank the most incredible adult lemonade known to man. And it had GIN in it.

Okay, I hate gin and have since I tried to be really cool as a freshman at College of Charleston and drink a gin martini made by a cougar who lived in the apartment adjacent to some friends who lived in a converted mansion on Meeting. Little did I know I would be consuming a Christmas tree in a pretty glass. Needless to say, that drink went over the portico railing ASAP. I haven't touched gin since.

But this gin lemonade...oh my word. And, because she's Sam, she even had fresh lemon slices floating in the pitcher. I fell head over heels and haven't stopped thinking about this drink since. So she gave me the recipe today and I plan on making a big 'ole batch of it to enjoy over the Memorial Day weekend as I lounge on the boat. I doubt my batch will be as fantastic as hers, but I'm going to give it a try.

It will be a happy hour(s) indeed. :)

Family

This weekend was a busy one and I may not have survived had I not had Friday off work. I napped on and off all day...something that I LOVE doing, especially if the weather is dreary, which it was. I caught up on my reading (finished Cataloochee by Wayne Caldwell - it's a good one), got a spray tan, and basically hung out with my husband in between snatches of sleep.

Saturday was a Crossfit class at 8am and then to pick up Chad's daughter, C, who is 10 and who visits us every other weekend. After a stop by my SIL's house to see my brand new nephew, B, we went home to get ready for my cousin's wedding in Townville, SC.

I do love weddings and, since it was a family wedding, I got to see my cousins who I don't get to see very often. It was good to catch up with them and all be together as a family. The sun was shining and it was hot and after the wedding, we headed down to the Lake Hartwell house to see how kind or unkind winter had been to our family's lake home this past year. Good news - the squirrels, who evidently live in the attic, did not ransack the place (completely), there was nothing scary to be found inside, and the water levels are up after years of drought, so it will be a fantastic summer on the lake! Starting this coming weekend, in fact, with Memorial Day and the beginning of Summer 2010.

We came home and rented a movie for C on Saturday night and ate McDonald's (so bad, yeah I know, but she's 10 and that's what she wanted - who are we to argue?) and I was in bed with my latest 'nook purchase (Back to Wando Passo) by 10. Perfection.

Sunday was spent with Chad's side of the family at my SIL & BIL's house, playing with baby B and letting C and her cousin, T, play together all day. Chad and I stopped by a local produce stand on the way home and got our first bunch of peaches, the first of the season.

And I got my first taste of summer last night when I bit into that peach. And it was good. It just doesn't feel like summer until the first peaches have been eaten and you've gotten all sticky from it.

All is right with the world.

Today

It's a Thursday and the only true redeeming factor of my day was getting to eat lunch with Chad and knowing that today is my last day of the work week - tomorrow is AN OFF DAY!

My body hurts from Crossfit last night, as does my husband's - those wall balls and box jumps will kick your butt! We have been able to join a local Crossfit affiliate, thanks to a certain benefactor who will remain nameless, and both of us are looking forward to reaping the benefits of hard work. We fell into the whole, "get married, get fat" stereotype and are paying for it by being overweight and generally disgusted with ourselves. Both of us feel that the answer lies at Crossfit and somewhere between the sweating and soreness, we are on our way to getting back to the skinny people we really are.

So who are we you are probably asking yourself if you are reading this and not one of our parents...well, we are a pretty normal and boring couple, to be honest, but from time to time, we may have funny stories to tell. Hope you'll come back to hear them.