Running

About 2 years ago I was ready to get the baby weight off from Pax and Avree's pregnancies. A few of my friends were starting "couch to 5k" so I decided to start on December 1, 2010.... I think I did maybe one or two weeks of it and quit, frustrated!

I had a friend who I knew ran all the time and I knew she actually did races, which I wasn't really interested in. I asked her if she ever thought about coaching and she said she was actually taking a course to get her coaching license in January. So in January 2011 she gave my first schedule. Remembering that makes me laugh because the schedule I had then is NOTHING like the schedule I have now! When I started I just wanted to get to a 5k, that was my goal. On March 12, 2011 I ran my very first 5k with my coach Lesley, Emily, Caleb and my friend's daughter Macey... well, Macey blew us all out of the water so I can't really say she ran "with" us. LOL!!

After that of course I wanted MORE!!!! So I started training for a 10k. On May 1, 2011 I ran my very first 10k with my good friends Heather and Jennifer.

On September 25, 2011 I ran my very first Half Marathon. Crazy since I figured 5k would be the most I would ever do!!! I was going to run a Full Marathon that December, but I think I got nervous and scared and was looking at all the hours of training I was going to need to put in and decided I needed more time. It was a big commitment and I had four kids whose needs came first. Being a mom always trumps anything else! So we decided that in April of 2012 I would run my very first Marathon. My friend Holly and I trained our long runs together every Monday. I can't lie and say training was awesome and was a breeze.... the company was great but training was MISERABLE!!!!!!!! But...... we did it!!! On April 15, 2012 I ran my VERY first FULL Marathon. Everyone always asks me how many miles is that exactly and I love the looks on thier faces when I say "26.2" Love the "you ran THAT many  miles, all in one day?" You bet I did! I will post that story later because it needs a post all by itself. That was one day in my life that I will never ever forget!

Since I started running I have ran 3 5k races, 3 10k races, 9 half marathons, and 1 marathon! By the end of 2012 I will have THREE Marathons under my belt!!!!!!! With running along with eating healthy I have lost most of the weight that I wanted to and have done very well at maintaining it! But my love for running is much deeper that losing weight and maintaining it. It's something I enjoy doing and don't see myself stopping anytime soon. My hope is that I inspire my kids and others to go after the things they want in life. Before running, I was just a mom and a wife. I didn't really have a hobby or anything. Now I do, this is me and this is what you get! I am a wife and mom first and foremost and then I'm me and I love to run!

Avree turns Six!!!

My baby girl turned six years old today! I can't believe what a big girl she is. We celebrated with friends and family in November at Build A Bear Workshop!! She got her ears pierced and we had dinner and Aunt Amy made her a cake!! She didn't cry at all getting her ears pierced. I was reluctant, but we talked about it for the last few months. I made it sound horrible and painful and she still wanted it done! And she loves them!!!

Update on Pax's Growth Hormone Issue

We took him a few weeks ago for a follow up and a "where do we go from here" visit. He had grown almost 2 inches since May and gained 5lbs since May as well!!!!!! Praise the Lord for GROWTH!!! That is with NO THERAPY!!!! Doctor said well, his results CLEARLY show that he has a growth hormone deficancy but since he grew we are going to hold off on any treatments! This is a HUGE answer to prayers! I am so thankful! We have another follow up in May. Please keep him in your prayers that he grows some more!

2012/2013 School Year!

Going to TRY and keep up with my blog especially since I have the app on my phone. Should be easier right?! ha! I do have 4 kids! lol!

This year we have a 6th (omg! EEK) grader, 3rd Grader, and Kindergartner! Can someone please tell me how and when they got so big. It is so NOT fair. They are growing way to fast and before your know it ALL of my babies will be in school.

So far Kalee of course doesn't like school. Gracee my little social bug loves it. And Avree loves it. Although she did come home two days ago saying she missed me and wanted to go back to her old school with her old teachers. LOL!! I love that most of the teachers at the school already know Avree from all my time up there with Kalee and Gracee. If and when we move schools I will be so sad.

Pax started his second year at MDO! And he loves it!!

MRI is NORMAL!!!

Don't think this post needs much more than the title!!! I am beyond blessed with all of our friends and family that we have that prayed for my sweet little man!!! I love it when God answers prayers!!! Thank you so very much for all your prayers and support. You don't know how much it means to us! I will post soon on where we go from here.

Paxton's MRI

Pax had his MRI yesterday 9/3/12. It was scheduled for 3:30pm so that meant he couldn't have anything to eat after midnight the night before. He could only have water and clear liquids because they were having to sedate him for the MRI. Yesterday was "Meet The Teacher" at the MDO that I teach at and he attends. I decided to leave him at home and let him sleep in if he would. He woke up soon after I left. I got home at about 11:30 and we left around 12:30pm. They wanted us to check in at 2pm. We decided to go to Walmart and let him pick out a toy and waste a little bit of time there. He got two trucks! We got the hospital on time and got him all checked in. They took him back at 3:42pm. Daddy got to be with him until he went to "sleep." It felt like an eternity waiting on them to come get us and tell us he was waiting on us in recovery! Finally at around 5:16pm we got to go see him and he was just waking up. He was very groggy and thirsty and hungry. He did very well most of the day and didn't cry for a drink or food until it was almost time to go in for the MRI. We should hopefully hear something by Friday and then figure out what the next step is. Thanks so much for all your prayers. They are definitely being felt.

Test Results

The doctor called us on Wednesday and thank goodness David just happened to be working at home that day. I put the doctor on the speaker phone as he explained everything to us.

Normal Range for the test would be 10 or above. The highest Pax scored was 5.9. Meaning he is not producing enough of the growth hormone and why he is so small.  The next step is to check his pituitary gland to see if there is any growth malformation or something wrong with that. So an MRI is scheduled for Tuesday, September 4th.

This news was very upsetting to us. It was a lot to take in, and I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it. Please pray for us and especially Paxton during this time.