On the brink.

We've been sitting here on the brink of this new adventure for what seems like an eternity, but in actuality has only been a few months. 
We are so close to diving in to our new CrossFit gym. 
It's exhausting, exhilarating, and daunting. 
It's a lot of moolah up front.  It's trusting that moolah will come back around on the other side.
It's me squelching a lot of "what ifs", "I don't knows" and "I can'ts".
It's a lot of talk, rehash, re-evaluate, talk, "CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE!", rest, discuss, decide...

My prayer is that people will see in Chad and I a pure desire to help others.  That this is not a trend.  That CrossFit is more then the latest fitness bandwagon. That improved fitness is possible with any subset of people.  I hope this reaches wide in our community.

There is no way I would have thought a few years back that this was in our future.  I've become quite accustomed to not trying to figure out our future.  Generally that means I try to keep super low expectations.  With this though, in the quiet places of my mind, they are high.
I hope we reach the heights.

Laundry

I would like to apologize beforehand. 

Scene: Me laying on the bed looking at my phone.
           Chad getting ready to work out.

Chad: "I think my abs are almost back to normal," as he raises his shirt to reveal his washboard abs.  "Can you massage them a little though?"
Me: "It's hard to massage stone, babe."
Chad: "Yeah. Anyone need some laundry done around here?"

This is my world. 

Genius

Scene: Coloring in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle coloring book with Caleb.  Caleb hands me a red and a yellow.
Me: Caleb, what color will these two make?
Caleb: Orange.
Me: Wow, Caleb.  That's right. You're smarter then some kindergarteners.
Caleb: I know.  It's cuz I'm a genius.

Well, there you have it.  We have a genius.

For the love of smart people

Some people have good ideas.  Some people have great ideas.  People like me like to use other people's ideas.
Hence, why I like Pinterest.  I am not an idea's person.  I'm good with someone else coming up with something genius and using it! 
So, the latest genius idea that came from someone else that I've come across is Pure Charity!
Oh my stinkin' goodness.  It's so smart, it hurts.  Lots of bloggers I read have jumped on this one and I wanted to spread the word too.  My blog reach is SUPER limited, but if all 4 of you tell a few people then SOMEONE will join, right??!!?
So go to Pure Charity, create an account, register your card or cards, download the online app and get to making some moolah for charity.  I was blown away by all the online retailers that are a part of this.  Big names. Walmart, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, Sephora, Best Buy, Gap.  ENDLESS!!!  You could literally spend every penny of every purchase for the rest of your life at one of the stores.  AND get $ to give to any of the projects listed! JACKPOT!
What's cool too is you can just put some money in your account whenever too.  So if you want to give $20 to a project, just go ahead.  No shopping required.
Genius, people, pure genius.  Now if I can just get ahold of someone there so I can figure out how to get the orphanage up as a project, I'll be comatose with excitement!
Go.  Do it.  Now. Or at least tell someone else to do it!

Awe

Do you ever look at your own life or maybe someone else's in awe?  
Maybe its because they seem to have it all together and it's hard to imagine them yelling at their kids, having a dirty house or a real care in the world and you're in awe that they keep it all together.

Maybe it's because they have succumbed to the stress life can produce and are wrapped up in alcohol, drugs or maybe seemingly more benign vices, like body image issues or food addictions and you're in awe because pain and stress can pull someone so far from themselves.

Maybe it's because they are thrown nearly every imaginable trial and still get up every morning.  Smile and laugh occasionally. And live on in the face of heartbreaking pain.

Anymore, I am rarely in awe of the first example because I think it rarely holds true. 
I am sometimes in awe at how painful it is to watch someone self-destruct. Not in a self-righteous way, but in a manner that makes me want to meet them in their pain somehow.

But I am never more in awe than when I see someone fight for sanity, for peace, for life, for health against all the odds.  I am in awe at people that want to make the trivial important when so many literally have to convince themselves that tomorrow is worth it.

I am in awe tonight.  Not of myself, but of another. She takes the pain because she has no choice. And she will be the first to tell you she'd gladly choose otherwise. She would happily pass on any one burden she carries.
She wouldn't agree, but it's beyond understanding how she handles her ever changing world, the emotions, the pain, the good and the bad. 
There are moments I have no words of comfort, no way to ease the burdens, no means to make it better, but I stand in awe as she chooses to take on the next day.  Believe me, it's awe-worthy.

Photo Dump!

Bruises from kettlebell snatches that I apparently don't do properly. 

Running with the post of a horseshoe game + falling on concrete=ER visit.

No stitches!  We had a very lengthy conversation prior to the doctor coming. in which I tried to convince him that if the Hulk hurt his hand, he would let the doctor fix it and thereby default, Caleb should let the doctor fix his hand, as well.  Caleb was unconvinced by this logic, as Hulk doesn't do anything he doesn't want and Caleb did not want stitches.
Guess we both won that one, right?

Lucky #7.  I love watching this boy play sports.  Kinda makes me giddy.

My current chalkboard.  Something I need to hear E.V.E.R.Y day.

Oh baby love.  Not a bad reason to go to Virginia for a few days, aye?

Beautiful beach girls!

Many, many hours spent along this coastline. Made me very nostalgic for the "early years" of our marriage. 

Halloween 2012-like no other. 

Batgirl, 80s rocker, ninja, "wacky boy"(I didn't really get it either), army guy (or navy special forces guy), red dragon, red ninja, and Venom without the mask.
A motley crew to say the least. 

Halloween, again? 

Nope.  Just another day in the life of Cory Luke.  He has been wearing this nearly every day for about a week now.  The glasses just put me over the edge :)

Ran an errand and left Cory to do some handwriting.  This was taped to the door upon my return. 1. Beautiful handwriting for the little guy. 2. He taped the pen with it so I could "star" the best ones.

Oh! Hello again.

Where does the time go?  I am telling you, it feels like my last post was just a few days ago, but it's been weeks. WEEKS!! 
I don't know how to catch up on weeks. 
Little things happened.  Big things happened. 
So here's a recap and hopefully I can be a little more on top of things in the coming weeks (we all know not to hold our breath on that one, right?)...
I came back from VA with a nasty cold.  It didn't settle in really bad for a few days, but it took me down a notch for several days and is still lingering slightly.  Totally manageable and totally worth the trip! 
Before I got too sick, Chad and I were able to compete with some of our friends in a CrossFit competition in Olathe.  It was wicked fun in a painful, sweaty way.

Natasha, Anna, me, Becky and Shelly

Go McPherson CrossFitters!

 

Snatchin'

Such good form



The guys goofing off.
Dan, Matt, Jeramy, Chad and Eric



 

We drove home late that night with 4 extra kiddos.  3 of our nephews and 1 niece came back home with us for a few days while their parents, Chad's brother and wife, finished up some packing/moving details.  Sadly for us they will be in Hawaii the next 3 years.  I keep dreaming we'll be able to visit them. 


In other news, we're a few steps closer to opening our own CrossFit gym.  I'm so excited for Chad to be able to spend his free time doing something he is so passionate about.  I will also be coaching and will get certified in the next few months.  I'm excited and nervous about that.  I have learned so much in the past few years about body mechanics, olympic lifting, training, and the list goes on.  I hope I am able to convey those things to others!  It's a daunting task and not one I thought I'd ever take on, but I'd love to pass on my knowledge (however limited, at this point) to anyone who wants to learn!

So I suppose that's the recap.  The day to day continues as usual with our little peeps.  Lots of practices and school.
Life marches on...