Crown of Favor

I don't often speak of my views on religion, because, honestly, I'm not sure what they are. I know I believe in God, and I pray every night when I fall asleep. I usually ask for strength in regards to whatever troubles I have, pray for my friends and family whose troubles out number mine, and always thank Him for the wonderful things, blessings, in my life.

My mother was raised in the strict Catholic family, which to some extenct, back fired on here. My father's background is Christian based, but really, that's about all I know. I was left somewhere in the middle.

I haven't attended a church service or mass in years, minus weddings and funerals. Usually, when I see someone preaching on television, I become annoyed. There's been one televangilist whom particulary irritates me. I have been so turned off by his appearance and mannerisims, I would always scoff and change the channel.

Not long ago, I turned on the TV and walked away, listening to the backgrounds. The minister, Joel Osteen, carried on. I don't know if it's coincidence I'm up early on Sunday mornings, or if I've started doing it on purpose, but I've started to catch many of his sermons.

Today, the message is on daring to call yourself what you are, before it happens. Osteen is discussing how a person needs to act like the person they want to be, even if they haven't achieved it yet. There's much talk of a Crown of Favor. Something that God has given all of us. We're already in His favor, we don't need to sit around waiting for favor to fall upon us.

And why should we?

If I want to be succesful in a career, I have to tell myself *I AM* successful. Not I will be. Afterall, what's the difference in the am and will? Only the space in your mind.  Osteen discusses those with addictions- some day, wishing, hoping, praying to be free. Instead, these people need to say to themselves, I AM free of my addicition. I have overcome.

Even if they haven't.

Even when it's a struggle. You're beat up, down trodden, and feeling low. You hope to have blessings in your life. You ask God for His favor. You think some day things will change. God has already made the change, He has presented you in His favor, now it's time for you to accept them. Claim the changes. Claim the blessings. Your name is already on it, come and get it.

It's the difference of One Day to I Am.

What Crown of Favor will you wear today? What can you do right now to make yourself in a better light? Instead of sitting around today telling myself "I'm going to be fit, I'm going to be beautiful, I'm going to be wealthy," I can tell myself that I AM all of these things.

It's the power of believing.

What can you believe? What can you be?

ELF Says It Best

Like so many of my brain dead moments, instead of coming up with my own material, I'm choosing to plagiarize.

"Shortly thereafter I broke down in tears. I know I need to just last it out a little bit longer and I know that I’M ALMOST THERE. But I’ve got to be honest with you. This is one of the hardest things I have ever done. And I’m not even at the hard part yet! I felt weak for crying but at the same time, it’s kind of like in Ironman training when you find yourself stopped in your long run, 30 minutes away from the end, crying because you’re hurting, because it’s hot, because you know, dammit, that there will be no more relief for another 30 minutes because there is still work to be done. You know you’re going to get back out there, finish up the last 30 minutes and suffer because that’s who you are. You don’t give up. And when you’re pregnant, giving up is not even a choice.






There is no DNF.






Like in training, you’ve got to let yourself hit rock bottom, bounce back and prove to yourself, ok I can do this. I can last it out a little longer, I can push a human out of me, I can take care of that human for life. And the scary thing is that if I can do all of that I know…I can do anything."

To read the full entry, click here for Liz's blog.


Heading to 38 week check up or whatever the feck week it is now.

Sprinkling labor dust to Schwartzie, who's due today. Read about her here.

For the Fun of It

I've started to check up on SlowTwitch.com again. I am living vicariously through those racing and training this season, plus it's always a great read when the Tour is in action.

Today, it got me to thinking about upcoming races, events, etc. I know I've talked about this previously, but, I decided I want to outline a post-preggo schedule.  This is in my head what *could* happen, but has no bearing on what may be in reality.

October 17, 2010 KC Half Marathon http://www.waddellandreedkansascitymarathon.org/
April 2, 2011 Rock The Parkway Half Marathon or 10k http://www.rocktheparkway.com/
April 22, 2011 NANBF Liberty Figure http://www.naturalbuildfitness.com/
April 31, 2011 ABA KC Championships: Figure and Bikini or Sports Model http://www.kcbodybuildingonline.com/html/kc_championships.html
May 22, 2011 Kansas City Triathlon Sprint http://kansascitytriathlon.com/
June 12, 2011 Kansas 70.3 Relay http://ironmankansas.com/ (Right, Melissa???)
July 30, 2011 Win for KC Tri Sprint http://www.winforkctri.org/
September 10, 2011 OMC Women's Tri Sprint http://jcprd.com/special_events/omc_triathlon.cfm
October 16, 2011 KC Half Marathon http://www.waddellandreedkansascitymarathon.org/

Crunch Time- 17 days to go

Right now I'm feeling a lot of pressure. Both internally and externally. There's two types of internal pressure: The mygutisgoingtoburstandababyisgoingtoshootoutorImightpoopeverywhere pressure, and the GottaGetItDone running laps in my head. Luckily, everything at home is well taken care of.  It always makes me think of the poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas when I start to mentally list off what's done.

'Twas the weeks before birthing, when all through the house
Not an animal was stirring, not even my gigantic dog;
The crib sheets were folded, the Halo Sacks washed,
In hopes that Lil' Dude soon would hurry the eff up and get here.

I know, I know. Poet I am not.

However, at work, I feel like I'm struggling to get a head. Budgets and revenue and all that mambojambo is fine. I have great staff that has helped to set up up for a terrific year. We're well ahead of the curve (and most of my peers, thank you very much, not that it's a competition or anything okay okay, everything's a competition) and things should be running smoothly whenever I leave (Now!? ugh, nope not yet). But I still have these little projects- Testing Recertifications and Parents Handbook for the association- that I have to accomplish. Technically this stuff isn't due until the end of August, but I'm definitely going to be unpregnant and sorta busy by then.

Side story: One of my water fitness instructors keeps telling me I'm going to be late. That's fine, but she says I'll be late like her. As in, she swears she was 6 to 8 weeks late with all three of her children. Grant it, she's a little older and kind of senile, but there's no effing way she went 8 weeks overdue. And she swears she knows when she got pregnant: She says the morning after she "did the nasty" (her term, not mine) she woke up throwing up and knew she was pregnant. Okay, so add bat shit crazy to the list of things she is... along with being the lady that stands naked between the double mirrors at the sink in the locker room shudder. This woman also attended BURNING MAN last year. She's 70 something.

Anyway, I'm scrambling to get these months long projects done, and do the day to day things things sometimes take days (I waited for a pool inspector for 6 hours yesterday. That was 6 hours I spent basically twiddling my thumbs instead of getting my normal duties done, which I now get to do today). Something's gotta give somewhere. I once heard the analogy that directors are professional plate spinner's, trying to see how many plates we can have going at once, and eventually, hope the one's that we drop aren't the big ones. I think that's the most accurate description of my job. Not that it's a bad thing, per se, but it makes life very entertaining to say the least.

 

If I can manage to keep the big plates from falling, we're doing okay. At least until I come back in October.

 

I keep telling husband that I wish Lil Dude would just come out.  But he had a valid point last night. "You should be enjoying the moments you have to yourself right now." I have much to learn, Obi Wan Kenobi, because that was so true. Luckily, he's giving me a lot of space to enjoy those moments- yesterday I came home, sat in the glider in the nursery and finished a little light reading (Actually it was pretty rough- Tina dropped off a copy of The Lovely Bones when she was down. It's amazing, but no easy summer read). Then he cooked a Delicious Bass aka Chicken Kabobs and spicy potatoes. After dinner, we set off separately with the dogs to try to encourage a little pelvic-engaging action. I had a woman in the neighborhood actually called out to me from her porch step that I should "Go home and sit down, before that baby falls out." Seriously, lady? I don't even know you.

 

That was the plan, though. Encourage Lil Dude to fall out.

 

Last night, before going to bed, husband asked "Are you going to go into labor tonight?" All I could say was I hope so. No such luck.

 

I did get up to pee five separate times though. I may be approaching a new record.

Yep.

Still pregnant.





Damnit.

Oh SlowTwitch

I love SlowTwitch.com. When I have a spare moment, I giggle at all the ridiculous, and seldom not-ridiculous, things the TriGeeks say.

I however, am completly inamoured with the idea of LANCE racing Kona. I'm not sure if he has said he WILL, or if he has, WHEN, but I love the thought of it.

Here's a couple links of the yammering that goes on on a daily basis.

Lance at Kona but how will he get there?
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=2886542;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=-1;guest=105664639&t=search_engine

Anything on The Women's
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?forum=7;

Why is there a Clydesdale/Athena Category?
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Why_is_there_a_Clydesdale/Athena_Category_P2879412/

If I Were an Oscar Meyer Weiner

* So, Texas gets it's very own full distance Ironman. First race is May 21, 2011. I'm not sure how I feel about all these IMs in the US. There's just so many. I loved it being more exclusive. However, it does provide a lot more options. And, should I ever get to do another IM, a spring one might be the only thing that really works for me. Considering how much I work, specifially in the spring and summer, I don't have the time to devote to training. Not to mention I will need LOTS of time with Lil Dude and Husband, plus household crap, I think spring might be the best option. So, maybe 2012? http://ironmantexas.com/





Off the top of your head, how many Ironman races will be held in the US in 2011? What about in North America? Answer will be at the bottom of the post.





* My dad's 52 birthday this year happens to fall on one of the coolest sporting events ever: Motocross des Nations. And guess where it is: Lakewood, Colorado! http://www.mxthundervalley.com/rev/?page_id=256 This event is usually held in some totally awesome European venue, and this year it's back in the 'States. I know he wants to go. I know husband wants to go. I actually kind of want to go, but not sure if Lil Dude would be into the 10 drive in a motorhome (I wonder if that thing even runs...) at 9 weeks old. I may have to just sent pops and Husband.





*Tomorrow Husband and I are taking our maternity pics. And, of course, I went in to get my nails done, and they were in such bad shape, nail lady said to soak off the acryllics, let them heal, and redo them in a couple weeks. Le Sigh, I really wanted pretty nails. I should take better care of my hands. Then there's this swollen pregnancy face thing. It just started about three days ago, but I have puffy jowels, and a swollen bridge of my nose. It doesnt help I have a honkin' zit right there, but seriously. And my feet and ankles have puffed considerably... but nothing like this lady:





I mean seriously. That's just fat feet, right?

* I have to pee.

* I'm just under 36 weeks now. So, I am giving Lil' Dude until about the 10th of July, and I'm running stairs and doing jumping jacks. He's gonna get an eviction notice soon. To help, I've started taking Evening Primrose Oil Capsules this week. Julie's doula recommended them, then they were on my list of things in birthing class to help induce or ease into labor. Here's something I found regarding the practice:

Evening Primrose Oil and Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
Neither will actually induce labor. While some lay midwives will argue that statement about the Evening Primrose, which is the reason it is not recommended until 36 weeks or "full term", almost all sources with experience agree that it does nothing that the body was not ready to do on its own. I will repeat this at the end of this section, to make sure you understand this, as there is a lot of confusion and misconception surrounding these two substances.
Evening primrose oil is an excellent source of prostaglandins, which we already determined readies your cervix for labor. It can be taken orally as soon as 34 weeks, and can be applied directly to the cervix at full term (36 weeks). The general recommendation is two 500mg capsules per day until week 38, at which time you increase to 3-4 per day. The entire capsule can be inserted vaginally (inserted just before bed, it will dissolve before the first time you wake to use the bathroom), or you can use the oil on your fingers for your perineal massage, then also rub on your cervix (assuming you can reach it). Applying directly to the cervix is optimal, but the beneficial ingredients are absorbed through the external skin or the stomach also.
Red raspberry leaf tea is a uterine tonic used by Native Americans for thousands of years. It tones your uterus by helping to "focus" your Braxton Hicks contractions. Think of its job as helping your uterus do more effective exercising while you are pregnant. It does not "cause" contractions and can be safely used throughout pregnancy. It is contraindicated for those having complications "just in case", however, by most doctors who do not understand its use. Many women safely use it from the moment they learn they are pregnant at six weeks until months after delivery. (It helps to tone the uterus after delivery as well, shrinking it back to size more quickly and reducing bleeding.)
Again, neither of these actually causes labor to start.

Just to clarify: I'm not sticking capsules up my hoo-ha. They are taken orally, thankyouverymuch. Still in search of: Red Raspberry Leaf Tea (Pregnancy Tea). Julie and Chrissy have both found the tea, so I'm going to get them to get me some. I went on an exploration that included Consentino's, Nature's Pantry, and Hy-Vee, all to giagantic fails.

* I may or may not have tried on my boob pump. Yes, it will suck something out. I didnt turn it up high enough to see if it would suck something out right now, but, I'm pretty sure it could. I also stuck the vaccum displayed at birthing class onto husbands arm and pumped. I think he might have a hickey the size of a peanut butter jar. I started laughing really hard because I couldnt figure out how in the hell to release the pressue. We are *that* couple in class.

Answer:

US Ironman events, including Kona: 9.
North American events: 11.