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At the start of 2015 I picked the word “peace” as my word for the year. In a post I wrote last January on peace, I said the following: “This year, I will be consciously focusing on peace and shalom in my life. Regardless of the suffering and the hard things in life, it doesn’t take away peace and shalom. The bigger story is that it is well (and luckily I have that tattooed on me so I see it every day). ”
Shalom. It’s such an interesting word, and I think that most people think of it as a greeting. Shalom is interesting in that it addresses peace- perfect peace, wholeness, completeness. It’s what we desire. As humans, we deeply long for Shalom in our life. I long for the time where I arrive at heaven and am fully complete, fully whole, fully healthy, and perfectly at peace.
With POTS (which I’ve now had for 11 years), I am reminded hourly of my humanness, at the lack of wholeness and wellness in my life. In all honestly, I don’t even remember what it feels like to wake up and feel healthy. I long for the day when my body will be restored and POTS will no longer be something that I deal with in my life.
Shalom. Suffering doesn’t take away our Shalom. Life is hard, it’s painful. We grieve, we suffer, we lose things that are deeply valuable to us. We get bad news. But in the midst of suffering, there is Shalom. I’ve worked hard this year to, no matter what is happening in my life, focus on Shalom.
Shalom has transformed my life. Shalom informs how I choose to think, how I choose to be. I choose to embrace shalom, even in the midst of suffering. I choose to hope in the shalom that is to come in my life.
When I got my first tattoo, someone told me that, with tattoos, we are choosing to put something on us permanently, choosing that we want to be known, in part, by that tattoo. It becomes a part of who we are. I absolutely loved that idea.
Shalom is the truth that I hold to, so I decided to choose to make it permanently part of who I am:
Shalom Tattoo
That’s right! Over the Thanksgiving break I got my second tattoo. This one is on my left side on my ribs (this is an awkward place for me to take a picture of on my own, which is why it looks like there’s a slight slant to the tattoo- there’s not in person, but I have to hold the phone funny and twist a bit to get a picture of my side!). My other tattoo I see multiple times a day (which I LOVE!), so it’s weird to have a tattoo that almost no one has actually seen. I wish I could see it as often as I see my first tattoo, but I love that it is there, in the back round of my life. Shalom is now permanently part of who I am. I’ll carry the word until I die.
Happy first Nail Polish Of The Week post in December! A few days after Thanksgiving I got a gel manicure, so I’ve been enjoying OPI’s big apple red the last few weeks. I got gel polish glitter on one nail, so it’s made it fun and cherry for the Christmas season!
Pretty, right? It just looks like Christmas!
Here are a few random facts from the past few weeks:
I really love matching with other people, but I also really love wearing the same outfits on the same days each year, and for the last three years, I have worn the outfit below on the same day! It’s a little sad how much happiness it brings me 🙂
The Christmas season feels like york peppermint patties to me (although I’ll eat them at any time of the year!). What’s your favorite “this feels like Christmas” candy?
My parents got me Hanukkah socks last year, so I pulled them out to wear last week as I celebrated Hanukkah!
I love the evergreen on my fireplace mantle, and leave the white lights on as I read in the evenings. It’s SO very cozy!
That’s a little tree to the left of my TV
Final fact: I’ve been keeping a little secret from you all, and I plan to hold out a little bit longer! Post about the following picture will be up on my blog on Monday!
caught mid blink, but that’s not the point of this picture 🙂
Now it’s your turn to share! What’s one random fact from your week? Do you love wearing seasonal socks?
I’ve read so many fantastic books in 2015 (I’m nearing 80 for the year), so I thought I’d sort through them for you and share The Top 10 Books I Read in 2015. Obviously there’s still a bit of time left in 2015, so I suppose I could read a new favorite, but at least for now, here’s my “top 10 in 2015” list:
1.Big Little Lies- This book was such a pleasant surprise for me, and was the first Liane Moriarty book that I read (I’ve read five in total now). I really loved this book, and it kept me on my toes the entire time! I wrote an entire blog post about it here.
2. What Alice Forgot- This was the 2nd book by Liane Moriarty that I read, and I really loved this book as well! This book is about a woman who hits her head while biking and loses 10 years of memories. It’s interesting to read about her navigating life after the accident. I posted my review of What Alice Forgot here.
3. Eleanor and Park- I haven’t written a review of this book yet, but I loved it and gave it a 4.5 on Goodreads. On Goodreads I wrote the following: ” I really enjoyed this book! It was a sweet story that captured my attention from the start!”. This precious story about two highschoolers sucked me in immediately, and I felt invested in the story. It was a quick read, but I’d absolutely encourage you to read it!
4. All Fall Down– I REALLY enjoyed this story of prescription drug use/abuse, and wrote a post reviewing the book here.
5. The Rosie Project/Rosie Effect– I really enjoyed both of these books, and would definitely encourage anyone to read them! I know it’s sort of cheating to put them as one book, but the second one is a continuation of the first, so I decided to clump them together. I wrote a post reviewing The Rosie Project here, and have a post on The Rosie Effect written here!
6. On My Own Two Feet– This is the autobiography by Amy Purdy, a Paralympian and double leg amputee, and shares her journey from losing her legs to the Paralympics in Sochi and competing on Dancing With The Stars. The story is inspiring and shares deep resiliency and passion that keeps Amy pushing forward in some very dark times. I wrote a post reviewing the book here.
7. Columbine- This book shared a perspective of the Columbine shooting that I really enjoyed. The author, a journalist who covered the events, shared the history of the shooters growing up, and talked a lot about their plans/how the shooting played out. He shared about how their families reacted and what their grieving process was like. He talked about how survivors escaped to safety, and the emotional and physical toll that the day took. It was really interesting, but really heavy to read as well.
8. Me Before You– This was the first book I’ve read by Jojo Moyes, and I have to say that I really loved it! I actually read this book because I had seen it on someone else’s blog and immediately added it to my “to-read” shelf on Good Reads. This book had me laughing and crying throughout it, and you can read my review of Me Before You here. 
9. A Life Without Limits– This autobiography, by Chrissie Wellington, is about her journey from undergrad student to Ironman (I won’t spoil it by saying how many times) and World Triathlon Champion. This book was inspiring, and I wrote a post about it here. I love books that motivate me to push and find more inner strength and outward drive.
10. Still Alice- I absolutely loved this book and posted a review of Still Alice here! It was fascinating from the start, and offered a great perspective on the experiences surrounding early onset Alzheimers, both from the person who received the diagnosis, as well as their friends and family. There was one specific moment in the book that moved me so deeply that I found myself in tears. As a side note, I absolutely love that this author has written several stories on different illnesses. I read Inside the O’Briens this summer as well and absolutely loved it (that book was about Huntington’s Disease). 
There are so many great books that I read this year, and it was hard to write my Top 10 Books list because of this. If you’re looking for more book suggestions, check out my book reviews page!
Now it’s your turn to share! Tell me your favorite few books that you read in 2015!
Disclaimer: I received a free bib for the Santa Hustle Race in exchange for a review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!
Truth be told, I’ve wanted to run the Santa Hustle the last few years, but for various reasons it’s never worked out. When the opportunity to run the race with Bibrave came up earlier this fall, I jumped on the opportunity, and I’m so glad that I did!
They had an option for packet pickup the morning of the race, which I was really excited about, as I didn’t want to drive into the city twice if I didn’t have to. Packet pick-up started at 7:30 am, so I aimed to get there right at 7:30 so I wouldn’t have to fight others for parking spots. While I definitely don’t think I needed to arrive quite so early, I’m glad that I did, as I didn’t have to wait in line at all. I parked right across the street from Lucas Oil Stadium (where packet pick up and the start/finish line was), and parking was only $5 (they increased it to $10 right after I got there so it’s a good thing I arrived when I did!). I had no trouble picking up my packet and bag with race shirt, hat, and santa beard in it!
Something incredibly unusual this year is the temperature- race morning was 60 degrees and HUMID! I was hoping when I signed up for the race that I would get the whole “dress up in themed clothing” experience, but I decided it was way too hot to try that (and I was glad I did- I was too hot in my tank top, and I watched other runners sweating and carrying hats and long sleeved shirts before the 1st mile). I’m definitely holding onto the hat and beard though because I doubt next December will be so warm!
While waiting for the Santa Hustle to start, I took a minute to take some pictures of the reindeer they had at the finish line. How cute are they?! It’s so fun the race does so much to add so much Christmas cheer 🙂 Then I got the chance to meet up with Heather (also a BibRave Pro) who I’ve known since sometime in 2014; it was great to be able to meet her in person!
The half marathon started a half hour before the 5k, so I warmed up and got in the corral (not assigned, but they had pace signs up, which helped people to start in a way that was organized (I loved that! It’s frustrating when walkers start in the front and block the path, so the organized start felt good to me). While I waited in the corrals they were playing Christmas music, and there was a sea of white and red which was really fun! Right on time, we were off!
The course was marked really well, which felt nice! Around mile 0.8 there was a cookie station, and since I was running for fun and not time, I took a cookie and enjoyed eating it while running! There was a water station right around the half way point on the course, and about a quarter mile from the finish they were handing out cups of mini m&m’s- how fun! The volunteers were so friendly, and dressed in Santa gear as well!
The race went by quickly. It was partly an out and back, so it was entertaining to see the different outfits on people running past in the other direction. In the summer I adjust a bit more to running in humidity, but it hasn’t been really hot and humid on a run in quite awhile, so I’m not used to it anymore. Most of the 3.1 I ran I kept thinking “It’s so hard to breathe!”. Honestly, besides enjoying the costumes and thinking about how well done the race was, I thought about how hot I felt and how difficult it was to breathe- that part wasn’t so fun!
I cam into the finish in 35:17, and enjoyed another cookie and a banana at the finish line before snapping another picture.
This race was SO fun, and I would absolutely run it again! It was incredibly well organized, and the race organization provides some great gear to make it a fun themed race. As you plan out your race calendar for the following year, I would absolutely suggest the Santa Hustle as a fun Christmas race to end the year!
Now it’s your turn to share! Are you running a fun Christmas themed race this year (or have you already run one)?
I’ve been a little more quiet around here than normal lately, so I thought I’d pop on and share a little bit “behind the scenes”.
It’s the end of the semester, and like I mentioned back in September, I’m a professor this semester on top of my normal full time job (and an additional “extra” job as well).
I have a lot to do.
I spent about 5-6 hours a day grading research papers over Thanksgiving break (I even graded Thanksgiving Day afternoon, stopping at 5 pm to enjoy the rest of the day with my family. I did run the Gobble Wobble and have a late breakfast with them as well, and my brothers hung around the kitchen most of the day as well so they could still spend time with me as I worked).
Grading at the kitchen table I did homework at growing up
I’ve tried to balance in the “busy” of life with the lifestyle I want as well. Earlier this week I was grading research papers while sitting on my bike getting my heart rate up. It felt like a good compromise in the middle of my week!
This past Saturday I woke up early and graded quizzes before heading out on a short run. I came back and planked, showered, and then sat next to Melissa talking and watching TV as I graded more research papers. We took a quick break for lunch and Starbucks, and then it was back for another afternoon of grading.
Teaching has been really fun, but I’m also ready for the upcoming break! So, as I wrap up a busy semester, I will pop in on my blog from time to time. In the meantime, I’m updating instagram, so you can find me on there!
One bonus : I was gifted a Snuggie! hahaha.
It really is SO convenient to be able to grade and be under a blanket at the same time 🙂 Judge me if you must…
I enjoy writing my year in running posts, as they allow me to think through the year in specific ways. I’ve done my year in running posts in 2012, 2013, and 2014, so it’s a tradition now! So, without delay, here’s my 2015 in Running:
1. Best Race Experience: This isn’t even a question in my mind- hands down my best race experience this year was Rock’n’Roll St. Louis! Not only did I get to run it with a friend I’ve had since I was 7, but I got to run in a new place. I don’t train on hills, so I was nervous about this course, and I couldn’t be more proud about how I ran a race. I felt strong throughout the 13 miles!
Runner Up: Four on the Fourth. I ended up running this race in the middle of an 8 mile training run, and I ran the actual race with my cousins, which was a lot of fun!
2. Best Run: You Know I Love Those 7 Milers! Every year I’ve typed my year in running recaps, a 7 miler makes it onto my best run list. It’s the most ideal distance for my body! My runner up “best run” is The One With The Run In Central Park, not because it was particularly notable, but because it was so much fun!
3. Best new piece of gear: One of the best new pieces of gear I got this year was my pink and orange mesh shirt that I wore most of the summer! It breathes so well and it feels very similar to not wearing a shirt, but I do have some coverage as well!
My UV half buff (I got it for free through BibRave to review, and I truly loved it!) is also one of my favorite pieces of gear this year!
4. Best piece of running advice receive: Run in the moment. This is similar to the advice I posted last year (“run the mile that you’re in”), but I think it’s one of the things I struggle most with in my running life. I’m concerned about getting injured, and it’s easy to focus on that each moment instead of enjoying the fact that I’m feeling good.
5. Most Inspirational Runners. I really don’t have anything to say in this area that I didn’t say last year, so I’ve copied and pasted what I wrote in my year in running post last year: “I’m going to have to say Shalane Flanagan! I got to meet her this past summer at Rock n’Roll Chicago, and I totally fan girl-ed. I love her attitude and her drive in improving herself and getting the community involved in running. I’m also truly inspired by the runners I’ve met online, whether that’s through blogging, or chats like #runchat and #bibchat. I’m really inspired by each of you!”
6. If you could sum up your running year in a couple of words, what would they be? Different, a little nerve-wracking (waiting for an injury to flare up), endurance.
7. Favorite song(s) to run to: I can’t remember any song that I’ve actually run to this year (I may have listened to music at some point, but nothing that was notable). I primarily listen to podcasts while running, and if I run with someone, I typically don’t listen to music at all.
8. Favorite running quote from the year: This is the same quote that I posted last year, but when something is working, why change it? I posted the following quote on my blog the day before Monumental, and I think it speaks such truth: “We cannot control the competition. We cannot control the weather. We cannot control the struggles that will undoubtedly arise during the run. All we can control is ourselves. Standing at the starting line, I make the simple commitment to myself that today I will try my hardest. No matter what happens during the race, I will give it everything I’ve got and won’t give up without my strongest fight.” (Dean Karnazes)
9. Most exciting running moment of 2015? I honestly think that Rock’n’Roll St. Louis was the most exciting two and a half hours of running that I’ve had in 2015. Everything seemed to come together well that day, and it just felt like my day to run. I felt strong on the hills and feel confident that, if I had been running that day on a flat course, I would’ve set a PR.
My year in running in 2015 felt very different than 2014. In 2014 I was focused almost every workout on getting a new PR, and I did most of my runs with Melissa. In 2015 I did most of my runs on my own, and it’s the first year since I started running that I haven’t set a PR, which feels a little sad. I did run the fastest 5k I’ve run in the last 2 years, I set a course PR during the Indy Mini (it was the fastest time I’ve run that course, and I’ve run the course three times), and I know that I wouldn’t have been able to run as fast as I did during the RnR St. Louis Half if I had run it in previous years. I KNOW that I am stronger than I was before.
Now it’s your turn to share! What was your best running moment in 2015?
Since the end of June I’ve read two books by Jodi Picoult, so when I saw her book Leaving Time at the library in audiobook form, I immediately snatched it up!
Leaving Time tells the story of Jenna Metcalf, a teenager who is on a quest to find out more about the disappearance of her mother when she was a young child. She joins with two individuals, a local detective and a psychic, to help her on her quest. Her parents both had worked on research projects with elephants, and Jenna had grown up with her parents working at an elephant sanctuary in the north east. In true Picoult fashion, twists and turns exist throughout the story.
The author also shares quite a bit about elephants, their emotional states, their interactions and relationships, and other sorts of patterns throughout the book, which was fairly interesting.
A few quotes from the book:
“You can’t blame someone if they honestly don’t understand that their reality isn’t the same as yours.”
“I had not asked to be rescued, true, but that did not mean I didn’t need saving.”
“Just because you leave someone doesn’t mean you ever let them go.”
So what are my personal thoughts on the book? I REALLY really wanted to like Leaving Time, but I just didn’t. I enjoyed the two stories playing out between the past and the present, and think the author did a good job of weaving the two together. However, the book seemed to drag on and on (the audiobook, which I listened to) was 15 hours long, and I think the author could have easily cut 4-5 hours from the story. It felt like a lot of unnecessary facts were included. That being said, I also don’t feel like it was a waste of time to listen to it either. I gave it a 3 out of 5 on goodreads.
For more book reviews and suggestions, check out my book reviews page.
One of the traditions I dearly love on Thanksgiving is starting my day with a run. Over the years I’ve had this blog I’ve talked a lot about how thankful I am to be able to run, so it seems altogether fitting that I would start the day of thanks with a race! My parents ran the race too (I didn’t run with them), and I ran the race with my friend Jill (I ran the rock’n’roll St. Louis half marathon last month with her!) and her younger sister.
The weather in the morning wasn’t ideal- it was in the mid-30’s and spitting rain (not too hard, but enough that I knew I’d get wet), and my parents thought about backing out. I’m glad they didn’t! The race started at a church, and the doors were open and we were able to go in to stay warm and wait! When I first ran this race a few years ago, it was far smaller than it was this year- there were almost 500 people registered! Registration was also only $7 (including a bib, chip timing, and coffee and Panera bagels afterwards!), and I loved to see so many people starting their day out on such a great foot!
The race started at 9 am, so we headed out just a few minutes before and lined up at the starting line, and then we were off. Unfortunately it started to rain a bit harder as the race started, but as I started running I warmed up quickly, and the rain didn’t bother me much! I wore my half buff from Buff USA, and enjoyed having something to help catch some of the rain and keep it out of my eyes.
For those of you who read my race recaps or running posts, you know that I traditionally run a 3:1 run:walk pattern to help keep my heart rate down. As we were running slower due to the crowds on the trail, I decided to forgo that and stick with my friends and enjoy the race. I don’t think I’ve run an entire race straight through since 2011 when I started running, so that definitely felt a bit strange. Sometimes we’d have to walk for 10-15 seconds due to the crowds, and I really enjoyed those moments to take a deep breath, but I really did run the entire 5k, which was fun. It felt great as well!
The course itself was fun. We started off in the parking lot, looped down a street for a bit (it was marked off and people were out directing us), and then hit a paved trail (I’ve biked there in the summer before but have never run there, so that was fun as well), before heading back to the church.
Sometimes I feel like courses such as this are short (3.0 or less) but this one was actually a tiny bit long which I preferred. They had an announcer at the finish line, and a place to take pictures outside as well:
We quickly took a picture before heading inside to warm up. They had tables with hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and trader joes chai mix, along with panera bagels. They were absolutely delicious, and such a fun way to end a race on a holiday!
We also took pictures with the turkey inside:
This was a race I absolutely didn’t run for time. My goal was to go out and have a great time with my friends and spend some time thinking about everything I was thankful for, and I absolutely accomplished that goal!
This race was incredibly well organized, there’s no way you can beat that price (especially for everything you get with the entry fee), and the course was great as well. When it comes to it, however, I just have to say… I am so thankful that I can run. I don’t take it for granted, and each run, no matter how difficult, has a sweetness to it because it’s something I never thought I could do. I’m thankful for what running has given to me and taught me. And I’m also thankful that I have friends and family members who will run with me as well! 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving!! On this day of thanks, I have an excellent giveaway for you! First, though, I want to talk a bit about beating the stress of the holidays.
Holidays are often incredibly fun, but can come with quite a bit of stress. My job as a counselor means I talk about this stress from mid-November through Christmas. Holidays can feel insulting to pain and grief. Family issues are magnified. Our to-do list grows to near impossible levels, and it’s easy to snap at those we care about because of that.
As a counselor, there are so many ways to address the things above, but one of the things that I like to use when stress exists, whether in my office or for myself, is music!
Music helps to beat some of the effects of depression and can help lift our mood. Music can ground us, reminding us of what’s important in our lives. Music helps us deal with the stress and anxieties that come in our lives… and it does so many other things as well! With all the positive effects that music has, I especially like to use it during holidays or difficult, painful times in life.
Do you get overwhelmed by the grocery shopping that comes with holidays (and the massive crowds along with it!)? I do, so to help deal with that, I throw on Plantronics wireless headphones, enter my own little world, and try to enjoy the process as much as possible.
Enjoying my plantronics headphones this summer while getting chores done
Are you annoyed with your family members fighting over one of their favorite hot topic issues? Walk into the kitchen, throw on some music (or pop in some headphones), and let music lift your spirits as you wash the dishes. The great thing about wireless headphones is that you can leave your phone on the counter and walk around without having to be attached to it!
Last year I used music to help with some difficult changes and particular losses I experienced during the holiday season, and in this link I share one of the songs that has been grounding to me. Music can be deeply impactful to our grief and pain, and these headphones have certainly been a coping skill in this area for me!
Would you like to beat your own stress this season with music? I’m giving away one pair of Plantronics BackBeat Fit Wireless Headphones thanks to BibRave’s Partnership with Plantronics! You might remember that I reviewed my own pair of plantronics headphones back in August, so if you want to read more about them first, you can find my review here. To beat the holiday stress and win your own Plantronics headphones, enter the giveaway below:
Here are the details:
- Participants have until Sunday, Nov. 11/29 at noon EST to enter
- Winners will be announced by blogger on 11/30
- US participants only
Good luck to each of you, and again, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
This past weekend, I was in my bathroom and looked over at my nail polish shelf. In that moment, I thought “If I could only have 5 nail polishes for the rest of my life, which ones would I choose?”. I immediately sat down on the floor next to my shelf and began to ponder. I fairly quickly came up with the first four, but continue to debate the fifth position. That being said, I thought I’d share my top 5 nail polish colors that I own (all of which I’ve shared at some point on my “Nail polish Of The Week (NOTW)” posts.
Essie’s Smokin’ Hot.
No picture does this color justice, but it’s gorgeous! It’s a deep, smoky gray, and is ideal from late fall until early spring (but if you’re not into doing things seasonally like I am, than it is ideal year round!).
Essie’s Fiji
This light pink color is fantastic, beautiful, and delicate, is works for all sorts of occasions, whether you’re out to have a good time or at a fancier party or wedding.
Essie’s Midnight Cami
This shimmery navy blue is absolutely gorgeous, and I was obsessed this past January, wearing it three weeks in a row (I don’t do that with polish unless it is gel, so the fact that I did that speaks volumes on my love for this color). The only hesitation I had in putting this color in my top 5 was wondering if I could get away with wearing this color the rest of my life 🙂
OPI’s Lincoln Park After Dark
GORGEOUS. This deep maroon looks dark purple or black depending on the light, and I absolutely love it! I purchased this color a few years ago, and it has been a top favorite since that time. Again, this is a winter color for me.
Essie’s Peach Daiquiri
First of all, I want to start off by saying that I absolutely love this color (I even wore it to Mexico this past spring!), and I think it is an ideal color for the spring and summer months. I ended up deciding on this polish for my fifth color because I thought it would be an appropriate color throughout my lifespan. Even if I didn’t want to wear navy or gray or blue, this color would serve me well throughout the years.
Runner Up Colors
Essie’s Mint Candy Apple
I absolutely adore this color, and it would feel really sad for me to never be able to wear it again. The reason I didn’t end up choosing this is because I thought it might be a bit more of a trendy color that might go very out of style at some point.
Essie’s Jamaica Me Crazy
I also love this color deeply, and considered switching this one with midnight cami, since they are a similar tone and they both have the same shimmer to it.
So there you go- my top 5 polishes and my 2 runner up polishes. You’ll notice I didn’t include any glitter, which was definitely sad, but I couldn’t give up a color spot for some extra shine 🙁 I’m definitely glad that I don’t have to choose just five colors, as nail polish is such a fun little thing that brings a smile to my face on a daily basis:)
Now it’s your turn to share! If you could only choose a handful of nail polish colors, which one(s) would you choose?
