Joleyn Larson Photography & Design

so i’ve been training for something. for a while now. since january 11th, to be exact. and now i have 12 days, 18 hours, 17 minutes, and 15 seconds left before i run my first half marathon, in fargo. a friend invited me, nudged me, budged me, more than once…more than several times even,  to join her, to come run with her, to work out with her. i call her my little bee. buzzing me along towards my goal. i love her to the moon and back, and i mean it. i do. she has encouraged me, loved me, worked my butt off when i thought i couldn’t go another mile. she has cared for me like no other. i so love her and our friendship. the first mile i thought there is no way. no way, that  i could ever go another 12…but gradually my legs went further. further. and further still. last week, i ran my first 11 miles. i started out thinking i would go my first 10 ever, but then with my friend…my little bee…we went another mile. one more closer towards my goal of 13.2. i smiled so big, as i sat in my car. i was proud! i had accomplished something big, something that many cannot do. something i never had done before. i felt good.  my heart was pumping. my face covered in salty sweat. but i felt so good.

i shake my head just thinking about the days, the weeks, and now months, that i’ve trained in preparation for this. i registered today. my number is big. one of the later registrants…but who cares. i’m so there. i’ll be running the streets of fargo soon. with my friend…and other’s from our “purple kool-ade” club. my heart is elated that the finish line is so close. i get goosebumps, just thinking about that last mile. that last mile that i’ll probably want to die…but won’t. i’ll keep going, just to see my kids cheering me on. (that alone brings tears to my eyes) thier “you can do it’s” and “i knew you could’s”, my hubby’s hug at the finish line. his confidence wispered in my ear…his “i’m so very proud of you”.

 i see it all…and it keeps me going. keeps me focused on one thing. to accomplish something that i set out to do. to finish. 13.1 miles.

jhacie had her first soccer practice tonight. blue team. field 1. mom’s the coach. so much fun tonight. 7 girls. 6years old.

blue means we are tough, but on the inside we are all girly girls. go girly girls!

before practice.

who’s tough?

pirate day in kindergarten.

the last bloom opened today.

tonight after dinner. our neighborhood seems to have awaken from the long winter. kids playing outside, riding bikes, playing basketball, people running, walking their dogs. alex “wiggly” trying to balance on our electric scooter. jhacie cruising the block on her bike. tr and ry playing hoops. it’s an excitement in the air. the sun is out warming the sidewalks. the reflection warms my face. it feels so good to be out in the warmth. i notice the first signs of our spring. one tulip pushing out of the ground. no bloom in site, but soon…very soon. even our puppy doesn’t know what to think as she runs around the yard and then lays down in the soon to be green grass, taking in the warmth of the sun too. i so missed this. so very much. welcome spring. welcome.

As I greet each day’s dawning with enthusiasm, I feel faith rising within me. Awakened to the Christ Spirit, I embrace the newness of life, freely and triumphantly. The Christ Spirit renews me and sustains me. I am a new creation in Christ.

love…alex.  ryan.  joleyn.  tracy sr.  tracy jr.  jhacie

“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live.”–John 11:25

 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb…the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!”  Luke 24:2-6 

This Eastertime we hear again the wonderful story of the empty tomb, and our risen Lord.It tells us that no obstacle is so great that our Lord cannot roll it away from our lives, just as the stone was rolled from the tomb where He was buried. Is there a stone blocking out some of the light in your life, or keeping you from going where you want to go? The Easter message tells us that God will roll that stone away, setting you free and shining the light of His glorious creation upon you.   

May this Easter fill your heart with alleluias.

Kids dyed their eggs tonight.

Tracy Sr…Idea.

a piece from a karen kingsbury book…it touched my heart tonight…..

…at our house, we see the benefit of family every single day. We laugh and love and listen to each other, we talk about how right here — around the dinner table — are the best friends of all. The people who will love us no matter what. But the truth is, sometimes we can’t love even our families until we let God clean out the garbage in our own hearts.

my sister sara and her hubby brody came over for a quick visit. loved every minute of it.  

presents from Christmas.

flowers for me!

far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead. 

my rose was on it’s last breath. wilting slowly in it’s vase.

Tracy Robert started writing on his blog again.

http://tracyrobert.blogspot.com/

Check it out and leave a message for him.

so this is what you get, when i feel inspired, and all my kids are in school, hubby is at work and the tulips have wilted away.

me, myself and i!