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While buying a new pair of sneakers at a local running store the other day, I saw a shirt that simply said, “Because I can..” I had to buy it because it perfectly describes why I run – because I can… It is something that I could never do even in my overweight youth and it is certainly something I couldn’t do 90 lbs. ago. So I thank God that I can run, because I can!!!
Hope(17), Lenny(13), and I ran another 5K today. Poor Lenny who was in the front group was misdirected by a policeman and ended up running much more than 3.1 miles. You should have seen the look on Lenny’s face when he crossed the finish line …with his slow mother. It was priceless. Hope came in in front of us both and teasingly refuses to acknowledge that Lenny ran farther than she did!!!
In spite of pouring rain AND thunder and lightning, Lenny (13) and I competed in our first 5K race today. Mercifully, the rain stopped just as the race began. How’s that for answered prayers!!! Lenny placed 3rd in his age group with a time of 25:49 and I was thrilled with my time of 37:51. The rain actually took the pressure off, because my focus went from worrying about my time to just enjoying my run. I was even able to chat with a couple of the runners along the way. I started out slowly and continued to speed up as the race progressed (as my favorite running coach, Jeff Sabol, recommended!!!).
We both had fun and we’re looking forward to our next race later in the month!!!
Len (my favorite photographer) and the other children stayed home due to the weather, so you are stuck with a couple of terrible pictures taken on my camera phone.
Today is Lily’s 9th birthday. We spent a wonderful day that started with Daddy’s “from scratch” pancakes and ended with a barbeque and ice cream cones. In between, she and I enjoyed some scrapbooking together. She rode bikes with her little brother, played Gobble with her older brother, and did some sewing with her big sister. It was a great family day!!!
Well I did it. Hope, Lenny and I ran in my first running race yesterday. We ran a mile and Lily did the 1/4 mile fun run.
Peter and Lily before Lily’s race:
Lily, looking a bit nervous before her race
Lily’s big finish!!!
Hope was such a good sport to run this race with no prior preparation
I was pleased with my time of 10:51
Lenny ran in the men’s race and ran his personal best for the mile:
Here’s the happy bunch after the race:
Since hearing yesterday of the drowning death of 14 year old Ryan Barrett, I have struggled to make sense of this tragedy. Frankly, I have struggled to have a coherent conversation or thought. This hits very close to home for me, having lost one of my own children. But I wanted to share with those who might not have had the privilege of knowing Ryan, some of my Ryan memories.
Mary Ellen Barrett was someone that I met online in a Yahoo group about three years ago. When we realized we lived so close, she invited me over for a mothers’ Rosary night. My first memory of the Barretts and of that night is of dear Ryan greeting me at the door. In the dozens of times that I saw Ryan since that night, he never failed to greet me by name (and “Mrs. Giambalvo” is a mouthful) and to give me a big hug.
I had the privilege of driving him to Shakespeare play practice on several occasions. He had an uncanny knack for directions and helped me as I muddled my way through the relatively unfamiliar roads that connected the Barrett and Gunther homes.
I will remember his love for his Indiana Jones hat, Laurel and Hardy movies, his guitar, singing, and tree climbing (he gave me quite a fright one time when I found him up a tall tree  ).
Ryan also loved the mass and longed to be a priest one day. While autism made this unlikely, I can’t help but think that he will be honored as a good and Godly priest in heaven as he makes his way to heaven.
Well I am posting this from beautiful Vermont. The children and I are visiting my parents at their home on Lake Dunmore. It was a beautiful day today and we had a great day down at the ”beach”. Some friends mentioned that they were going to go to the “jumping off rock” and invited us to come with them. Lily has been talking about jumping off again from this 10 foot+ rock formation at the lake’s edge since we were here for July 4th week. So I figured this was a great opportunity to fulfill her wish and earn some points for having done so on the first day of our vacation.
So the girls, Peter, and I piled into the canoe while Lenny joined us in the kayak. We were trailed by our friends in various other boats. When we arrived there, all went smoothly until Hope(17) tried to get out of the canoe and into the water in order to work her way to the favorite jumping spot. Needless to say, she capsized the canoe with Peter(4) and I still inside. In her defense, she had expressed concern over this very possibility and I had assured her that it would be fine. So I couldn’t even get mad at her. It was totally my fault.
Now you might ask why I would want a picture of this little accident. Well it is because I wasn’t wearing a bathing suit but rather was fully dressed in a tank top (thankfully not white), a long denim skirt, sandals, and pearl earrings. Yes, I was quite a sight and it really would have been fun to have a lasting remembrance. But then again, I doubt the children will ever let me forget it!!!
I just love Michele’s planners. Check out her new ad:
And then get over there and buy one!!!
Have No Fear for what tomorrow may bring. The same loving God who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. He will either shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.
- St. Frances de Sales
Lily (left) competed in her first track meet in late May. Here she is with her good friend, Annie and their coach, Harry.
My dear sweet husband competed for the first time in a dog agility trial. He didn’t go in with great expectations but he and Tobey came out with six ribbons. Well done honey!!!
My husband’s Father’s day gift this year was Legos, believe it or not. And it is was by his request!!! He received this jumbo Lego model a bit ahead of time. Here are Lenny and Peter helping Daddy with his present.
I know, I know, it has been a long time since I have blogged. I didn’t start out taking a blogging break but somehow, I got out of the habit of posting. So anyway, for those couple of you who might still check this site, I thought I’d write a post about what we’ve been up to…
Well about me… I am happy to have this school year behind us and am enjoying some much needed time off from the usual rat race. This spring I let things get way too busy. Everything that we did was wonderful but I had trouble keeping up with the mayhem in a peaceful manner. Note to self: Don’t let that happen again!!! 
About 16 months ago, I started a journey of trying to get my weight and my health into a better place. I began (and continue) that journey at a local Diet Center. I have lost 85 pounds thus far. That number seems surreal to me even as I type it but I am thrilled to be the thinnest I’ve been in nearly 20 years and 25 lbs. thinner than when I got pregnant with Hope almost 18 years ago.
I have learned many things at Diet Center. They have taught me that I cannot change my past mistakes. I can just start out right now, right this minute doing the next right thing. I don’t need to punish myself for a food faux pas. I just need to do that next right thing.
I go in to Diet Center about 3 times a week for 15 minutes or so for individual diet counselling. And the support of my counselors (Ellen and Meg) has meant the world to me. They have shared my triumphs and my falls. They have encouraged me to persevere when I wanted to quit. They have been there for me through everything. And I can’t thank them enough.
They even encouraged me to get off my lazy rear and get moving. Of course they put it in nicer words!!! With their encouragement, I have gone from a couch potato to somewhat of an athlete, who actually looks forward to exercising —well most of the time.
Last summer, I read a book called The Secrets of a Former Fat Girl by Lisa Delaney. The author talked about her own journey from fat girl to fit. She believes that in order to change the same old messages in her head, she had to change how she perceived herself. In a nutshell, she began running and started to think of herself as an “athlete” rather than as a “fat girl”.
When I read this book, I found her logic and her story inspiring. However, at my weight (even having lost 25 lbs at that point with Diet Center) I knew that my body wasn’t ready to run. So I started with “baby steps” (as Flylady would say) and began walking. I walked and walked and walked for months until finally I started to slowly begin to run.
I found a training plan online for transforming oneself from a couch potato to a 5K runner. It was late February when I began my running and slowly but surely I have been able to increase my running time up to 35 minutes straight plus warm-up and cool-down walks. I even joined the track club with my two middle children, Lenny and Lily. Who would have thunk it???
I am a slow runner but I am running nonetheless. And as Lisa Delaney predicted, it has helped me to start to change the way I view myself. It is only a beginning but I have high hopes of running my first 5K race this fall. I may very well be the last person to cross the finish line but who cares as long as I finish!!!
AND BEST OF ALL, I AM NO LONGER ON BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION!!! I had to write that in bold letters!!! I feel as if God has blessed me so greatly with all of the positive support he has brought into my path. God is indeed good!!!
Well I know that this update was all about me but it’s getting long and I’ll close for now. I’ll fill you in on the children and Len next time!!! Thanks for reading…
Oh one more thing, I am (reluctantly, sheepishly) posting these before and after pictures in hopes that it will encourage you in your journey towards health and fitness. I hope it helps to see how far I’ve come.
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St. Gertrude’s Prayer Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious blood of thy divine son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.
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