May's Daily Gifts

When my sweet Canadian friend, Loralee from This and That,  asked me if I wanted to blog with her everyday in May, my answer was an ecstatic... YES, YES, YES!!!!!  I LOVE the idea of writing everyday and it's even better when it's with a friend. So in the month of May we are going to blog about our gifts from the Lord.  They may be small, maybe big, but all our gifts from Him.

Today my gifts are:
1. Our youngest who chose to read Bible Stories tonight before bed.
2. Teaching our girls to have foot wars. A favorite of mine and my sisters growing up.
3.  First graders who lose their teeth at home.  Phew!  I dodged a few of those bullets this weekend, thank you parents!
4. A morning chat with my sister. Even though it was quick, I love our little catch up sessions.
5. A text from my friends saying they are having lunch for me on Wednesday since I won't be at school on my birthday.


I am so blessed.

Running

Dear Running,

I have missed you dearly.  You were my best friend for so long.  My confidant. My go to.  Then, I fell.  Had a hidden tear.  For two years I abandoned you until I could take it no more.  Surgery fixed the tear and we started being friends again.  Not best friends.... maybe acquaintances.  We had a pretty good stretch but then.... another setback.  A tweak of my knee sent me back to the elliptical, bike, and other machines that I still detest to this day. After a few cartilage injections the pain remains, but I don't care anymore. I NEED YOU!

Two days in a row you and I have been reconnecting.  Today I tasted our friendship again.  I was lost in the cadence of my feet hitting the pavement.  The breath that was coming in my nose and out of my mouth in a very familiar pattern.  I could have been lost in you forever but we stopped our euphoria at 4 miles because grass needed to be cut. :)

I hope our time apart is not as long as it's been in the past.  I hope to revisit you every 2 to 3 times a week.
Your forever, faithful friend,

31 Days of......

We made it!  31 one days of writing!  I can't believe it!  It's such a sweet feeling to be at the end of this month long journey.
31 days of stories
31 days of comments
31 days of growing
31 days of searching
31 days of learning
31 days of finding
31 days of reflection
31 days of new friendships
31 days of excitement
31 days...... we made it! :)

Celebrating... A day early

Super short tonight.  I'm celebrating.
1.  I made it through another day with my girls and we're all in tack. :)
2.  I've made it through March, blogging everyday!!!!

So..... I'm headed to go swing dancing!!!!!  See you all here tomorrow!

My Name

What's in a name.  I read this post by... I can't even remember who, so if it's you, please let me know so I can link it back to you.  I'm so sorry!  Anyway, I thought I'd let you know about my name and what I've been called in the seasons of my life.

I was born Maria Jane.  Each name was from a grandma.  Maria was one of my grandma's names (she had 5 names... she was from Spain) and Jane was my other grandma's middle name. Put them together and you have me! :)  Maria Jane is something I was only called when I was in trouble.
As a child, I was called Maria by my family but my dad called me "Ri" (pronounced like this... ree). He still calls me that today.  I'm not really sure if I can recall a time when he called me by my real name.  Hmmmmm...... probably when I was in trouble.
I was called this and Maria as I grew up on the softball field and volleyball court during grade school.  One of my coaches called me "Rae (said like.. Ray)" in softball.  I can still hear him say it. One of my dad's church friends also called me that and still does to this day.
Once I entered high school I was still called Maria by most of my friends except those who I played volleyball with.  My coach called me "Ri", just like my dad, and my teammates called me "Ria".
In college everyone called me Maria except the girls I coached.  They called me Coach Maria.  I had one friend who called me ria10 because that was my AOL sign in.  I miss hearing him say that... he's been gone almost 3 years now.
In 1999 we were blessed with the first nephew in our family. He's been a joy to watch grow up.  When he was old enough to say my name, he called me "Bia".  I don't know why it came out that way, but it stuck. We were buddies.  I watched him all the time.  We look alike so people always thought he was mine because I had blonde hair and my sister had brown.  And now... he's 17. He still calls me Bia along with all my other nieces and nephews. I adore it and I will cry if he ever stops calling me that.
I'm still called all those names above, but most importantly, I've added momma to that list.

A Little Help?!?!

Dear Friends,

I need some advice.  We are on spring break and my girls have been asking (well... pretty annoyingly begging) to go outside and play.  I am not a hater of the outdoors by any means.  I love for them to be outdoors.  Here's where my dilemma is.  I don't want to be out there with them.  I have stuff to do!  I have grades that need to be entered, research reports that need grading, bathrooms that need to be cleaned, closets that could definitely use a cleaning, and a multitude of other things that I want to do on spring break.  And by multitude I mean, sit by myself, on my couch, watch a few tv shows, maybe a bowl of ice cream and fall asleep. Because sometimes... isn't that what spring break is all about if you can't be sitting on a beach somewhere?!?!?!?!?!
The problem I'm facing is.... fear.  Can I let them play outside without the fear of someone taking my sweet little angels?  Right now, I can't.  They like to play in the front of our house even though we have a giant backyard.  Our yard is not fenced in, which again adds to the fear.  How can I get past this?  I don't know what to do except pull up my chair and sit outside watching over them, making sure they look both ways when crossing the street, and monitoring the trampoline jumping (across the street at our neighbor's house) they just have to do even though I HATE IT! (another fear)
Our oldest has been getting bolder and asking to bike around the subdivision.  I'm trying to be ok with it.  She usually goes with a sister or friend, but I'm not going to lie, I'm scared to death!  The other day I heard the sirens and all I could think of was, what if.  I'm sure this feeling will never go away, because it'll turn into other things that I'm afraid of......  Going out with friends to the movies, going on a first date (hopefully when they are 25), and more.  Our oldest is 11, but our younger two are 9 and 6.  They want the freedom too, but aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!  How do you do it?  Any advice besides just trusting them and the plan that has been already written for us?  I'll take anything, especially if your advice involves lots of ice cream or Speedy Freezes after Lent. :)

You're the best!!!!!  Thanks for your help!

1st Ice Cream of the Season

One of our favorite ice cream places opened up last Friday. We couldn't not stop there on our way to bible study.  I was the only one to get ice cream!  I love me some vanilla, soft serve ice cream. :)  Here's to many many more ice cream visits with these three sweet little ladies.