Acceptance

Living with teenagers is an entirely different sport than hanging out with them on the weekends. They've never had a mom and are quite accustomed to "their" ways of doing things. Their way being: not doing until they've been asked 4 times and they realize you're on the verge of packing all of their belongings and moving them to the attic; passing the buck about why the garbage is overflowing, there is strawberry jelly on the counter, a 1/2 full glass of milk in the fridge while they're pouring another one; and telling you they don't know how to fold their laundry because "Grandma always just did that for us because we did it wrong." (Thanks Grandma.)

Needless to say, we're all adjusting, and I'm determined to turn this adjustment a positive thing. I don't want everyone, especially my husband, to dread coming home. I accept that I work full-time, I accept that I can't make the kids disappear when I want to, and I accept (begrudgingly at the moment) that I don't always get what I want, and that I have to make sacrifices for the sake of the "team".

Less nagging, more joking. Less yelling, more running. I mean really, does it matter if the floor is swept every day, so long as I dont walk through or set my bag in any unidentifiable stickiness again? I'll lay off about the 6 knives that were used to make 3 sandwiches in the morning, if they manage to get them into the dishwasher before I get home. Compromise is an art, apparently, so I'll become an artist.

In other words: I accept that it's time to grow up be an adult. (eek!)

I'm thinking of the lovely instead of the ugly, and I'm doing something awesome for myself. I put down my nightly "mommy juice", and I'm taking to the streets (or the forest.)

In a little over 5 weeks, I begin training for a marathon!

Why would I go and do something crazy like, sacrifice my Sunday morning sleep, for the next 6 months, to take up something like running?

Because I needed a fitness goal, and I needed something I would stick to.

Because my sister lost 25 pounds last year, in 4 months.

Because in 304(ish) days I'm getting on a plane, with 25 of my closest family members, and heading to Maui for 14 days! And, beings that Uncle Sam had alternate plans for my taxes this year, I'm not getting the enhancements I was expecting to get. So if I cant fill out the top of a "modest" bikini, I'm certainly not going to overfill the bottom of it.

Today I ran 2 miles in 24 minutes. Not bad for a beginner. My legs are a little sore, so tomorrow I rest. I'm still going to walk at lunch, because Lord knows I need a break at least once in my day, but I will go home and make dinner and watch tv with my cowboy and the heathen wonderful children, who really do make my life better than I ever thought it could be!