I've Got Sunshine on a February Day

Florida, you are beautiful & awesome & amazing & wonderful & I am madly in love with you....even though you've had bipolar tendencies lately. I don't even care that the crazy wind & a blister slowed me down. Because today, you let the sunshine in & I got to run outside. And Soak. It. Up.

Barbells & Ponytails

Woop woop!! I feel like such an athlete!! So excited to be an ambassador!!!

Trust, Faith, and a Daily Devotion

When your daily devotion hits you right upside the head & right where you are...from Streams in the Desert....

Surely, I am with you always (Matthew 28:20)

"Never look ahead to the changes and challenges of this life in fear. Instead, as they arise look at them with the full assurance that God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them. Hasn't He kept you safe up to now? So hold His loving hand tightly, and He will lead you safely through all things. And when you cannot stand, He will carry you in His arms.

Do not look ahead to what may happen tomorrow. The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you His unwavering strength that you may bear it. Be at peace, then, and set aside all anxious thoughts and worries". ~Frances de Sales

He will silently plan for you,
His object of omniscient care;
God Himself undertakes to be
Your pilot through each subtle snare.,

He WILL silently plan for you,
So certainly, He cannot fail!
Rest on the faithfulness of God,
In Him you will surely prevail.

He will SILENTLY plan for you
Some wonderful surprise of love.
No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
But it is kept for you above.

He will silently PLAN for you,
His purpose will all unfold;
Your tangled life will shine at last,
A masterpiece of skill untold.

He will silently plan FOR YOU,
Happy child of a Father's care,
As if no other claimed His love,
But you alone to Him were dear.
~ E. Mary Grames

Smart Runners Strength Train ;)

....when your Instagram feed is full of ppl posting for Flex Friday & you've been working on those arms, you decide to join in....grow li'l muscle grow!!!💪😉!! 
Not wanting a body builder look, but toned, tight & femininely strong is good..

Hey.  Are you on instagram???  You should look for me there. ;)

SweetDivaMJ

In Training...

When you're chomping at the bit for a change, for forward momentum....do you stay in your safe comfort zone that feels like a chore....or, do you take a leap of faith on a new adventure that you know will challenge you, stretch you, grow you.....excites & inspires you??  I choose the
adventure of new beginnings.  Personal trainer....in training.  ;)

I'm Gonna Sweat

Not gonna lie. Once in a while, I need a little motivation to get to the gym.
Gonna work this headache off in my new workout tank!!!

Runner wardrobe LOVE.  It makes a difference.  Really, it does.

I Ran A Mile....

Watching my 14 year old at baseball tryouts & thinking about our after school convo from yesterday....

Him:: "Mom, I ran a mile at school today"
This, from the kid who hates running...and, in the past, was not shy about letting me know it when he was forced to.
Me:: "You did?!?! Was it awful & horrible for you???". wink emoticon
Him:: "No.... All those other kids were complaining so much and I thought, 'you shouldn't complain.. This is nothing! My mom ran 28!!!'. I even said it out loud to one kid. Because I'm really proud of you, Mom". ❤❤❤

Maybe their thing isn't running. Maybe YOUR thing isn't running. But taking care of yourself, pushing to achieve goals...it's not selfish. It's being an example....you're teaching those you care for that they can achieve hard things too. They're always watching & always learning from you, whether you think they are or not.

Trust His Heart

....that moment (or those moments) when clarity is shed on something that didn't work out despite your best efforts and you've been kind of wondering WHY NOT ever since....

And you say, "WOAH, nellie. Thank you, Lord"....

He knows best. Yes, He does.

Do you ever wonder just how many bullets we dodge, thanks to Him not working out the things we thought we wanted??? 

Kickboxing....My Kind of a Girl's Night Out

3 friends....since we were about 12 years old.  Reuniting for a kickboxing adventure/girls' night out...
Old friends, refusing to grow old.

So fun.  So awesome.  Even if I'm such an uncoordinated dork. And, apparently, I hit like a girl.  ;)
But...hey.  It was only the first class of 5 that we signed up for.  You can't learn new things
if you're not willing to look likea dork sometimes.  And I am totally willing,  haha ;)

And.....my kids. One day....they will look back and be thankful for the woman that took care of them.....& kickboxed across the living room & into their bedrooms as she warmed up, did less than supersonic Wonder Woman spins, and basically acted like a fool sometimes. They will laugh and say, "I'm glad my mom was a li'l bit crazy". Right now, however, I think they're thankful that very few see the things that they do.... 
wink emoticon
Their eyes roll. Their mouths say, "MOM. You're weird". But....those lips. They turn upward, even though they fight it....and they smile. 

Haha. ;)smile emoticon

Some Days, I Need a Little Bit of the Diva...

...because. Some days, ya need a li'l sass to get 'er done... 

Bunny Walkin'....

Just because.  Our bunny is super cute.  Our bunny on a leash is super cuter.  ;)

.......and THIS is how you take a bunny for a walk!!!! Pausing once in a while for snack breaks...

Just in case you wondered.  Haha.

.....and my girl with her bunny.  Ahhhh.....makes a mama's heart melt.  <3
These are the kind of days for which I've prayed.
Bunny walking is so much better than chemo, radiation, &
all that goes with it!!!!

She Always Gets Back Up.

Just because.  Life is hard.  Being a mom is hard.  Single mom-ness is hard.  REALLY hard.....and we never feel like we're doing enough, being enough, etc, etc, etc.

This.

Never Underestimate the Impact of Surprise Encouragement

Kinda cool when you open a surprise pkg like this on a Monday following a week that left you feeling like you can't win for losing in a cpl areas...my sweet friends.  They have a way of  making  my day.  <3

10 Facts Every Woman Should Know

10 Facts Every Woman Should Know:

1. Everyone has rolls when they bend over.
2. When someone tells you that you're beautiful, believe them. They aren't lying.
3. Sometimes we all wake up with breath that could kill a goat.
4. For every woman unhappy with her stretch marks is another woman who wishes she had them.
5. You should definitely have more confidence. And if you saw yourself the way others see you, you would.
6. Don't look for a man to save you. Be able to save yourself.
7. It's okay to not love every part of your body....but you should.
8. We all have that one friend who seems to have it all together. That woman with the seemingly perfect life. Well, you might be that woman to someone else.
9. You should be a priority. Not an option, a last resort, or a backup plan.
10. You're a woman. That alone makes you pretty damn remarkable. 
- Austin Blood