Injured Reserve and shuffling to the iPod.

Ok, I must start this blog off with a warning:

This blog may contain trace amounts of whinage and sniffling and may cause any of the following side effects; empathy, disdain, irritation (general), apathy, and in rare cases extreme happiness (sicko). That should satisfy the lawyers, now onto some bloggin!

I have been a runner for all of my adult life. I started out as a competitive runner in high school and college and continued racing on and off throughout my adulthood. I have run 2 marathons, several halfs and I believe last year was my 10th Hood to Coast. I love running, it makes me happy. I've heard all of you non runners and your very witty and almost never unique quips about us crazy runners. I get it, I'm not super normal, but I can't change the fact that God wired me to love running.

In November I was in New York with a bunch of our church staff and I walked like 100 blocks in one day. Btw, I know I exaggerate sometimes, but this would not be one of those times, we literally walked a hundred NYC blocks. And my brilliant self was wearing street shoes, albeit comfy ones, they were not super comfy after that much walking. Anywho, I have had a nice case of Plantar Fasciitis ever since. It's a pretty common injury to most long time runners and I started right in doing all the stuff that runners do when they get this dreaded thing. No improvement. I bought a DVD off of some fancy running website, did all the stuff that guru told me too, short of drinking the Kool aide. No improvement.

Finally, I decided to go to a physical therapist. He is having me do a series of stretches and exercises and when he explained things, it makes sense. He also does this delightful thing where he scrapes the scar tissue with this device I shall call "The bad tool", it hurts like a mother. I'm all bruised when I leave, but my heel feels better. Last session he said that if I can continue to do all the stuff he's having me do and be pain free then I can start the "return to running" program. He said it would be an exercise in patience. Perfect, because I am so very patient... yikes.

So, armed with this new hope and a smidge of sunshine today, I decided to go for a walk. I've been walking, but this time I felt like maybe today would be my last walk and next time I would be run/walking. iPod was strapped in place and off I went. First song on my shuffled playlist: "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen. Ha, good one. Thanks Bruce, I know that, but I kinda can't now.

Off I plodded. I motored up Titan, which is the decent hill that starts most of my runs/walks, stopping to do my mandatory stretching. Turning the corner, I spot a jogger. This is always trouble, I'm like Seabiscuit in that when I smell the competition, I just want to beat them. This person was running toward me so the urge to run faster passed when they passed, but the song that came on: "Ready to Run" by the Dixie Chicks. Why yes I am, Chicks from the Dixie, but I cannot.

Then I turned around at the half way mark. I was clipping along pretty well, at least as much clipping as can happen when you're walking. (sigh) Bam! Another runner, this time she passed me and yes you heard correctly, she. Ouch, that one stung a little, I'm not gonna lie. Song on the iPod: "Take me Home" by Phil Collins, the point in the song. "No, I, I, I don't mind, no I, I, I don't mind". Well actually Phil, I kinda do mind and this iPod as Jiminy Cricket is getting on my last nerve. If I want a little conscience as my guide, I'll get a cool one that tells me cool stuff, so yeah.

So, I picked up what was left of my pride and my plantar fascia and I slumped my way home and as I rounded the corner of my street and my house came into sight up on the iPod comes this song: "Everlasting God" by Lincoln Brewster. First lyrics are "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord". Oh yeah, busted again Dudster! Just go ahead and try to do things your way, see how that works out for you. I guess maybe the iPod knows a little something, it kinda schooled me today. I will wait upon the Lord, but I will also act in faith and do what I can. I heard that message this week from John Stumbo. And by the way, my plantar fasciitis is pretty freaking small in the grand scheme of things in this life. I will figure this out with my trusty PT and I will run again. I will blog about it to be sure. Until then, I will be charging 5 bucks a pop for anyone who would like to listen to my playlist on shuffle and get a good talking to.

Dudster

The blog I almost couldn't write

Ok, I confess... I forgot my gmail address. I'm officially an old person. I had this thought to blog about my workspace attacking me (maybe another time) and I went to log on a couple nights ago, with the bruises to prove it. I went to the website and tried to log in. Coulda swore I used something related to Dudsterspot or close to that. Nope! I gave up. Shoulders slumped, went to bed. Grrrr. Not to be fooled, I tried again, this time armed with a few more ideas that managed to squeak their way out of my rusty brain. Nuthin!

Well, tonight, ahh, tonight I got serious, I went to the help page and they sent my username to my back up email and... Voila! Here I am. Of course, now I have nothing to say except that technology hasn't kicked my butt yet. It gave it a good try, but you have to get up pretty early to fool the Dudster. Nice try gmail, I'm WAY more resilient than that, I shall prevail!

For a future blog I may discuss my rather annoying work space that, although it's not capable of thinking and planning, I'm convinced it's out to get me. That's a teaser. Until next time... I will be writing down my username and password, no worries.

Dudster is out.

Mother's Day

I wanted to post a blog on this day of Mothers. I had a great Mother's Day! This Mother's Day I had this thought. I love being a mom, I pretty much believe it is one of the things God put me on this earth to be. He gave me 3 pretty awesome kids. I'm not gonna lie, I love my kids. I don't necessarily like all kids, but I really enjoy hanging out with mine. But my thought on this day was that there is no "kids' day" I realize, as a mom, that there are a lot of days devoted to kids for moms. The birthdays alone... the amount of time invested in my children's birthdays alone would probably be like a two week vacation at least. And yet, I don't regret one minute of planning, invitation making, cake building, treat buying... you get the idea. The times devoted to kids' "last minute projects" or "Mom, can you bring me ..." or the list could go on and on. I know our kids are pretty self-centered for a lot of their lives.

My epiphany today though, was more about the fact that I am so blessed to have my kids. I praise God for trusting me with them. I seriously had a moment today where I was driving and was thinking that God chose ME to be a mom to 3 amazing humans. Let me go into MC Hammer time and "Break it Down"

My Ty Ty: My oldest boy pretty much taught me the ins and outs of parenting. I married quite young (19) and at the age of 21 we decided to try to get pregnant. It took us a whole year. During that year we prayed for a baby. Of course, God had a plan much larger than our tiny one and at the exact moment we had our Tyler. So, at the ripe old age of 23, I had my first child. He was this very mellow baby who taught his mother how to get a kid on a schedule, how to be calm, how to chill out and be very methodical at parenting. Fast forward to now... Tyler, I love how you analyze things and are very straight forward and methodical in life, but I also love that you appreciate things like baked cookies and washed laundry. You are a good boy and you really did teach me a lot about being a mom. I know you will go forth and do great things.

Now enter second child. Trent was born on my 26th birthday. Another boy, God knew what he was doing with this Tomboy. The perfect baby, slept the night almost immediately. The thing I love about you Trent is that you are the most like me. You are friends to all you meet, you even look a little like me. You wrote a paper once that said you liked that I always could tell how you were feeling. You are my one kid who I feel most in tune with your emotions. You are hilarious and I think you will do great things for the Kingdom.

Child # 3: My little Meggie Moo, the thing to know about Megan is that she was not child # 3. I actually was pregnant with a baby due on November 9, 1996. I lost that baby on April 17, 1996. It was a horrible time, I, to this day remember driving home from the ultrasound appointment where I learned that my baby had died. Sorry to bring a damper on my Mother's Day Blog, but I feel like this information is pertinent. First, I get to meet my baby in Heaven. I think that his name is Jerad (like Jerald without the "l"), I had a dream just after my miscarriage and I'm convinced that I saw my baby boy, I can't describe it, but I am convinced, so I can't wait to meet him. So, that all being said, God had a plan for the Dudleys and it included Miss Meggie Moo! She came into this world in March of 1998. I feel like for a little comedy, I should share my "Annie watches too much TV/news" moment. Skipping the boring details, I had to have a C section to birth the giant 10 lb. baby. Well, this wasn't in my plan. So, in my drug induced, almost lucid moment, I told Bruce "Don't lose sight of the baby, I don't want her to be switched at birth." Well, being the obedient husband he is, he didn't, but when I later quizzed him and my parents (I had a back-up plan), it was comical. The only other babies in Salem Hospital were tiny little twin Latino babies. So, picture the nursery... two teeny little 5 lb brown babies and this giant white 10 lb princess! I know, I'm a bit paranoid.

Megan, I must address you now. I know why God entrusted you to me. You are such a tender heart and you love everyone and everyone loves you! Most importantly, you are in tuned to me and give me the "mommy feedback" I need. I love so much the things you choose to be. That is a quote from the Office, but it really does apply to you. I love you Lovie.

So, my Mother's Day/Kids' Day Blog must come to an end. Basically, I feel so honored to be trusted with my kids on this earth. "Father God, I can't begin to thank you for trusting me with these kids. I love you so much for the miracles that they are. I ask you for guidance and wisdom as we continue to raise them and thank you for what they have given to me."

My first Blaaaaaahg!

Well, look at me rocketing my old self into the 21st century, look out George Jetson, the Dudster is blogging. I figured I should start doing this for some odd reason.

Way back in 1989 when I was pregnant with Tyler (my first born man child) I began this Mother's Journal that my bestie Mary Jane gave me. I was pretty faithful journaling about my pregnancy and even on into the first few years of Tyler's life. Then came Trent (second born man child) and I even have a few entries in his early years. When my darling Meggie Moo came along, the entries got farther and farther apart, a bit more scattered and well, I don't know when the last time I wrote in there. So now, I can blog and some day my kids can dig this up and read about their crazy mom.

I am a big fan of The Office and so I really wanted to start a blog in a word document like Creed. My first official blog which I titled "Monday's Blaaaahg" I submitted in the form of an email to my friend Melissa at work. She sits 10 feet from me and I actually got to see her face as she read it. That was instant feedback, very nice, but again an email does not a blog make.

Sooo, here is the first official Dudster's Spot blog.