This Girl

Graduates from High school next week.

Is going to college on an academic scholarship. Will play softball for that same college.

Was named valedictorian at the honors night services last night.

Can you guys say proud mama?

Running and counting blessings

That picture is of Hartwell Dam. I grew up playing in the lake created by this dam. Camping, skiing, boating, floating, sun bathing, all those kinds of outdoor activities.

And this coming Saturday, I will be a runner. A relatively new outdoor activity for me. One that has come with sweat, tears, challenges, and perserverance.

I've lost 58 pounds - I have not taken one diet pill. As my friend Dawn Demo says "the answer is no... NO pills, NO lipo, NO bands, NO staples. It's called will power, sweat, and goals."

I'm eating better, I work out HARD, I drink my water. And slowly the pounds are coming off.

I would like to lose 25 - 30 more.

The 5K on Saturday morning will start from the South Carolina side of Hartwell Dam, follow the pavement above, cross the Dam, and end on the Georgia side of it. I was registered for this run last year when the "SURPRISE YOU LOST A KIDNEY TO CANCER" roadtrip began. The doctors were a little funny about letting me run a week after taking my kidney in a major surgery. So I sat and watched my daughter run. And I cried.

There will be hundreds of runners all with their own reason for doing this. Me - I'm running because I want to stay healthy this time. I'm doing the work every day to be that way. Making smarter decisions with eating, exercise, rest, lifestyle. I can honestly say that doing this for myself was, and still is hard. But it is so very worth the effort.

I have a 45 minute goal for myself.

I'm a little concerned, because right now, my asthma is not very well controlled. I've been struggling with that for about three weeks (hello pollen season) But I'm excited. I am healthy. My cancer recovery is now complete.

Better than that - I survived all the challenges so far, with very little negative effects mentally and physically.

So hey - lets roll - I'll let you you know next week just how I performed.

I can't wait to look down river from the top of the dam. And to count blessings. There will be a blessing with every step.

3.2 miles of blessings - that's gonna be a really big list.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Smiles

Good Monday morning.

Right now - I find myself wondering if Bin Laden might be looking for his virgins.

Anyway - this is not a political blog. It is my world. It is my place of happiness and joy and beauty and creativity and all that stuff.

And it is time for a word challenge update. MaryAnn chose the word for April, and she chose the word SMILE. It was a good time for a really fun word. I smiled every day this month. My world is full of amazing surprises right now. Those make me smile. My baby girl is winding down her Senior school year. That makes me smile as she moves on to the next phases of her life. And we recently got the great news - Softball Princess was named the Valedictorian of her class and that really makes me smile.

And we are busy at work. For the first time in a long time, we have seen promise in the construction industry. That is reason to smile.

I have chosen the word for May - and that word is PRAISE. So go ahead play along with us and PRAISE in your own way this month. I promise this one will be fun.

Now for a couple more pictures of "the dress" we designed and made -




For Carrie - a super nice detail shot of the bodice. What cha think? Oh and check out that smile. I'm kinda partial to it, but I think she is beautiful.


I stole this one off her facebook. It really shows the beautiful way the grey underskirt shows through the lace. Love this picture.

I'll be back in a few with some MaggieGrace reality. Things have happened in my life that have given me some energy and enthusiasm for finishing some projects. There is a tiny bit of extra time as the soccer season has ended. Life is good - no actually - life is GREAT.

Hope all this finds you guys having a fabulous day.

I know I am.