Blessings Disguised in a Dog on the Loose....

Today was Day 1 in the pre-training part of this journey. Bailey had to be at school early for patrol duty, so after I got her safely there I came home and set out. I was all bundled up, including long johns! It is December after all and it is COLD.

Because this is me we're talking about, of course there was a plan in place. The training schedule said (or so I thought) to walk 30-40 minutes. I set my alarm on my cell phone for 15 minutes and the plan was to turn around at that point. I figured that since homebound was mostly uphill, I would use extra minutes and maybe even hit a 40 minute walk! I even typed in the address of the house at the 15 minute mark so I could mapquest it when I got home to see how far I'd walked in 15 minutes. Which was really about 14 minutes because I had stopped and talked to two neighbors when I started out. By the way, I clipped along at about a 15 minute mile! Day one! And yes, I do realize what a geek I am so it's ok for you to be thinking it...

So anyway, I'm on my way back home. I come around a bend and just up ahead is a dog. "Guarding" his driveway and barking at me. If you know me, this will be a red flag for you. I am afraid of dogs. Of course not mine, but most others. And they don't even have to be barking at me for me to be afraid and this one was barking at me. What am I supposed to do? There was a truck sitting in a driveway warming up and I actually thought about asking the driver if they could give me a ride to just around the corner. But quickly realized how dumb that was. I honestly was worried that now my whole system was messed up. I wouldn't be walking exactly what the schedule said I should be! Oh no! Alas, I had no choice but to choose a different route home so I turned around.

Now I have some extra walking time and I'm thinking. Thinking about how blessed I really am. I have one of the best husbands in the world. The greatest kids in the world. And I get to be a stay at home mom to them. Not only for them, but as it turns out, for the kids that I am taking on this half-marathon for. If I were a working mom (outside the home, I mean) I am quite sure I wouldn't be disciplined enough to do this. When all is said and done, the training requires a good hour out of the day. If I had to get up super early to do it, or go out after dinner is done, IF there weren't activities to be running to with the kids, I just can't honestly say I'd do it. And I am so thankful. My life is really so good. And because I have such a good life, just maybe there will be one more well drilled and a few less kids will die for lack of water.

What more could I want?

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Well, it figures doesn't it? Tomorrow is the day I am going to start 'unofficially' training. And it's snowing. I am going to try and keep my head on straight and forget that I really don't like this white stuff too much. And I don't particularly like being cold.

But I don't have to drive in it. I think I will go out and embrace it! It really is quite pretty. And walking in it will keep me out of the malls, where I was going to do my inclement weather walking. And I do have a coat.

Onward Christian soldiers. Who knows? It might be sunny tomorrow!

Building the Team

I have to say I'm pretty excited at the response I've been getting. I've had a few friends tell me that they want to support our cause financially. And I've had a few friends who want to join in the actual walk! If I'm counting right including Kris and myself, we are up to nine walkers! Plus several "thinking about its!" To drill one well, the cost is $4,800. We are already at the level where each of us will only need to raise $534! Now if each person who has decided to walk does their own 'recruiting' of walkers....you get the picture. How many wells can we supply?

For those of you who may have missed the first email go'round. Here's the details. If you did get it, you might want to skip this part.

My very good friend Kris had registered to walk a half marathon in Tacoma on May 10. She was trying to convince me to walk it with her. Honestly, I wasn't really too excited about the idea. When she mentioned that we could do it for a cause, any cause of our choosing, that got me thinking. Evidently my own health isn't cause enough! For the past several years, I have watched a tv show on Christian television called Life Today. The hosts are James and Betty Robison. It's sort of like a Christian talk show....they have guests, bible teaching, etc. At the end of each show, James does what he humbly calls begging. They raise money for a few very worthy causes. The one that for some reason captivates me is for the one that raises funds for people who are basically dying for lack of water. This blows my mind. I happen to be one of the not so bright people that don't even drink water unless it's in coffee. That will obviously have to change. Anyway,when I pay myself from Cookie Lee earnings, Life Today is who I tithe to. Which, long story not so short, led to me deciding to walk this thing! Kris and I have formed a team, Team Living Water, and that's where we are today!

Training officially begins for me January 7 but I'm going to try and get some pre-training in beginning next Monday. If you'd like to join me, here are some helpful links. You can check out our cause at www.lifetoday.org. The marathon itself at www.tacomacitymarathon.com. It's the 1/2 marathon we're doing. And the training schedule can be viewed (or followed; hint hint) at www.jeffgalloway.com/training/half_marathon.html. Anywhere it says run, substitute it for walk and for me, I'll be training on Saturdays instead of Sundays. For obvious reasons, we will have to pretty much train individually but we are going to try and come together on some of the Saturday workouts.

I hope you'll join me! The early bird registration is $45 and that price lasts until December 31. Don't let the weather scare you. You just might see me at the mall. Walking, not shopping :) Well, maybe a little bit of shopping.

Let's do this thing, shall we?

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