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?