Running Chatter

A friend said to me tonight, “I used to think people who blogged were weird. . . thanks for changing my opinion.”  Ah, so true isn’t it?  I have a clear view of the other side. . . why would anyone spend extra time, effort, and energy to put your life out for the world to see?  Who cares what you have to say?  Get a journal!  are likely just some of the thoughts that people have about bloggers.  Certainly, reading (or writing) blogs are not for everyone.  I’m sure we all blog for different reasons.  Maybe a blog starts for one reason and is continued for another.  Maybe a blog is begun during a certain season and abandoned when that season is done.  Some need a creative outlet, some just need an outlet.  Some need community and some need a sense of anonymity.  Some have a cause while others have fun.  Needless to say, there are countless reasons for blogging and none of them are wrong. 

For me, blogging has been nothing but a positive experience.  A place of healing, growth, and change.  I have been able to discover new things and meet new people whom, otherwise, I never would have met.  The blog has given me an outlet and allowed me the opportunity to use my voice when normally, my voice was trapped inside.  More than anything, though, this space has allowed me to see my life from the outside.  It has challenged me to count my blessings and see each tiny moment as the gift that it is.  In reality, Running Chatter has allowed me to slow down on the outside long enough to hear my insides.  With that said. . . Running Chatter it is. . .

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1.  May

I can’t tell you how good it feels to drink down all this natural goodness.  I love knowing that I am doing something so good for my body.  Perhaps, though, I should not chase the juice down with my other addiction. . .

Ah well.  You can’t win them all, right?

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3.  365 Project

Seven months down. . . Five to go. 

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4.  Red

My heart is full of hope, dreams, ideas, and plan for my girls.  Things that, as their mom, I hope to teach them and instill in them.  Words like confidence, purity, faith, love, passion roam though my mind and I have a running list in my head of the things we will do to build toward this foundation.  Some of my ideas are big and some are small.  Yesterday we started. . .

We painted our nails together.  We painted them red because, well, that is what Chanelle wanted.  It probably didn’t mean a whole lot to them, but let me tell you. . . I felt bonded to my girls and we were undoubtedly united with our red nail polish. 

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5.  Meadow

Have I told you lately how much we lover her?

We love her a lot.

We all do.

Soon, there will be a Meadow post. . . but for now I just want to say that she is adored by all four of us and she has taken her spot with ease. 

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6.  Music

It seems Miss Chanelle has quite a talent.

She doesn’t know it, but from what we are seeing our girl has a knack for catching on quickly.   I’ve never played piano, but always wished I had.  Already, she has taught me a few basics.  One thing we have learned about Charlie and Chanelle is that they have to learn in their own way.  If forced to play, she will resist, but if we lay off, it won’t be long until she meanders over and plops herself down and begins playing.  We are trying to walk that line between forcing her to do it and allowing her to discover it on her own. 

Either way, for now we’re sticking with it. 

But if piano fails we’ve got it covered. . .

She’ll fall back on the drums.

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7.  Up, up, up she goes. . .

. . . until she falls. . . which she does every time.

We’ll get there.  No rush.

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8.  Joy

My FIL took Charlie and Chanelle to the movies on Saturday.  Chad, Meadow, and I just happened to be driving by as the movie let out.  We sat and waited to see them emerge. 

It was worth the wait.  I love when the joy in their faces at seeing us matches the joy in our faces at seeing them. 

I hope it is always this way.

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