Updates

It seems like forever since I have posted an update. This morning I was trying to figure out why I haven't been blogging lately, and I think it is mainly because of the weather. For me, I think it is easier to blog in the fall, winter and early spring because I am inside more. In the summer, I want to be outside as much as possible. In my free time, I usually can be found running, biking, swimming or reading in the backyard while Emma plays.

I think my biggest blogging goal is to blog consistently, but lately I have felt uninspired to write. I just don't know what to write about! I have really gotten into the "literary fiction" genre this summer (after reading all of Curtis Sittenfield's books) and my lifelong desire to write a book is stirring within me again. But the problem at hand is that I don't know what to write about. I have a collection of short story ideas, so maybe I will try to jot some things down in the vein of John Grisham's "Ford County". Just for fun of course, I have no grand illusions of ever being published.

In other news, I have a triathlon this Sunday! It is the Markey Race for Women's Cancer (aka Markey Tri) and it is here in Lexington. This is the inaugural race, and I think there are like 300-400 participants. It is a 400m pool swim, 14 mile bike, and 5k run. I think this will be a good test race to see where my overall race fitness is at. Training has been going well, but I would like to ramp things up a bit after this race on Sunday to prepare for the River Cities Triathlon in Shreveport, LA on August 1st. This is my "A" race for the summer and I have only one goal - beat my sister Megan's time! She is a fierce competitor, so it will be tough to do but it will be a lot of fun trying!

A few more life updates:

• Last weekend we said goodbye to our friends the Mostroms and this weekend we will say goodbye to the Strebecks. These families have been with us since the very beginning (like the first week!) of our seminary journey here in Kentucky, and we are so sad to see them go, but proud of all they have accomplished and will accomplish. The Mostroms are headed north to Ohio for Alan to begin PhD work, and the Strebecks are headed south to Texas for Ryan to serve as a pastor in Abilene. I have shed many tears this week thinking about not experiencing day to day life with these families anymore.
  

• We sold Chad's Jeep Grand Cherokee and purchased a 2005 F-150. Chad has wanted a truck for years, and now was the time to make the move. The Jeep was on its last legs but we were still able to sell it at a decent price, and we found an incredible deal on a truck in Louisiana. Big thanks to Chad's parents who did all of the leg work on searching and finding a truck in central Louisiana - the used truck market is just so much better down there!
  

• I ordered a pair of Nike Free 7.0's from Road Runner Sports and got them in last weekend. After running in them for a week, I can say that I love them. In my first run with them it took me about 20 minutes to get used to the different structure, but after that it was fine. I love the built-in sock/liner thing which definitely makes them good triathlon shoes, in my opinion. I've done a few brick runs in them, and I am able to just slide my foot in the shoe (already tied & double knotted) so that will cut down on having to stop and tie my shoes in T2.
  
• Chad has been really busy so far this summer with a one week intensive class and then a week at summer camp as a counselor/worship leader. And next week he will be heading to Louisiana to pick up the truck. Before we know it, we will be heading down to Louisiana for the River Cities triathlon and our 1 week vacation in Alexandria!
  

I'll post an update early next week with results and a race report from the triathlon!