Thoughts on the Treadmill: Part I

Remember this post here about my perfect morning goal? Well... today I have to admit was the first day I have actually gotten to do the exercise part. 30 minutes and 2 miles on the treadmill later, I was finished. Meaning: I had actually done it. I felt that as I stepped off all shaky and feeling that the ground was still moving (think of how it feel to stand in the ocean as the waves wash up), I knew I could conquer the world. Well, at least my world of toddler-hood.

As I had the baby monitor plugged into my ears and was watching (reading) the news on the TV, I had a lot of thoughts. And as we all know, my thoughts are very important and most certainly life-changing.

I thought about my life. I like to think about myself. Not in a selfish or prideful manner although I would not put it past me, but in a how did I get to the point to where I have a toddler and my more padded undersides are jiggly!!!??

Three years ago I was participating in a triathlon (it was a sprint)

Now I participate in "vacuum-it-up-fast-close-the-door-to-the-bathroom-fast" and "its-3pm-I-should-change-and-shower-and-make-dinner" races.

So what happened to take me from that to this? (disclosure: I LOVE LOVE LOVE my situation. I just had these thoughts while on the treadmill. Hence the title)

Three years ago this was me: Wife of one, student of english and tourism and marriage and family, nanny, late night movie watching/book reading, overly confident public speaker, hundreds of friends, and sweet as honey gal.

Now this is me: wife of one, mommy of one 16m old, student of marriage and family but in a different way, late night dishwasher, not-at-all good public speaker, a few close friends, even sweeter as honey as also can become as mean as a the queen bee.

I used to be pretty good at yoga and ran up mountainsides every morning. I was firm. The all-over-feel-good-in-a-swimsuit kind of firm. Like these gals below

Now This is my version of yoga: { if you can't read it go here }

And I can stop tears and mend cuts in no time flat but as far as the running up mountainsides, it is more a metaphor now than an actual event.

You may wonder what brought this on. Is it a mid-life crisis? Is my sweet friend losing it? Neither friends. In reality, I love that I will be 30 in 3 years. What a milestone! And the party planner in me already has ideas of how to celebrate. I think it has been a combination of that post I mentioned, swimsuit shopping, checkbook balancing, diaper-changing, and not tanning. You see, in just a week, we will be on this.

So, I started tanning (at least for my free two week trial at Darque-tan). I found a swimsuit I LOVE here and here and I have been asked to plan some events... a few parties and even a wedding. All things I love and even went to school to know how to do. I went to school in Hawaii where tanning and cute swimsuits and having fun is a requirement, not an elective.

As my 30 minutes on the treadmill finished up and I guzzled the water (i know, bad move), I was just suddenly overcome with the love that I feel in my life. No matter what has become a little soft over time or how my life has taken turns, I have love from the hubbs, from my little one, from my dear family and consistent friends and most importantly, I have love from my Father in Heaven. I know my purpose here on earth and I know I lived in His presence before. And while my mountains are now just imaginary, that is ok. I know that He is always there to cheer me along even if I never run another Triathlon again.

{the writer of this post and her hubbs will be running in a race this year together. Uhm, an actual race, not the race of life. More on that later. And thank you for listening to my thoughts)