Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Treasure

If you had to sell everything you owned but you could keep one item, what would it be?

This question was posed the day Forbes and I decided to sell our home and possessions to become missionaries.  What would we keep if it were just one item?

The question stumped us.  Just one item?  It seems that nothing makes sense without something else.  I could keep this, but then I would need that.  Just one item?

As I looked around my pristine and clean home this evening tears welled up in my eyes.  I am ready to get rid of it all for the sake of following Jesus.  I am ready to rely on Him and not my things.  And yet it is difficult to separate myself. 

Over the last few weeks I have been on a high.  Excited about the changes and overlooking how difficult this would be.  I am merely human and the comfort of the things around me brings me joy.  I love my couch, and cuddling up next to Forbes with a movie and a cup of tea and a fire.  I like laying in my bed at night, on top of a pillow top mattress with organic cotton sheets.  I enjoy looking stylish as I pull on my boots over my skinny jeans and pair it with a comfy sweater.  This is life and I like it. 

But I am in love with a Savior and excited and willing to serve in a way that I cannot accomplish from the comforts of this home.  I want to be uncomfortable so I learn to fully rely on God.  And right now I am learning that lesson hard. 

There is an offer on our house.  A move is inevitable.  This is real.  And I'm scared.  

I am also so full of joy it pains me to be still.  I'm ready to go, but I'm sad to leave. 

Walking in faith means taking chances and trusting that He will provide.  Walking in faith means selling a house in a faltering economy, taking a hit on what we once believed would be an investment.  Walking in faith means leaving behind our earthly possessions.  All of them...even the pretty ones. 

Matthew 13:44 (I found it Shannon)

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

I have found the treasure, and I am selling all of my belongings.  My field is the mission field and I am so joyful!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Craigslist v. Raffle How would you sell your house?

I'm clearly obsessed with Pinterest as of late.  I find wonderful inspiration for food, restaurants, crafts, and now even through quotes!  I resisted the urge to repin quotes for a very long time...but recently I have been enjoying how these speak to my life.

"Your life's story is the sum of all your choices."

Lately we have been making some pretty radical choices about our life, and it is so cool to see how our story is unfolding right before our eyes.  We jumped off the "American Dream" story line, and right into a new story book.  You are along for the ride with us so I want to fill you in on what we have been doing over the last several weeks since the big announcement to become missionaries.

Selling all of our possessions is the first step in being ready to move.  We will keep very little of what we currently own, and most of what we will keep doesn't really belong to us anyhow...such as antiques passed down through family.  I will keep a very small wardrobe, maybe even a few pieces of jewelry, but we will sell all of our furniture, books, cd's, cars, etc.  I will definitely keep my laptop.  There is no way I can take this journey without capturing all of it on the blog!

In a ditch effort to sell all of our belongings, I posted the house with everything in it plus cars on Craigslist!
For a week we had no responses.  Not surprisingly.  It is sorta an odd request: "Just come take over my current life as I decide it is no longer the life I want to live!" You should all know, that it really is a terrific life and it will break my heart to leave it behind.  But the new story we seek will be full of joy and hope and miracles and most important it will follow Christ in His plan for us!

This weekend we finally got a few emails of interest.  One was a legitimate interest and we invited him over to take a look at the house.  He arrived with a few family members for back up.  We also invited a friend over for back up.  You can never be too careful when it comes to online meet-ups. 

He seemed interested and left with a positive outlook.  At this point we will see if he really liked what he saw and comes back, or if it wasn't for him.  I am praying he likes it and comes back to buy the house.  What an amazing blessing that would be!  I can just envision the exchange and Forbes and I walking down the road excited but nervous for our new adventure!

If this doesn't work out, we do have a meeting with a realtor this week to list the house on the market.  We are serious and we are ready to sell!  Sometime in the next month I plan to have the girls over to sell/giveaway some of our extra clothes, linens, decor, etc.  And hopefully also have a yard sale when we get some really great weather!

That is just a quick update on how we are moving forward with house sales.  One really awesome idea I heard but am too chicken to try is to sell raffle tickets for your home.  Almost anyone would give a dollar to have a chance to win the house.  Over the course of a year you could expect to sell thousands of these tickets, and hopefully hundreds of thousands.  And then you draw a name and it is a win-win!  Of course what if you don't raise enough money to pay off the house?  I am not even sure if this method is legal.  But it's a thought!

Later this week I will post more about how we are planning to move forward as missionaries.  Where we will go and how we will get there.  Have a great Monday!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Secret Silent Cheer

It's Saturday.  And for the first time in 4 days my email inbox wasn't bulging when I checked it this morning.  That is both a very good and a bad thing.  As you may know, registration opened for Girls on the Run this week, and each time someone registers I get an email.  Then I do a "secret silent cheer" all by myself in my office, and go about my business.



So waking up to no emails this morning was a bit of a let-down...no Secret Silent Cheers happening here.  Yet, it was also a bit of a relief.  YAY NO WORK!  So I'm taking the day off, and I'm going to enjoy the beautiful 60 degree, sunny weather.

I am also lucky that I have a dear friend visiting unexpectedly this weekend!  We are looking to do some repeat events from her last visit including a fun hike today!
So I know I promised food today...but that would stand in the way of all sorts of fun.  So I'm off!  Food later!

Friday, January 27, 2012

TGIF

TGIF--Today, God Is First

Clever little sayings on the billboards outside churches really getchya...you know what I'm saying?  As I drove by the Catholic Church yesterday and read this sign I thought, yup...Today, I will make God First. 

So this morning I rolled out of bed, showered and did my thang, and then sat on my knees and prayed.  I spent quiet time with God this morning, something I should do every morning. 

Forbes and I have many big changes coming our way and being in constant prayer is one of the few things bringing me sanity through this process.  How else could we cope with selling our first home knowing we will take a huge hit in the process and wind up owing lots of money...and yet still choosing to move forward?  How else could we choose to leave our friends and family to move around the world to be missionaries.  Yup, constant prayer is necessary. 

Yesterday I told my two best friends in person.  I love these two gals, but typically I don't always leave feeling encouraged about my wild dreams.  I think the three of us just hold dearly to our friendship and don't want anything to change.  But yesterday, that all changed.  They were encouraging, excited and full of questions.  They supported this choice, and really feel like Forbes and I have made the right decision for our lives.  In fact, they said they had never been more sure of it. 

Consequently, one of my besties came up with her own news.  She will likely be moving as well.  Her timeline might be even quicker than mine.  She is considering accepting a position from her previous company which would require her to move.  Yup, things are a-changin'. 

Her confession really reassured my own decision.  We worry what it will be like to leave all of our close friends, but ultimately our friends cannot be the primary reason we stay in an area.  Especially if we are feeling a call to move or do something different with our lives.  In the last several weeks, we have actually heard from a few other close friends about their plans to move as well.  It is terribly sad, but helps me to realize that this time in Mooresville was just a season.  I will always love and cherish the friends we have made here, and come back to visit often, but I truly believe it is time for us to move on.

I think I will always remember yesterday's lunch with my two best friends.  We typically grab fro-yo and walk through Birkdale.  And as we walk we talk and catch up.  Yesterday it was a bit gloomy but warm enough, and the whole experience was a bit surreal.  Telling them about our plans to become missionaries really helped me to believe it was real.  And hearing other big news, well I could just see our lives beginning to part away from each other in this movie-like quality.  It is quite sad, but I can feel the certainty in each of us. 

Anyhow...I have been so wordy this week and lacking in photos!  Tomorrow that will change!  Remember: Today, God is First! TGIF!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Body Post

Mornings are always great for me.  It is a fresh start on a new day.  I am full of energy and excitement for what the day may hold. 

Afternoons are quite a different story.  I typically get a bit moody and definitely lethargic.  I will wind up sitting on the couch for hours, having no desire for any productivity.  Yesterday I thought about blogging at this time...my mind and thoughts are much different.  I didn't get around to blogging, probably because I was too busy being lazy, but I would truly be interested in how my writing voice would change with a different perspective on the day. 

In the afternoon is when doubts creep into my head about all of our life decisions...are we crazy for selling our house (with no equity), are we crazy for leaving our friends, are we just plain and simple crazy? 

In the morning, however, I am energized by these thoughts.  The idea of a fresh start, serving God, and relying solely on the Holy Spirit appeals to me.  These ideas don't frighten me, they rejuvenate me! 

So what's the deal?  Why this slump in the afternoon?  

I have some pretty good guesses...perhaps my not-so-desirable diet of sugar and wine!  Good thing I kicked that to the curb a few days ago.  I am on day 3 of my new way of eating and hoping it will liven things up a bit!

Perhaps my lack of physical activity is also killing my mood.  Have you noticed...two months and notta!  Are you wondering why?  Why is this former marathoner sitting around on her tush everyday?  For the record, if you did notice, I would never be offended if you asked.  That's a battle for another day...but I have learned some people do not ask personal questions for fear of offending someone, assuming they will tell the answer when they are ready.  Others, like me, enjoy being asked.  To me it means someone is taking an interest in who I am.  How about you?  Do you like being asked, or do you prefer to tell when you are ready?

I digress, back to the point.  Right around Thanksgiving I gave up on all formal exercise, opting for short walks a couple times a week for fresh air and to stretch my legs.  What brought on this sudden change...especially right after I wrote this post about my new workout plan?

DISCLAIMER: This post gets just slightly personal, read at your own risk...but for the record, I don't mind you reading since I am obviously writing it out on the blog!

Well the answer is: DOCTOR'S ORDERS.  I am not sick, not injured.  But simply trying to figure out what is wrong with me.  For two and a half years my body wasn't acting like a normal body should...full disclosure, I wasn't having a period.

We tried everything, from hormones to diets...but to no avail.  Finally it was suggested that I take some time off of running and other exercise to see how my body responds.  'Great timing,' I informed the doctor...'IT IS THE HOLIDAYS!'

We gave it a shot and I was weary of the plan.  I really didn't think it would work.  Low and behold, not one month later and my little gift arrived.  After a second month, there it was again, like clock-work.

Turns out, different bodies have different thresholds when it comes to exercise and diet.  I never slipped under a healthy weight, my body fat was always at a good level, yet I experienced amenorrhea. 

I am now at a point where I can begin to slowly add workouts back into my daily routine, and yet am finding myself not excited about it at all!  The idea of running frightens me.  What if I can only run a mile- or maybe not even that!  What if I can't keep up? Not only the concerns, but simply laziness.  I have fallen out of routine and I am now no longer anxious to get back in the game.  My usual tactics are not helping.  I have a 5k on the calendar in just over a month, and yet feel no desire to train.  I set up dates with friends, but then cancel.  Forbes encourages me and I sulk.  I need a swift kick to the rear I suppose. 

Jennifer wisely advised me to wait until the desire is truly there, however.  If I start back to soon, too hard, then I may wind up dreading it every day.  I trust that on the next sunny day I will feel the urge to get outside and hopefully that will jump start my legs, but for now, I am just a bump on a log, sitting on the couch in the middle of the afternoon. 

I share this, not for sympathy, but because there may be others experiencing the same thing.  I know that I was anxious to read anyone's blogs who discussed matters of this nature because I was eager to find a solution.  My solution didn't fit any of the other blogs that I had read.  In my mind it made absolutely no sense.  Perhaps this will help someone else make sense of their own body at some point.  If you have any questions, I am happy to answer.

Oh and for fun...you have to check out Ashley's Protein Breakfast "Bake"  It is delicious, and I have now had it for breakfast 2 mornings in a row.  Who knew vegan and gluten free could create such a light and fluffy cake!  Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, like I did to make it even better!  My photo clearly doesn't do it justice.  I just wanted to show you how tall and fluffy it becomes when you add baking powder.  Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

What I Ate Wednesday: A new way to eat

I am trying something new out.  I am not sure how it is going to work.  For the last 3 years or so, I have been beating myself up over snacks.  I tend to stick to the 3-meals a day rule...but find myself hungry in between and then wind up eating unplanned snacks anyhow.  Then I beat myself up over it.

Rather than continue the vicious cycle, I am trying out this whole 5-6 meals a day thing.  Here are my concerns:
  • That I won't limit my portion sizes and wind up eating twice as much.
  • That I will be constantly thinking about food all day!
Already I can see a few pros to this new eating style:
  • Since I am "allowing" snacks, I will plan ahead to have healthy snacks on hand rather than grabbing processed junk last minute.
  • I won't be hungry in between meals so perhaps I will actually think about food less.
Do you eat 5-6 meals a day, or do you stick to the basic 3?

My first official go-round was yesterday.  Perfect timing for a What I Ate Wednesday post.  I have a confession to make here: despite writing a food blog, eating vegan, and being consumed by food for a majority of the last 3 years, I still feel I have absolutely no idea how to properly fuel my body.  I feel confused.  Am I eating the right foods?  Am I eating too much?  I am hoping that documenting my eats once a week in WIAW style will help me to better understand these questions.

Breakfast 7:30am
~ 3/4 cup popped amaranth with 1/2 sliced banana and ~a cup of unsweetened almond milk.

I love cereal and I love this puffed amaranth!  Usually this bowl would leave me satisfied until lunch, typically with a few more toppings.  However, yesterday, be it mental or physical...I couldn't stop wanting more food after I finished this bowl.  10:30am wouldn't come soon enough! 

Snack #1 10am
Green monster with 1/2 banana, 1 scoop RAW protein powder, 2 cups spinach, 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce, cinnamon, vanilla and 1/2 cup almond milk plus a few ice cubes.

Once again, a green monster this size is usually my only breakfast of the day.  But it took both of these meals to finally leave me satisfied.  I truly believe most of it was in my head as any new routine can leave you a bit mental!

Lunch 1pm
leftover homemade General Tso's Tempeh with brown rice plus an extra cup of steamed broccoli for volume.  

I knew I would be out of the house for a big chunk of the afternoon and I wanted to eat enough so I wouldn't be feeling hungry the whole time.  So I added in lots of green veggies hoping the volume would help.  And it did.  When it was time for a snack again I wasn't too famished!

Snack #2 4:30pm
Sliced pear with 1 tablespoon pecans and 1 tablespoon almond butter dusted with cinnamon.

This was the perfect snack and exactly what I wanted at 4:30.  I ran out to a meeting and arrived at fellowship group at 7pm for dinner and the pear and nuts kept me full throughout!

Dinner 7pm
Breakfast for dinner: 1 small pancake topped with fresh fruit (lots of pineapple) and a side of grits with kale.

I felt like I still wanted more so I snacked on the delicious pineapple and fought the urge to eat another snack when we arrived home at 9pm.  Get thee to bed is my motto when the snack-bug attacks at night! 

Overall I think I did a good job in keeping my portion sizes under control especially during meal times.  But I found myself thinking about the next meal all day!  That drove me crazy!  I am hoping that it will balance out as I get used to this new routine. 

The plan right now is to eat 5 small meals a day about 2 1/2 to 3 hours apart.  Perhaps when I start working out again I will allow myself to squeeze in one more small snack if it fits the bill. 

What do you think?  Too much, too little, or just right?

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Up All Night

At 4am I was roused awake.  It was my usual mid-night toss and turn.  I got up to use the bathroom and curled back in bed beside Forbes.  But this morning it was a bit different.  I listened carefully to an odd noise that just didn't quit.

Could it be scratching? No, no, it didn't sound quite like scratching.

A stomach growling? No that wasn't it either.

Almost like snoring...but not really?

Was there an animal moving around in the attic?  I don't think that was it. 

It continued on and only irregularly quieted for moments. 

Finally I nudged Forbes awake to get his opinion.  What could that sound be?  After a few minutes of silent listening he agreed that it wasn't any of those things listed above.  We were both stumped, yet found it difficult to fall back asleep not knowing where this noise was coming from.

Forbes decided it must be in the attic and grabbed the flashlight, and yes, a rake.  I hoped it was an animal, only simply to find an answer to this mysterious noise.  By now it was 4:30am and I desperately wanted to find sleep. 

I noticed when Forbes made any noise, the sound did not stop.  It couldn't be an animal, they would be startled by the sound of the attic stairs dropping, or the rake moving about.  Nope, not an animal.

Finally Forbes came back to bed, but we both tossed and turned for the next two hours, not understanding the noise.

It was morning.  Somehow I found a sleep and now I hated getting out from under the covers.  Alas, time to start another day.  A very important day.  The day before GOTR registration.  Lots to do!  Forbes already left for work minutes before and I settled into the office to check emails.  The sound still emanated from its mysterious place, yet I focused on the emails trying to ignore it. 

That obviously wasn't easy, so I scoured the house for the source.  It must be quieted!

dun, Dun, DUN!  It was found!
Somebody left the iPod on the dock with it turned on last night.  No music was playing but the speakers were still sounding out a blank noise.  Yes, that would be the culprit.  Somebody is in big trouble mister!  Not really...I will forgive Forbes.  After all, he did cook me dinner last night, did the dishes and a load of laundry!  He's a pretty amazing guy!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Photos Tell The Story {Fern, Flavors from the Garden, Charlotte Restaurant Week}

Saturday stormed upon me.  It felt like Wednesday to me, yet Forbes was home from school and our day was wide-open!  We had a fun evening planned, and quickly made plans to make our afternoon just as fun!
Group Grocery Shopping!  Followed by lunch at Earthfare with some of our favorite people!
We had the pleasure of dining with Superwoman!
Oh, you didn't realize I had connections with Superwoman.  Yup, that's her, cradling sleeping twins, making this whole motherhood thing look easy-peasy! 
Lunch was good, but clearly the company was better.  For once, I forgot to snap a photo of the food and went all out on human pics instead!
Forbes and I had a date at Discovery Place.  I bought tickets to the Mummies exhibit on Living Social weeks ago.  We decided to combine Charlotte Restaurant Week and the exhibit into one big date night. 
Obviously that was a major fail.  Apparently reservations are required and we got the boot!
Blooper reel:
To brighten my spirits I dragged Forbes to Starbucks where a decaf soy cappuccino was awaiting.
And after a stroll in the rain and fog we headed to the nearest Barnes and Noble for some reading.  My choice were trashy gossip magazines and diet cookbooks...his was a bit more wholesome in the Christian Fiction section.
Alas, it was time for dinner and we hurried to our reservation.
The lighting was funky.  It made for great mood lighting, not great iPhone photography.  Bare with me.  This dinner was fabulous!  I have been wanting to try Fern for weeks, since its opening in Charlotte.  When Charlotte Restaurant Week came around I knew exactly where I wanted to go!
We dined with the beautiful Kelly and her husband Brad.  They are delightful company and we laughed and talked all evening!
The whole table started with a White Bean Bruschetta.  For everything else Forbes and I tried to order different so we could have a taste of everything.  However, not all their menu options are vegan (the entire restaurant is vegetarian) so we wound up both ordering the fritter appetizer.
The spicy green chutney added a kick to these Blue Hominy and Chickpea Fritters.  They were savory, crunchy and delicious!

Next up I ordered the Ragu which came loaded with mushrooms, tempeh, swiss chard and raddiccio layered over preserved lemon and olive oil smashed potatoes.  This was by far the highlight of my evening.  The flavor was savory and played on the tongue.  I couldn't get enough but stopped myself just shy of finishing the plate to save room for dessert.
Forbes ordered the Whole Wheat Linguini with house made sausage.  The sausage was wonderful and I stole more than a few bites from his plate.
I wasn't excited for the Chocolate Cupcake, but it was the only vegan dessert option...so I went with it.
And boy am I glad I did.  Once you pierced through the center of the cake a vegan mint custard was waiting to play with the chocolate flavors.  It was delightful.  
The evening was solid...great company, great food!  The service was nice and the atmosphere inside Fern is pleasant.  I will be excited to try this restaurant out again for their other menu offerings.
P.S. I love the fern wall behind us in this photo!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Vegan Lasagna Roll Ups

So I realize how long it has been since I posted a decent recipe.  Who am I kidding...since I posted any recipe at all.  Partially all my fault for being caught up in story telling, partially my fault for traveling so much I've rarely been seen in a kitchen!

Today's recipe, dare I say, was created long before even the holidays.  I scrolled through my photos to find these...and there is was, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, nestled in the middle of it all!
I put this recipe on our meal plan this week and it dawned on me it never even made it to my Recipage!  So at long last, here it is...my favorite meal of 2011!

Vegan Lasagna Roll Ups

by Tanya Kummerow
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)
  • 1 (13 ounce) package whole wheat lasagna noodles
  • 1 (15 ounce) package extra firm tofu, drained
  • juice from one lemon
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 cups pasta sauce
  • 1 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli
Instructions
Bring large pot of water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles until al dente, approximately 10-12 minutes. Drain noodles and set aside.
In food processor, or with a potato masher, crumble tofu until soft, but not until creamy or mushy. Stir in lemon juice and Italian seasonings.
Use 1/4 sauce to spread on the bottom of 9x12 glass casserole dish.
Scoop about 1/4 cup tofu filling onto end of one lasagna noodle and roll. Place in casserole dish.
Continue until all tofu filling and lasagna noodles are used.
Pour remaining pasta sauce on top and on the sides of the dish. Toss frozen broccoli on top and cover with foil.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until dish is heated through.
Powered by Recipage

If you wish (and Forbes always wishes) you can add a little Daiya Mozzarella cheese on top during the last 15 minutes of baking!
Enjoy!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Breakfast Win

I am shocked! How can it quite be 9am already?!  I am slacking this morning and I blame it all on Forbes!  Today is a teacher work day so he wasn't in a big hurry to get to school at his usual time.  Thus we took a little sleep-in.  It really should be all my fault honestly, as I am the one who made the suggestion!  However, I finally feel like I am caught up from our Florida trip! 

Yesterday was a whirlwind of meetings and appointments.  I had so many things to do immediately after returning from the Summit.  I felt very overwhelmed but plowed through the day.  The extra long hours yesterday more than made up for my late start today!

This morning I recycled an oldie but goodie breakfast and I wanted to share it with you once again, in case you missed it the first time.

Puffed Amaranth Cereal

by Tanya Kummerow
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Keywords: stovetop breakfast snack vegan gluten-free

Ingredients (1 serving)
  • 1/4c raw amaranth
  • toppings of choice
Instructions
Heat a large pot over med-high heat. Allow pot to fully heat up before popping.
When fully heated, add in 2T raw amaranth, cover with a lid and continuously slide the pot back and forth on the burner. If your heat is set correctly it should pop within 15-20sec. This burns very quickly so as soon as it looks all popped remove from burner and remove amaranth from pot. My first batch became a little too brown. After that I got the hang of it.
Empty popped amaranth to a bowl + repeat the process again.
Add in spices or fruit and nuts and pour in milk and eat just like cereal!
Powered by Recipage

Breakfast was filling and delicious...And sugar free!  I am having quite a hard time with my sugar-detox, and of course vacation isn't the easiest time to implement any type of dietary restrictions.  So yesterday I jumped back on track. 

Meals yesterday included Grape Nuts for breakfast, left-over stuffed acorn squash for lunch with soup and a large kale salad topped with a black bean burger Forbes made for dinner. 

In between meals I snacked on a Green Monster smoothie.  After dinner I felt the sudden urge for something sweet.  Although I wanted to fight the urge to snack after dinner I decided having a "healthier" snack would be better than caving and digging into the box of chocolates.  So I went with a slice of bread with almond butter.  It filled me up and gave me the creamy, sweet flavor I was craving.

It is important to remember that when ice cream and vegan brownies get in the way of our goals, not to throw in the towel.  Instead, wake up with a fresh start each day and try your best!  Life happens, and if we don't let it then we aren't really living!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Pace Setter Awards

Breakfast wasn't spectacular on Wednesday, but our view from our table certainly was!  I will definitely miss the beautiful views.
While breakfast wasn't a high for the day, pretty much everything else that occurred was! 

We started off in General Assembly with a big announcement of our Coach of the Year award.  It was an emotional and special time.  We cherish our coaches and volunteers so much at Girls on the Run!

Then came the Pace Setter awards.  These awards are given to councils for outstanding work in one of five areas including 5k Management.  I had submitted a management plan for Pace Setters months before and was anxious to hear the winners.  I had my hopes high; I put a lot of time and effort into my plan, and I put my heart and soul into our 5ks.  Several times I tried to talk myself slowly out of my high hopes, but they kept returning.  Eventually I allowed the flutter to stay.  Why dash my hopes before the announcement was even made?  It was a wonderful feeling knowing I had turned in a quality piece of work and I enjoyed having hope for this special award.

Finally it was time for the announcement.  They showed the runners-up and their submissions were outstanding.  My legs were bouncing a little under the table as I anxiously awaited the winner!
IREDELL AND ROWAN COUNTIES!  for 5k Management Pace Setter Award!
I was so excited and even shaking.  I managed to put on a cool and calm demeanor and walk to the front, hugging Molly and Liz before accepting my award.  I would have loved to give a Golden Globes-esque Thank You Speech, but alas walked quickly back to my chair!
I am so proud of the hard work we all do at Iredell and Rowan Counties and across the nation at Girls on the Run!  Some days it can be difficult work and especially working from home, it is easy to forget the passion and purpose behind this job.  Having a nice little reminder on the shelf that my work really does make a difference and doesn't go unnoticed is certainly special!
Molly gave her annual address before the Summit was over and we were dismissed.  Not long after we were on our way to the airport.  I was ready for lunch and we settled in at Chili's.
The chips and salsa and guac were my highlight. 
My salad was just "eh."  Iceberg lettuce and canned fruit topped with a black bean burger from the freezer doesn't exactly scream gourmet!
But we were in an airport and at a Chili's so I didn't complain (until now I guess) and hurriedly ate my meal.  I was hungry!

The rest of the day is history as they say it.  One flight and one drive home from Charlotte later and I was in the arms of my awaiting husband!  Leftovers and a night of television on the couch were in order and now I am back up and running.  No rest for the weary...it is time to get ready for Spring 2012 season and registration! 

Today is my Monday although it is your Thursday, but either way: HAVE A GREAT DAY!