27 Dresses anyone? Close, 27 thoughts on my birthday.

Today is my birthday.  I turn 27 today and as my dad would say, "27 years ago today, at 10:01 am, on a sunny Sunday morning, we got our little girl."  Sweet? Yes, but now that I'm 3 years away from 30...older is not always better.  I'm not dreading the 30's, but feel as if I don't have much to show for it.  I'm married, but no kids (and no, they aren't coming anytime soon). I've done a lot, but not everything I want to do in life.  So here is a list of 27 thoughts, quandries, things I wish I knew, or things on my bucket list in no particular order as we all celebrate the day of my birth.

1.  If you would have told me in high school that I would one day run 6 half marathons and 1 full marathon, I would have laughed in your face.
2.  My mom is a closer friend to me today than anyone else.
3.  Had I known my lame brothers would marry such awesome ladies, I may have been nicer to them growing up.=)  Nancy and Jessie are seriously two of my bestest friends.
4.  I want a black eye sometime in my life.  No reason.
5.  Blue is my favorite color
6.  Life goal - raise $10,000 for Cancer Research
7.  I used to want a boy first, then a girl.  Now, being around Baby Leah, I could go either way.
8.  Scooby Doo was/is my favorite cartoon character.
9.  If someone honks at me running, I purposely don't look at them, but secretly feel special ;)
10. In my second life, I would love to be a professional organizer.
11. I love watching tennis, but am terrible at playing it.
12. Flying scares me, but I love traveling!
13. I love listening to Christian music when I run - truly pumps me up.
14.  I'm digging one shoulder shirts and dresses.
15.  I'm going to try out boxing this summer.
16.  Hebrews and Romans are two of my favorite books in the Bible.  You should read them.
17.  My time at EIU were some of the greatest times I've ever had.
18.  9 more to go...wow, this is hard.
19.  I'm really into garage sale shopping recently, but am guilty of buying "good deals" when I don't really need it.
20.  I talk to God, Dad, and pray for others when I run.
21.  Dexter is a guilty pleasure show of mine.  It's so wrong, but so right on so many levels.
22.  If I could run for a living, I would totally do it.
23.  Wish I was back to being 23 =(
24.  The number 24 is my vb #, our anniversary date, and my bday.  Can anything get more perfect?!
25.  If I didn't have Nathan, I would still sleep with a stuffed animal.
26.  I will sit all day to watch an America's Next Top Model Marathon.
27.  Share your faith when possible.  You'll know when and where.

And there you have it.  My random, nothingness list of thoughts on my bday.  And okay, I stole my last one from my dad in a letter of advice to me before I went to college, but it's just plain good stuff, so I'm taking rights to it.  And it has rang true in my life on multiple occasions.

Hug your kids tonight!  Read them a book!  (more thoughts from Dad=)

A note on Father's Day

Today is Father's Day and a special day for Dad's everywhere.  It's a day for cards, gifts, grilling, food, phone calls, and get togethers.  This will be my 2nd Father's Day without my dad.  Dad used to love this day.  Basically any day where he was the center of attention, he didn't mind.  Dad was seriously like a kid when it came to birthdays, Christmas, and Father's Day.  He acted like it was no big deal, but he loved the gifts and thoughtfulness we put into him.  A few years ago, we got him a brick that was inscribed and placed around the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis.  When he opened it, he started to cry because he couldn't believe us kids and Mom had thought of him so much to do it.  Finding the brick that year was awesome and brought up those emotions from him again. 

My dad was an awesome man.  He was stubborn, impatient, and could get easily frustrated, but he was always fair, gave you the truth, and always gave love.  I miss him today, but not more than any other day.  Today celebrates him and the great things he did and how we remember him.  Now, I can thank God for two other great father's in my life: my brothers.  Ryan has 3 yr old Lincoln and this is my oldest brother Tim's first father's day to Leah, who is an absolute joy.  Both of them have little mechanisms of my dad, so it's like I get to see how we all grew up.  They are wonderful and truly special dads. 

In memory of my dad, hug your kids today and read them a book.  Tell them you love them. 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!! And now I leave you with a great picture of my dad....

We take the trips

Nathan and I just got back from a 6 day, 5 night stay in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.  What a place!  It was hot, hot, hot.  The sun beating down each day and let me tell you, if you ever go....don't look at weather reports.  They called for pouring down rain every day we were going to be there and there was barely any clouds in the sky.  And we got baked!  Literally, Nathan couldn't move for a few days from pain from his sunburn.  But it was all worth it.  The food, the drinks that kept coming, the beach, pool, sand, did I mention the food?!  It was awesome and we dreaded coming back.  Awesome-ist thing I did there - ran along the beach barefoot one morning around sunrise.  Incredible experience.  It's my goal to run every place I travel and so far, I have been successful, if you count the treadmills in Vegas.  =)

Here are a few pics from our fab trip...be jealous...jk

Frustrated

We haven't had air since Saturday.  Although we have 1 window unit air conditioner (loaned from a friend), I am dying to have it fixed.  So Monday we get the call that a guy will be here at 6:30 am today to fix it!  What?!  6:30?! In the summer?!  Needless to say, he comes, can't fix it.  Call the electrician only for him to come out this afternoon, switch a blown fuse and basically tell us the first yey-hoo didn't know what the heck he was doing.  So now, I'm missing my first night of Bible study to wait on this guy to come back for the 2nd time today sometime between 6-8.  Will he show?  Who knows, but I am frustrated because I have been at their mercy all day.  Bottom line, when (and if) he returns tonight, I will be Christ-like, offering him water for his long day, and overly nice for his work.  But I can be angry inside right?!  Wow, I ask a lot of questions of myself. 

Good/bad news - We leave for the Dominican Republic tomorrow!  Sandy beaches, free drinks, sun, sun, sun.  I can't wait to get baked.  Just hope my air works when I get back.  Another plus, the CMA's are on.  So that passes the time. 

Hope you're staying cool friends!  Cheers!!!

Beat the heat

Running Tip #3
How do you beat the heat during the summer months?  If you're a teacher, you have 3 months to run at any time during the day,  but not everyone has that luxury.  Here's what I do...

1.  If I'm not training, I slow down running to 2-3 days per week with 1 long run (around 60 min).  It's more of a maintenance phase, but it keeps you moving without killing you.

2.  Go WAY early or WAY late.  If you have the energy and zeal, get up at the butt crack of dawn (around 4:30 am) and run without the sun.  In Illinois, we're always going to have humidity so dream on about that one, but at least the sun won't be blazin then.  OR, go way late (around 8:00).  If you go any later, cars may not see you but again the sun will not be a factor.

3.  Take breaks.  If you don't run with water, and I don't, periodically stop and walk for a minute or two.  If you're like me, you'll think, "Why am I stopping at 20 minutes when I can easily run over an hour?"  Well, my friends, blame the heat and humidity. 

**Most importantly, don't be down on yourself if you can't do what you've always done one day.  You can still run and still run far.  Extenuating circumstances do play a part, as in, the heat! 

Here's to cooler runs!

Maybe you know what I'm talking about

Has this happened to you?  You're going through something, whether it's what major to pick, who to date/marry, or what job to apply for and you need advice.  Good advice that comes from someone you know, love, and trust.  Everyone has something to say it seems and you have tons of things, while all great, thrown at you. 

I've heard everything today.  The background is that I'm in my 4th year of teaching and I'm part time.  Small school, no money, and there you have it.  I love the kids, people I work with, and what I do.  And I'm good at it.  But I am part-time and will probably be part-time for a while unless the state of Illinois randomly figures out how important education is.  So today I went through all the self doubt of "Why am I not worth more to my school?,"  "Who is ever going to appreciate me?," and "What do I have to do to be full time?"  I got tons of advice from every which way today from teachers, my mom, and my husband.  But I needed 1 person's advice that I didn't get.  My dad's.

Maybe you know what I mean...is there one person that you go to for laundry advice?  Or maybe a relationship guru?  Or a different person for every circumstance that could possibly go on in your life.  For me, education was my dad's realm.  I don't know how he did it.  But he could say 2 words, and I'd believe it.  That's all it took.  Today, my mom gave great advice and so did my husband, but Dad is who I needed.  And the reality set in that he isn't here.  He's not here to see me grow in education, or try new jobs, and new coaching positions.  But I feel him.  I didn't get to talk to him today, but I heard him.  I know what he would have said.  "Kelli, do you have job?"  (Kelli: "well, yeah.")  "Than everything will work out.  You need to settle down a little bit."  Such simple words to my complicated state, and I would have had a much better day.  It's days like today that it hits me that he is gone.  I have pieces of him, but his physical being is not here.  Today, I needed my dad.  I need him every day quite frankly.  Maybe you know what I'm talking about.

Hug your kids today in memory of my dad =)