April is National Poetry Month

If you had to go
Leave us, as in, leave leave.
My heart would utter a thunderous "no"
Salty tears would soften my cheeks
Yet I would try to understand

I wouldn't want you to hurt anymore
And I'd ask you to remember
That I've only wanted you to be happy
And cared for

I think you'd reassure me
Say something like
You know what the stars in the sky are for,
Right?
Well, they're there to say
We're shining for you

And while we can't be there
To do life anymore
To be a constant
To comfort you

While the sky is
The only place we can go on
It's up to you to make us proud
And do it right.

Do right.

We know you'll do right.

Poor Mr. Marley

***UPDATE as of April 20th***

Marley has a mass in his colon; let's pray it's benign. Colonoscopy in the a.m. and it will take a few days for the biopsy to come through. He gets to be home during that time, though! We got him a new bed and new toys! He deserves it after all he's been through.

Thank you for hearing me out during this. I don't care if people thing I'm silly. I just love my doggie!

******
Poor Mr. Marley. Our "baby" before Wilder. Just a doggie but God says he also cares about the sparrows and the lilies of the fields--all living things.

Marles hasn't been doing well. At all. He'll go to K-State to be in their special care--for an ultrasound to see if his intestines are clogged with a) poo b) an object (toy? bark?) or c) cancer. Please pray that Shawn and I have wisdom to do what is best for Marley, and also for our family, especially financially. We really hope surgery won't be needed.

Our behinds (thanks a lot for the butt shot, Shawn...) may not be beautiful to look at, but I'd give anything to be strollin' along with Marles right now.

Mommy to Wilder: my heart longs that you'll always know joy.

My baby is extraordinary, and growing so big! I may be bragging, but you'll forgive me. Won't you?

I just can't help myself!

He claps now; the sound may as well be heaven's songs in my ear!

Could the family resemblence be any more clear?

Brownie 'n Berries Dessert Pizza from BetTY CrockER

This is

As good as
it looks!

And it was a scrumptious (and ok, I felt like I was being healthy even though there was cream cheese and brownie at the bottom; oh and who cares if it overflowed the pan a leettle) treat for Shawn's birthday! Happy Birthday (as of the 16th), Sweet Stuff!

Click here for the recipe. Make, then deVOUR!

Where is my resolve?

****UPDATE!!****
While yesterday may have been a dud, today was success! I was up by 6:40am, in my gear and out the door by 7. I was disappointed when I came home, looked at the clock, and saw I was only gone 35 minutes! Time to get a watch! It was wonderful and I hope to get myself hooked. I ran one long stretch, walked for a bit, then ran another long stretch. I have no idea how far I went, though. Gotta figure that out.

Here's what my body had to say:

Lungs: uh, really?
Shins: will you please run on the grass?
Right knee: no!
Boobies: we're all right!
Ears: love the Madonna, but get some muffs! *brr*
Eyes: the river sure is purdy; we like watching the sky turn from grey to orange
Mind: this feels right; no distractions!
******

Original post:
Thanks for visiting my blog. Today I'm talking about fitness.

Does wrangling an 8 month old around count as exercise (a darling 8 month old, might I remind you)? Does scouring the tub and mopping the floors count? Because that's the extent to which I'm getting fitness in these days, ladies (and gentlemen? man? do any men read this blog?).

In my pre-baby days I was what some might classify as a gym rat. I miss those days when I was actually ok with wearing Victoria's Secret yoga pants with the fold-down part at the top--yeah, the clingy ones. Oh my...I found my IPOD shuffle last night, turned it on, and there was Madonna, oh, the tempo--my wonderful "you can do it" music. And I really, really, really miss the days of pushing my body.

So I sporadically made a perhaps too lofty goal to get up at 6:30 every weekday to go jogging. Yeah, I can do that. I'll set out my clothes the night before. I'll glide out of bed as a gazelle glides through the golden forest.

See? I set my clothes out! My new shoes, boobie girdle, pit-stain free t-shirt (I only have one):

So did I go jog today? Did I? Uh, embarrassingly, no (cracked my eyes open about 7:00am). Will I try again tomorrow? Absolutely. Baby steps. I can do it!

I will.