A Heavy Heart

I was presented with an idea yesterday that disturbed me to no end.  So, when I got to work this morning I decided to do some research.  Through a page on facebook I discovered the possibility that the Susan G. Komen foundation supports Planned Parenthood.

With all the research I did today I have discovered this to be a fact.  The Susan G. Komen foundation claims that they audit Planned Parenthood twice a year to make sure that the grant money they give them is used strictly for breast heath education.  But, in my book, if you support Planned Parenthood you support abortion!

I have discovered that 75% of the $2300 I have raised so far is used for breast cancer research but the other 25% is used to support Susan G. Komen's affiliates, such as Planned Parenthood.  I have committed to do this walk so I'm going to do it.  But, when November 7th is finished I will no longer support the Susan G. Komen foundation in any way.

God is Good!

God never ceases to amaze me!  He is so faithful even when I am not!  Right now, as I sit here and type this blog I am only $67.17 away from my goal of $2300 for the 3-Day!  I can't wait to see how far above and beyond my goal God takes me.

I'm meeting with my team mate....the Front Yard Flamingos in the morning.  It has been a long time since we were all together.  It will be good to see those girls.

Vivian and I are still planning on doing a "Bowling for the Cause" or maybe even a "Family Fun for the Cause."  We are still in the process of selling raffle tickets for the afghan too.  Everyone that I've talked to has said there is nothing wrong with using some of the money that is raised, after I reach my goal, to purchase the gear I'm going to need for the 3-Day.  I can't believe that the walk is only 2 months away!

Things May Be Looking Up

I had an appointment today with a podiatrist by the name of Kelly Walker.  She was a very nice lady and confirmed what I have suspected for a couple of weeks now.  I have neuromas in both feet.  That is to say that there are nerves in both of my feet that are swollen and enlarged that get pinch and rubbed between bone and tissue that causes the pain and numbness I feel when I'm on my long training walks.

I have not walked in about a month because I knew it would be painful.  My sister finally convinced me that I needed to see the doctor.  Dr. Walker put orthodics in my tennis shoes with an added pat to raise the ball of my foot slightly to relieve pressure on the nerve.  She also prescribed an anti inflammatory to be taken every day.  I was also sent home with instructions on contrast soaking and some toe exercises to help make my toes more flexible!!  I have to go back and see her in 3 weeks to see how everything is doing.

I can't wait to get back out there and continue my training.  The 3-Day is in a very short 71 days!

A Break in the Heat!

Kelli, the kids and I left for Colorado on July 27th around 6:30pm.  Our plan was to drive through the night so the kids would sleep.  It was a good plan but boy were Kelli and I both zonked when we got to her parent's house in Monte Vista.

We had a really great visit and the weather was just lusciously cool.  However, I don't remember being as homesick as I was this trip except maybe when I first arrived in Germany when I was 19 years old! It is a strange feeling to be in a house with great people, people that you love and feel totally alone.

We took Justin and Jasmine to the Rodeo while we were there...that makes two rodeos for us within the short time of two weeks!  It was lots of fun but the best part was the parade that Emily marched in with the high school band.  Bianca also rode her horse in the parade too.  It reminded me of when I was in high school and in marching band and "doing" parades.

It rained in the afternoon almost every day that we were there and it got almost cold when the rain rolled in!  One of my favorite things to do was to sit out on the back porch in the swing and just soak in the coolness and the view of the mountains in the distance. 

It is wonderful to visit different place around the country but it is always and for ever will be wonderful to come home!

Getting ready for a long journey!

A belated bithday party for Justin and Jasmine!

Emily in the parade

Bianca in the parade

The view from the swing on the back porch

afternoon rain is a comin!

sink baths and brushing teeth time

riding the 4 wheeler with Bianca

On the road again...going home!

Family Photo Walk!

Deon and Karah love to take pictures!  This being said I love my family and I love to spend time with them so when Deon suggested that we all do the photo walk last weekend I was all for it.  The only thing that could have possibly made it more fun was if William and Amy could have joined us too!

We met about 24 other people downtown on the square in Waxahachie at 7am on Saturday and spent 3 hours shooting photos of everything you can imagine!  It was a lot of fun.  Deon took almost 400 pics, Karah took over 400 pics and I even took a little over 200 pics!!!  At the end of the walk we all met at the 1879 Chisholm Trail Restaurant for breakfast, it was very yummy!  There we shared our pics an were instructed to upload our 5 favorite shots we took to be voted on.    Here are my 5 favorite ones that I took...

Problem Solved!

My new shoes were better this morning on my walk than they were on Saturday.  I had them tied too tightly and I was cutting the circulation off in my feet.  That is why my toe were hurting so badly!  However, I noticed a new problem today, not a serious one but a problem none the less.  My heels were sliding around and if I had gone more than the scheduled 3 miles this morning I'm sure I would have had blisters on the bottoms of my heels.  Ouch!  I have to go home this afternoon and see how the "heel lock" is done with the shoe strings of my other pair of shoes and lace these up like that too.  That will allow me to loosen up my shoes so my toes don't fall off while keeping my heel from sliding around in my shoes.

Traded One Problem for Another!

I tried out my new shoes this morning on my 4 mile training walk (it was a very easy training week this week) and found that I traded one problem for another.  The bottoms of my feet did not sting from the socks digging into my feet but my toes hurt.  I am not sure why my toes were hurting as they were not hitting the toe of my shoe.  I'm perplexed!  I will just give it more time and see what happens. 

As I mentioned earlier, this was an easy training week...3 miles on Monday, 2 miles on Tuesday, 5 miles on Wednesday, 1 mile on Thursday, off on Friday and 4 miles on Saturday.  I decided to try something different this week and walk on Tuesday and Thursday too and take Friday off.  I won't be able to do that this coming week because the mileage is much longer on Friday and I won't be able to divide the mileage between Tuesday and Thursday due to time constraints!!  So the schedule this week is 3 miles on Monday, 5 miles on Wednesday, 8 miles on Friday and 6 miles on Saturday.