She Runs By Faith

Disclaimer: I received free entry to Grandma's Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews! Back in the elementary school days, my best friend talked about her parents running "Grandma's Marathon". Being a youngin' with little knowledge of running, I pictured them traveling to visit their super ripped runner Grandma and then running a marathon with her. Like she must have her own marathon. Whatever distance that was, I wasn't sure. Years later, I learned that Grandma's Marathon is indeed a running race and they may even have a Grandma there to take pictures with. Not my Grandma, but someone's Grandma! Started back in 1977 along the scenic North Shore of Minnesota, the Grandma's Marathon is now listed as one of the Top 50 Marathons to Do Across America  and around 9,000 runners participate. Like I said, it's a pretty big de...

Disclaimer: I received Luvo Healthy Meals  to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador) and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews! Our littlest one is one month old this week and the past two weeks have been crazy. Not the typical newborn crazy but the 101.5°F fever-not sleeping-mastitis-give-me-antibiotics-now sort of crazy. Uff... He is a sweet, easy going baby but that infection has made this my toughest postpartum recovery to date! Now here we are, cuddled up and I'm on the mend. I haven't ran a stride since 39 weeks pregnant (except emergency running after 2-year-old once) and that's just fine. The goal now is to fully recover and take care of my family. Running will come back one of these weeks! How does a household keep rolling when mom is sick? Thankfully my husband is amazing and he has been doing the dishes and putting the bigger boys to bed... while I went to bed at like 8 pm. ...

Disclaimer: I received Knuckle Lights COLORS  and coloring book to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador) and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews! To quickly update you, our third baby was born 2 weeks and 4 days ago! We had another boy and couldn't be happier :) Baby is doing well and, besides being sleep deprived, the postpartum recovery is going really well for me. Big brothers (and daddy) are very proud, too! You can read Baby C's homebirth story here . ................... My physical activity in postpartum recovery week #2 has been lugging the three kids around on our first adventures out of the house, going up and down stairs and getting back into the swing of "normal" life (whatever that is). Walking and Kegel exercises are the name of the game for now. Sadly, I won't be able to take baby out for walks until the weather warms up... maybe in April?! Sneaking outside befo...

Our third baby was born on Wednesday, November 8th — his due date — and, yes, we had our third BOY! We named him Curtis, or "C" as I will call him on the blog. The week started off like this. Very much still pregnant, and besides a week+ of on and off pre-labor contractions, there really wasn't much action. With our older children being born early (E at 35w, W at 38w), it was a huge blessing to make it to the full 40 with our third. The bouts of pre-labor contractions had been happening daily since 38 weeks, so I'm really not sure where to start this birth story! Strong Braxton Hicks contractions (but not painful) would pick up in the afternoon/evening, only to fizzle out overnight. The on and off contractions were a bit discouraging but in hindsight I'm convinced they were making progress of some sort. In the couple days prior to baby's birth, the pre-labor contractions  stopped and it seemed like any signs of baby's arrival had stalled out (henc...

Disclaimer: I received the BOCO Gear Visor & Hat to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador) and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews! Runners spend a lot of time out in the elements. That's a given! To spare my skin from sun damage and the weather elements (and sometimes to cover up my messy hair), I wear hats - a lot. Which is great because I tend to be forgetful when it comes to sunscreen, especially when the weather cools off. As a BibRave Pro, I received the custom designed BOCO 360° Visor® and Endurance Hat from BOCO Gear. These hats are LIGHT, the colors are BRIGHT and the designs POP! BOCO Gear , the new leader in performance gear for endurance athletes, offers fully customizable technical headwear and accessories for brands, teams or events. Their gear is designed for and tested by top athletes. I have browsed through many of their designs on the BOCO Gear website and Fac...

Disclaimer: I received Health Warrior Chia Bars and coloring book to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador) and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews! HUNGER. It's one of the many similarities between growing a baby and training for a marathon. Pregnancy is basically a marathon with a 9 to 10 month training plan and I like to view the months and weeks as exactly that: a training period for the growth, labor, delivery and postpartum care of a new life. My "Late Pregnancy Workout": 2 miles of .25 mile walk/.25 mile run intervals Fueling is an important aspect of training and one that can easily get neglected! The pregnancy myth is "now you can eat whatever you want" and marathoners can fall into the same trap due to the high amount of calories burnt through all those training miles. While I could certainly use a caramel roll or some plain Lays potato chips right now, it'...

Here we are. Baby has made it to the homestretch! As of 37 weeks, we're cleared to have a homebirth but baby may be cooking for a while longer. It's funny how each one has such a unique way about them - from conception and on! The older boys were born at 35 weeks and 38 weeks but I really feel clueless as to what this one has planned. I'm trying not to worry about the logistics of it all. What to do with the kids when labor really gets rolling (maybe they could sleep right through like the last birth?), what week will baby be born, will labor be a sprint or a marathon. Worrying doesn't help anything and really just steals the time we have here and now so I'm praying for God's peace whenever worry strikes me. One day at a time. That's how these weeks will go down. Seek God in everything and He will make it all fall into place. "I want to live life one day at a time, to live each day to the fullest measure of the grace I am given." Sally ...