She Runs By Faith

Disclaimer: I received SABRE Red® products  in exchange for my 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! I have been a solo runner ever since moving to this town five years ago and more than once I have received comments like "Your husband lets you run out in the dark?!"  Umm... yes. He  "lets me"?  While he doesn't exactly love me running in the dark, he does know it's the only chance I have to get out and he trusts me to run smart . (Plus he married me this way, knowing well of my independent streak ;) And I'm thankful he does trust me. For a while now I have been feeling like I  should  find pepper spray or some sort of defensive product to take with me on runs. Whether running in the dark or even in broad day light on desolate country roads, being a solo runner just isn't that safe anymore. Animals are my main concern here...

How much can change in 5.5 years, really?  Turns out, a lot. APR 2013 Almost 26-year-old me started this blog as a writing outlet to jot down thoughts about my faith, brand new motherhood, running. As a journaler since my elementary years, having a blog was only natural. I was on maternity leave with my one-month-old baby boy, who had arrived 5 weeks earlier than his due date. Hubs was finishing his degree, soon to graduate and celebrate our first wedding anniversary. I worked as a corporate graphic designer. Our house was small yet cozy, approximately the size of a two-bedroom apartment. That house fit our little family perfectly as we navigated a season of much newness. Flash forward to now, NOV 2018 Thriving in the 30's, I'm 31 years young. Considered old by some but still viewed as too young to know anything by many. Still writing, just from the perspective of a not-as-new mom that still loves Jesus and a good run. I do drink more coffee than I did 5 years...

I'm an avid note taker and journaler. Think piles of old journals, sticky notes, sketchbooks, notes in the margins, lists here, lists there. Recently I was introduced to a new way of note taking in the form of a reusable notebook and, honestly, I was skeptical. Could there be anything better than a traditional ole notebook? Enter the Rocketbook Everlast . How to Use This Smart Notebook The Everlast is a reusable "smart notebook" which enables you to take notes using a specific pen, the Pilot FriXion pens or markers. Prior to using my notebook, I downloaded the Rocketbook app on my iPhone. It was quick, painless and has very positive ratings in the App Store as well. After downloading, I went straight to business with the Pilot FriXion Clicker  (3-pack for $7 on Rocketbook.com) that Rocketbook sent me. As I mentioned earlier, Pilot FriXion pens and markers are the only writing utensils to be used on the Everlast and replacements and/or different styles ...

Disclaimer: I received a complementary entry into the Scooby Doo Virtual Run Series  in exchange for my 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! Without battling traffic while traveling for hours, paying outrageous amounts for a hotel stay or waking up at crazy early hours, we completed a race series. My dog, Saul, and I participated in the Scooby Doo Virtual Run Series from the comfort of our own small town and on our own schedule! This run series included the Doo Good 5k in September and the Scoobtober 5k/10k in October. We covered the miles at our own pace, which was perfect for our team as Saul is an elderly ole boy and I have been recovering from a hip flexor injury myself. For more on the Doo Good 5k, check out my post  here . This is a quick run down of our Scoobtober 10k experience: October in northern Minnesota started a tad...

Our oldest boy shared his dream with me this week.  " I want to play my guitar on a stage in front of a bunch of people someday, mom," he said as he strummed away. My heart felt so proud. Watching our boys' first steps and hearing their first words have been such precious milestones. Now hearing a dream take shape and be shared, that's something new. He's 5.5 years old now and sounding more like a young man now than the teeny tiny baby boy he once was. Hearing the dreams that God has placed on his heart makes my heart soar. My dreams, on the other hand, make me feel selfish. Should a mom, especially of littles, have dreams of her own? In so many ways, I am "living the dream" of loving my family and teaching/learning along side them. This life of learning is a dream of mine, and there's a few other dreams brewing as well. I read two key posts that gave me new insight into dreaming as a mom. One: Author Dani Pettrey's guest post (...