Three Things Thursday

~Streaking:  In my March rewind post from yesterday I forgot to look up and report on my current running streak.  I always keep in mind that I started on Memorial Day 2012, but other than calculating at the end of each month to post here I tend to forget about what day I'm on.  Everyone once in awhile I have a person ask me "how many days now?"  I can give them a good estimate, but am not really sure until I sit down and think about it.  A certain person asks me frequently and I recently realized I was getting close to day 300!  I should have celebrate here on my blog, but it fell on a weekend so I didn't get a chance to mention it at the time.  As of yesterday (I haven't run yet today) I have run 311 days in a row.  Barring any extreme circumstances I plan to continue the streak until day 365.  Then....I'm not 100% sure.  In theory I say I should let up and not be so strict about pushing myself on some days, but then again I really like accomplishing something that in many ways should be "impossible" for me to do.  We'll see.

~Race Schedule:  Last Saturday was suppose to start 5 weeks in a row of racing.  My plans changed and I ended up not going to a 5k I was looking forward to.  I did "race" the Jelly Bean virtual 10k, but that was more about getting the distance done than actually racing.  Now, I'm looking at the next 4 Saturdays of various race distances.  They are, in this order: Lincoln Presidential half marathon, Carl Sandburg College Charger Challenge (they offer a 2 & 4 mile race option.  I always go for the 2 since it takes me back to my high school cross country roots and it's the only 2 mile race I do), 5k for Life (new local race) & Christine Clinic Marathon (I am doing the I-Challenge which includes a 5k on Friday night and then the full marathon on Saturday morning).

I have a lot to look forward to this month!

~Mommy Matters:  I know this blog is all about running....yada yada, but it's also built around the fact that I am the mother to 6 children.  Anyone want to guess how old my oldest child is?  (No cheating if you already know this answer).  My oldest is 17 and will be 18 in 5 months.  Yes, I know (!!!!)  I don't look old enough to have a child that age.  Well, of course I must of had her when I was 10 myself *giggle*.  Trust me, I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that I am a few months away from my first adult child.  Aaaaaahhhhhhh! 

It threw me for a loop when she asked to go visit a friend in Ohio for spring break.  By herself.  Well, not completely, but with another girlfriend who is only a week younger than her.  My instinct....NO!!!!  Is she crazy?!?!?  OHIO?!??!  2 states and another time zone away?!?!?!  I still have anxiety thinking about it.  Surprisingly it was her daddy that gave me some great perspective on the matter.  She IS almost 18 he reminded me.  What?  She is?  No, no, no, no....she's like 15, right?  *siiiiiigh*

I'm not saying I want my kids to live at home forever.  They need to grow up and get out!  It's the circle of life, I get it.  I don't want her or any of my kids living in the basement while I still cook, clean and fold their laundry when they are 30.  Absolutely not.  I'm in no rush to get them gone either.  It's a tough balance, but even once they are "gone" I want them to stay close to my heart forever.  Which I know they always will be....once a momma, always a momma.  How old they are or where they live will never change that.

I'm so fortunate to have her home for another school year.  Her birthday held her back another year when starting school so she is a junior in school now.  I used to hate that idea, the child is so smart and was ready to start when she was 3, but had to wait until she was 6.  Now on the flip side I'm glad I'm not shipping her off to college this fall.  I have another year to prepare for graduation, which I suspect I will NEVER be ready for.  It's still another year to hang onto my baby girl. 

(Not the best picture, but the most recent one with my Angel.  It was taken in Florida right after she competed in the National Dance Competition with her high school squad)