TGIF

 I am thankful that it's Friday.  I have pink-eye, thanks to my sweet Meredith bringing it home from school.  I'm ready for the weekend and for the text from Daddy that says he is on is way home from DIA.    I just finished up a haircut, and now I've promised myself that I am taking the rest of the day "off".  That is going to include reading a great book that I got from my sister for Valentine's Day, a nap, and a trip to Target where I am going to spend $20 on something that I do not need.  Just to make my itchy eyes feel better.  I will probably get my kids a little treat to thank them for putting up with their mama, who has been a tad cranky and a little preoccupied with herself this week (more than usual!).  They are so tolerant and patient with me; they are so understanding and give me so much grace for the times that I don't show up in the right places with the right words or the right heart.  For the rest of the day I will  put all that I didn't do correctly this week behind me, and spend the time hugging and snuggling and kissing.  I will ask them to forgive me for  my "human mommy" mistakes, and promise to try harder and to pray and smile more.  My kids are the best and are always generous in grace and mercy towards me.  What a gift they are and such a beautiful reminder of my Heavenly Father's heart towards me.   I love them so.

My swimming experience thus far

I have tackled a new thing.  Swimming.  In a pool of  water, with a bathing suit on, with a swimming cap and goggles: dorkville!  This may not seem unusual unless you knew that...

1. I am not a good swimmer - AT ALL.
2. I don't like to do things I know I am not good at.       
3.  I am a tad (alot) bit afraid of the water.
4. I do not look good in a bathing suit. 
5.  I do not like not looking good.
6.  I do not like immersing myself in water that is not hot.  like over 100 degrees. I seriously do not like it.

Seriously... on all counts.  #s 1-6.  Reasons that I do not swim. 

But...
Since my heel breaking incident in the fall, my foot is still not very strong and any exercise that I do that has impact on my heel,  hurts.  Very bad.  I can walk on the treadmill for about 15 minutes, do the elliptical for about 20, the bike for longer but it's sort of boring.  So my foot doctor told me that a good thing to do for exercise would be to swim.  I scoffed knowing what you now know about about me.  I don't swim.  My kids will tell you that I don't get into the pool unless someone that I gave birth to is drowning.  Thankfully that hasn't ever happened. 

About 6 weeks ago, I couldn't take the pain in my heel anymore but knew that I wanted to do some cardiovascular exercise.  The excuses were piling up on my backside. ( I'm sure it was those darn excuses  and not the cookies and cakes and desserts that I had over indulged in over the past 3 months.)  So, I decided to, well, pardon the pun... dive in.  I started to swim.  This meant that I was going to need a real bathing suit; (Isn't it always about the outfit for me?  Sigh... )I just knew that the ones that I use in the summer for sitting by the pool were not going to hold up if I was going to be at all serious about this undertaking.  After the sticker shock and the visual humiliation of swim-suit shopping in January, I grabbed my swim cap and goggles, took a deep breath and went to a part of the gym that I had not yet frequented.  I was quite happy to find out that the pool is purified with salt water and not chlorine and that the water is kept at an almost balmy 90 degrees.  My first trip into the water was still a little shocking, but with the water being that warm, I almost didn't mind.  I used a kick board for about 10 minutes straight and then decided to try a regular stroke.  I honestly didn't think that I was going to make it down one length of the pool.  The last 10 yards had me really wondering as I gasped for breath, my tired legs dragging me towards the pool bottom. But I did make it.  And the next time I went in the water, I swam 2 laps of the pool, but not back to back.  the time after that I did that 4 different times.  The more I have gone, the more laps of real swimming I have done.  Yesterday, I even swam full lengths of the pool one right after another.  What I have learned from my swimming experience is this...

1. Being in the water is somewhat therapeutic for my mind and body.
2. I can encounter and overcome my fears as well as ignore my insecurities.
3. I look forward to my swimming days because it is something new, and the challenge has really been something that I really needed.   
4. Some limitations are only there because I put them there.  

I realize that none of this is rocket science, but is pretty funny because swimming is just not something that I ever thought that I would do.  I have had to really get over a lot a lot in order to do this.  I'm just suprised at what the mental rewards have been for me.  I haven't really accomplished anything for a long time, and even though I'm not doing something that is outrageously important,  I am making myself say yes to something I've always said no to... for stupid reasons.  This has been a rather huge place of growth for me.  So... Yay me, if I may say so!!!  Clap, clap, clap.

Coloring

I wish I had a picture to go along with what I'm writing.  But, if I got up to take one, the moment would be ruined.  Michael is sitting near me, at the kitchen table, coloring a Batman picture.  His poke up hair, and Batman jammies complete this peaceful, happy scene.  He just told me that the picture is for Daddy.  My cutie pie has his tongue out, wiggling side to side on his sweet little mouth, concentrating very intently; every once in a while he pauses and puts his hands to his face, inspecting what he just finished.  With his approval,  and sometimes mine, he continues on.  At 4 years old, he is a very good colorer (is that a word?).  He stays in the lines and picks colors that go together perfectly.  This particular picture is VERY colorful.  Daddy's office will be nicely decorated with this picture.   I am blessed to be home with him at this very perfect moment.

(I snuck over and was able to get a couple of photos before he noticed and told me to stop)