current crush: neon

Blame it on the 80s kid in me (I was born in 87, that makes me an 80s kid, right?) but I am currently obsessed with neon and I couldn't be more excited that it is currently trending and showing up everywhere.

Neon shirts, neon oven mitts, neon scarves and neon nail polish. Bring on the neon.  How can you not love it?  It instantly reminds me of summer and it helps you look more tan than you already are.  

home.

Recently, I stumbled across this article.

Before I get too far this post, let me just say that for the record...I am not hating on traveling.   I think traveling is an incredible experience.  However, you can still grow and find yourself while your feet are firmly planted on the soil of your own country.  After all, it's where you live.  You might as well make the most of it.  

I haven't been on too many big trips.  I went to Costa Rica when I was in middle school.  It was incredible.  It was so neat so see a culture I hadn't experienced.  To see how people lived in a different country.  It was definitely eye opening.

I know several people that have had once in a lifetime opportunities that included foreign countries.  I think that is great.

As for me, I have grown the most right here in the United States of America.

I think of Wisconsin.  Where I was born and lived for only a few short years, but some of our dearest family friends are still there, and we visit them often.  I think of summer memories at our family cabin filled with friends and family.

I think of Minnesota.  Where I call home.  Where my parents live. Where I look forward to visiting on vacation.  I think of high school, and all of the fun and dumb times that came with it.  I think of friends who have come and gone and friends who have come and stayed.

I think of Idaho.  The home to my alma mater.  Endless classes and homework.  Opportunities to learn and grow.  The first time I really left home.

I think of Virginia.  Where I put my life on hold to go for 18 months to teach others about the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints.  I think of the people I met and loved.  I think of some of the greatest people I have ever met, and how you truly never know what people are going through.

I think of Utah.  Where I never imagined in my wildest dreams I would ever find myself living.  Yet I love it.  I think of some of the best people I have ever met and how fortunate I feel to call them friends.  I think of my first real job and learning how to budget and pay real bills.

I love this country, rich with culture and experience that I get to live in.

So when you travel, love every minute of it.  Grow and learn from it.  But don't sell your own country short.  We have so much to learn from where we call home.

ps.  two posts in one moth has happened since I don't even know when.

run a marathon. check.

Remember this post?

Maybe not.  That's ok.  I'll fill you in.

I've always dreamed of being a runner.

On May 24, 2011, I wrote down that I wanted to one day run a marathon.  I will admit that at the time I thought the goal was lofty, and let's be honest, that it would never happen.

At one point in time I decided I was actually going to get a handle on running.  I was going to do this.  I was going to be a runner.  I figured I'd probably still never run a marathon, but a girl can dream, right?

I am horribly embarrassed to say that when I first started running I could not even run one mile without stopping.  Literally (a word that should only be used with careful consideration).

Eventually, it got easier.  I ran a few 5ks, 10ks and eventually worked my way up to a half marathon.  Then another.  Take note: do not sign up for races when you are still on the high of your most current race.  Or maybe do, sometimes we can all benefit from a little bit of delusion.

After my second half marathon I thought "You know what, why not?". And that was that.  Before I could worry and over analyze too much I went right to the SLC Marathon website and registered.  I registered for a freaking marathon.  #twentysixpointtwomiles

I had immediate buyers remorse and a pit of impending doom was slowly beginning to form in my stomach.

But I paid for it.  I had well over four months to train.  So I found a twenty week training program and got to work.

My training wasn't perfect.  I had slow days and fast days.  I had days that I made time for my runs and long runs that were skipped. I had friends that dropped me off at the top of canyons and awaited my phone call in case something happened.

Race Eve came.  I picked up my packet.  Wanted to cry.   Signed the mural for the victims of Boston.   Carb loaded with a friend and didn't fall asleep until the wee hours of Race Day.  I got to the start line, still entirely unaware of what I was actually getting myself into.

The start signal sounded and we were off.

Salt Lake graced us with rain.  The.  Entire.  Time.

But you know what?

I finished.

I had two of my best friends in SLC waiting to greet me at the finish line.