A tribute to women

March is Women’s History Month, so I thought it appropriate to pay tribute to all of the beautiful women in my life without whom I wouldn’t be me. Each of you has touched my life in a way that is profound yet subtle, constructive yet nurturing. Even though some of you have never met, together you have woven a web of love and support on which I rely every day.

My mom, Patty, from whom I have received the greatest gift, unconditional love.

My sister, Lori, who gives selflessly and tirelessly of herself to others in such a way I can only hope to do.

My grandmothers Emilie and Gladys, who have overcome so much adversity, and from whom I have learned to be strong and to never give up.

My friend, Heather, who knows me better than anyone…better than I know myself sometimes. In her presence I feel safe and secure.

My mother-in-law, Linda, who has been a rock for my husband, Sargent. Her sage advice is always welcome and has been instrumental in teaching us how to love and care for each other.

My grad school posse, Lauren, Natalie, Jenny Lynn, and Stacy. You come packaged as a group yet each of you brings something unique to our relationship. Whenever I need you, you come to me in a pack, magnifying your impact. You keep me real, keep me true to myself and true to my place on this earth.

My cousin, Anne, who keeps family close to home and close to my heart.

And the newest and timely addition to this web, Kellie. Her wit, humor, and wisdom have brought a new and welcome joy to my life.

There are many other women who have made a huge impact on my life. Please know that you have all helped shape the very essence of me. I hope that some day I can pay homage to you each and every one of you, even if it is a simple “thank you”.

If you are reading this, my wish is that you will take a moment to reflect on the women who have been influential in your life.

A bit rusty

I'm a bit rusty with this blog thing, as you can tell by the infrequency of my posts of late. To be honest, I really haven't felt like myself for a while. Not like myself physically, not like myself mentally as they are both closely aligned for me. It's like I got myself into a big rut with work, home life routine, running, etc. and couldn't get out. Funny how a change in routine, a change in environment can shake things up just enough to get you back on track. That's what happened for me anyway. A work trip to Florida was the catalyst I needed, not for the actual change, but to recognize I was in a rut and needed a change. I got a little sunshine, met a great new friend, and came back with some good ideas for work. All are energizing. So now I post.

The arrival of spring always seems to breathe new life into me. And although it is not here just yet, I am looking forward to the warmer months. Even though I grew up in South Dakota and weathered the winters in North Dakota in college, it's clear to me that I am not a cold weather person. I long to be outside in the yard, puttering in the garden, reading a good book on the patio, and hiking in the mountains, without having to dress in layers. When I say I "can't wait" for spring or summer, I feel like I'm wishing my life away. I'm certainly no spring chicken, as the aches in my body remind me daily. But I can't help to look forward to doing more of the things I love to do.

Today is a gorgeous day...near 70 and sunny. The next few days are supposed to follow suit. Tomorrow I'll be doing the "Runnin of the Green" with my friend Nancy. This is the first race for me since the Denver Marathon last October. Don't worry...I have NO expectations other than to finish (it's only 4 miles for pete's sake) so I won't be dissappointed. I signed up for the Colfax Half-Marathon on May 17th and so far training has been just ok. I look at my training plan and follow it some, but haven't been that serious about it yet. Hopefully I'll get into it soon.

In a couple of weeks I'll head to Fruita with Sargent and his friends for a few days good warm weather hiking. My friend Heather and Scout will be coming too, which will make it even better. I'll be vacationing much of the month of June...trip to Alaska, family visits. Sargent and I will ride the MS 150 on our tandem at the end of June. We hope to do one more overnight type trip on our tandem this summer as well.

I rented a 10x20 garden plot in the community gardens just down the street. That will give me more space to grow cucumbers, squash, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes. I'll still plant my herbs and a few other things in the planter boxes around the patio, but the larger veggies will have room to grow in the community plot. I'll do some more work on the front yard flower garden. Perhaps I can talk Sargent into finally letting me remove the ugly water wheel that doesn't work. I look forward to spending time with friends and family this summer, on the patio, grilling garden veggies, sipping wine...