Gardening Fun & Gardening Beauties

Last night Savannah's Girl Scout troop worked on their gardening badge at the David Davis mansion. One of the activities they did was to make a fairy garden.

We have had two hydrangea plants for a long time but one of them never bloomed until this year. It's a beautiful mix of purple and pinks. Our other is a gorgeous blue.

The kids took advantage of the sunny weather, pleasant temps, and empty garden spots in the front yard to create their own gardens. Savannah will focus on flowers and Andrew will focus on veggies and herbs.

Half Marathon

Today I started officially training for the half marathon that our community is hosting at the end of September.  Who would have ever thought?!?! After years of power walking, last summer I decided to give running a try once again when I wanted to do some competing but all the races around here focused on running as far as times, places, etc were concerned.  Our church was sponsoring a 5k to help raise funds for orphans which I thought would be a good cause for my first race.  I still wasn't sure, but when I saw someone on Facebook had posted a workout running time not too much faster than my walking time, I thought maybe I could do this.  Then a friend suggested trying the run/walk method.  I found Jeff Galloway's website on run/walking and became hooked.  Jeff Galloway is a former Olympian who promotes injury free running.  I have been doing a 5:1 minute run:walk ratio the past year.  However, based upon the training program for the half marathon and my average  speed, it's suggested to do a 3:1 minute ratio.  I wasn't quite sure about dropping down to that this morning when I started out this morning, but I felt great!  Still felt like I got a good run in and wasn't huffing and puffing at the end of my 3.5 mile run (huffing and puffing at the end of a run is a no-no).  The hardest part for me will be not running everyday.  My mind says that in order to be able to do this, I need to run every day and take a day off once a week.  However, Jeff's program, and many others, strongly suggest alternating days between running and cross training and even taking a day off so that your muscles can recover properly.  So well see how that goes! Check back - I'll keep you posted on how the training is going. 

So I finally decided to do it. Was the last one in my family to do it.  After a couple of years of thinking about it, I did it. What is "it"? Starting my own blog.  We'll see how it goes.  There are times when I get so busy, I don't even check my emails on a regular basis, so I know there will be times when this will not be updated on a regular basis. I will try my best to keep it somewhat current.


It took some thought - okay, a lot of thought - to come up with what I think is just the right title for me.  I wanted something to positively reflect who I am.  You see there's a lot of roles I fill throughout the day.  First, I am a child of God - loved and treasured beyond measure. Second, I am a wife to a terrific husband, Mark, who I have been happily married to for 14 years. Third, I am mom to our two blessings - Andrew and Savannah. Fourth, I am a teacher to about 10-15 college students per semester (these students often become my "kids" as well).  I am also a runner,  a scrapbooker,  a stamper, etc.  All these roles intermingle and ebb in and out throughout the day, week, month and year. Thus, I didn't want a title to define or limit me to one role.  So who am I - I am ME (to close family members, I actually sign my letters and emails with this salutation). That explains the "me" in the title. The rest of the title may not seem positive but actually it is.  As I read the blogs of other people, the blogs seem to focus on a extraordinary talent or gift that person has such as photography, cooking, scrapbooking, etc.  Even though I like to do lots of things, I am not extraordinary at any of them.  I like to take pictures, but my hubby is the extraordinary photographer in the family.  I like to scrapbook, but my friends are the extraordinary design team at a local scrapbook store. I like to teach, but my colleagues are the extraordinary award-winning teachers. I like to cook, but my uncles are the extraordinary chefs in the family.  And at age 46 1/2, I realize that being "ordinary" is okay. Actually, it's more than okay, it's how God designed me.  It's how He designed most of us.  Sure, the Bible has it's fair share of extraordinary people (see Hebrews 11 for a quick summary of those extraordinary people), but mostly God used ordinary people to fulfill His purpose.  The disciples? Ordinary fishermen from Galilee.  Ruth? Ordinary daughter-in-law who obeyed. Lydia? An ordinary tentmaker.  You see just ordinary people doing their ordinary things, but doing it with purpose - serving God.  That's me - an ordinary person doing my ordinary things with a purpose - serving God.  I may not always get it right, but that's what grace is for. So, that's the meaning behind the title - me being me - "just ordinary me."


So what will I post on this blog? The ordinary things I do day in and day out (or week in and week out, month in and month out).  Maybe they will make you laugh, maybe they will make you cry, maybe they will make you feel you can relate in someway to the ordinariness of life.