Not at all like riding a bike....

I had this brilliant idea yesterday.  A former classmate posted a link to the North Shore Inline Marathon and I started to think about the possibility of doing it.  It seemed like a very real possibility to me because I used to roller blade around 10 miles a day when I was in college.  I would head on over to the Paul Bunyan Trail and park at the south end of the lake and then go all the way to the end of the trail and back.  I wasn't doing it for speed, or to see how far I could go, I just did it as a release and to enjoy my surroundings.  I loved it and looked forward to every opportunity I had to get out there. 

I took Monday off of work to have a "Tammy Day".  I planned a day to only do things for myself, which hasn't been done in at least four years.  I didn't completely succeed, I had to sort through some of Oskar's clothes and do some laundry, but that was about it.  I had a good day.  In the morning, I dragged my beloved K2 Flight 76's out of the basement and decided to head on over to the Gateway Trail to skate myself into oblivion....or at least that was what I had planned in my head. 

What actually happened was somewhat embarrassing, but I laughed about it.  I got to the parking lot, got my skates on, gave myself a good pep talk, stood up and started to head toward the trail.  Over the 50 feet or so that it took to get from my vehicle to the trail, I almost fell about 3 times...needless to say, rollerblading is not like riding a bike, it doesn't come right back to you, at least it didn't for me.  So I turned my big bad rollerblading self right back around to my car and waved the white flag of surrender.  I took off my roller blades, headed back home, and decided to spend the day shopping instead.  (I had some great finds at Savers, I love that place!)

I'm not completely throwing in the towel on that idea quite yet, I just need to get some protective gear and find a smoother surface to slowly get my body re-associated with life on wheels.  I'll re-evaluate once (or if) that happens.  I realized once I got home that I don't think I've actually used my roller blades since 2004/2005.  It didn't seem like that long ago, but my life is just flying by.

Other quick updates:

James and I had a great weekend.  We had a night away for my cousin's wedding and his birthday.  A big thank you to Jodi for doing Parent's Day and to the Grandmas for watching the kiddos overnight. 

The wedding was lovely.  The priest that did the ceremony laid it all out on the table and very properly defined what a Biblical marriage should look like.  He talked about how marriage isn't about love and being happy, it is a covenant, a promise to each other and to God that you are going to be with each other through it all and make your spouse the most important person in the world.  It is supposed to be a representation of the relationship that Christ has with The Church.  He basically laid out Ephesians 5:23-32 and did a phenomenal job.  It was probably the best officiating of a wedding I've ever attended in terms of actually making it about marriage.  So, thank you, Father Doyle, for delivering a fantastic wedding message.   

On Sunday morning we went for a four mile hike at Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park.  It was very hilly and we both donated about a pint of blood to the MN mosquito population, but it was well worth it.  I think we're going to have to try to hike hills each weekend, because it was amazing how much stronger my legs felt on my run today. 

We took a leisurely drive home through Northfield and Farmington and then went for a walk at Lake Phalen when we got back into St. Paul before we headed home.  It was just such a beautiful day, we wanted to spend as much time outside as possible before James had to get home and get some sleep before heading back to work on Sunday night. 

For the photo lovers, here is a "before" picture and a "now" picture.  I am by no means a finished project, but James and I have both lost weight between these photos and I thought I'd celebrate how far we've come (I'm down 65 pounds and he's probably down 100 or so from this point) rather than how far we have to go.  He, by the way, is kicking my behind in this whole venture.  He's doing an amazing job and I don't do a very good job of telling him because somewhere in my sick and twisted mind I feel like it is a competition and I'm a bit bitter about the fact that he is running faster/farther and loosing more weight than me.  So that might make me the worst wife ever, but I am aware of it and asking God to help me stop thinking that way.

Before (my highest weight, I'm not sure about James)  July, 2007 at my sister's wedding

This weekend

It is kind of hard to tell I guess when I look at these, at least on me, but progress is being made!

I had a good run tonight and I think I'll be back to where I was before I got sick on my next run.  I think I could have been there tonight, but I didn't have any water with me so I didn't want to push it.  

Thanks for reading!