October 15, 2009

I missed the exact date and now I am 6 days off, but we have now officially lived in NC for 5 years! We moved here when Levi was 8.5 months old and Bruce was 4.5. I can't believe how fast this time has seemed to fly by. On the other hand I can't believe how much we have been through or done in this time too! I try to tell the boys that they are from Joplin just like me, but all they know or remember is from Fayetteville. I feel like Matt and I have grown a lot too since moving here! Not in height (a little in weight), but mostly as Christians and in our marriage and maturity.


Levi started walking, talking and growing here!  Bruce started school, learned to ride a bike and has started to mature here. We have gotten our first family pet (Bella) since living here and we have lived in 2 houses. Matt got his first truck here. He went to Haiti and Iraq (although he had already been there before) and got promoted to E7 since living here. I volunteered in the PTA, FRG, at church and more in the past 5 years. I went from barely going to walmart or the mall and now I can actually navigate all over the town, and if you know me well you know I am good with directions and it is a big deal for me! I got to see the mountains and the ocean for the first time, and other times after that! We have traveled back to Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and even Oklahoma since living here too and I feel very experienced with traveling due to the very long trips that we have made! We have had a variety of visitors here too. We have had winters with no snow and 80 degrees on Christmas and a few with a couple inches or so. We had 1 winter with an ice storm and this past winter we had a few snow "storms". We have had 100 days of over 100 degrees or more in the summer and no rain, which was the first few summers we lived here! We have picked Matt up and dropped him off at midnight or around there several times. We have said see you later and welcome back several times, which sometimes was for weeks, months or even close to a year. We have met so many people here, some that we still talk to and some that we have lost touch with. We miss our families and the get togethers they have, along with reunions, weddings, birthday parties, holidays and more.


I could keep writing everything we have experienced here, but I will not! I just wanted to get a few things down that have happened in the past 5 years! Who knows how much longer we have left to live here, but we will enjoy our time here and the times that we get to be together.

13.1 miles

Around May 21st I joined a gym. I can't remember the exact date, but I know it was right around there. I knew when I joined that I was going to attempt to run a half-marathon. I had no prior running experiences except for a mile here or there on our old treadmill. When I was a kid I usually got out of running in gym class because I had asthma. It wasn't that I didn't like to run, it was just that I really couldn't breath when I did. Anyway, back to May. I couldn't run a mile. I could barely run a .25 of a mile after a week. I eventually was able to run a mile without stopping and I felt like I would never be able to make 13.1 miles. Here is a look back at the highlights of what I did when I started up to now.


May 28-     I ran 2.04 miles in 30:41.
June 2-       I ran 2.00 miles in 26:23.
June 4 -      I ran 2.01 miles in 23:56.
June 24-     I ran 2.17 miles in 21:55.
July 17-      I ran 3.20 miles in 37:46.
July 19-      I ran 4.51 miles in 52:51.
July Total- 51.94 miles
Aug 2-       I ran 5.05 miles in 57:34.
Aug 30-     I ran 6.01 miles in 1:21:30.
August Total- 68.56 miles
Sept 6-       I ran 6.56 miles in 1:32:41.
Sept 11-     I ran 3.50 miles in 41:12.
Sept 12-     I ran 5.18 miles in 1:11:29.
Sept 18-     I ran 9.49 miles in 2:09:00.
Sept 25-     I ran 12.02 miles in 2:53:03 in the rain!
September Total- 87.22 miles
Oct 4-        I ran 5.01 miles in 58:05.
Oct 16-      I ran 5.00 miles in 59:21.
Oct 19-      I ran 13.17 miles in 2:55:52 (but the official race time was 3:01:25).


I did it! I ran 13.1 miles yesterday! If you had asked me in the beginning of May if I thought I would ever run a half-marathon I would have said that was a crazy question and probably not! I had a few injuries, nothing big, but a few minor things that halted progress. I can now proudly say that I have ran 281.9 miles (at least that I have tracked) since May! I want to run a 10k, a 10 miler and another half-marathon in the next 6 months or so! I will see if I can accomplish my goal of doing my next half in 2 hours and 40 minutes!


I am proud of Matt too! He also ran his first half-marathon yesterday and did it in 1:58! He wants to run more too, but he still hates running! Ha.


So, today in the Kruse house we are hobbling, limping and groaning every time we must get up, but we feel accomplished! I couldn't have done it without God, Matt and Betsey! My father-in-law helped too by making the Nike running app a competition in a way! Prayer, music, strength training, friends, family and running, running and more running made it possible!

September is one of those...

I have a lot of favorites. I am one of those people that say that I "love" or "like" everything. On the other hand, I also say I don't like or can't stand a lot of things too... Apparently I am very complicated and I, unfortunately for a lot of people, share my opinions like I need to in order to breathe! With that said, I have no intentions to quit sharing my opinions (unless you ask me nicely not to)!


Let me start with some things I like that are on the top of my head. I like headbands, listening to music and singing any chance I can get, dancing with the music too despite the fact that I can't actually dance. I like cooking and baking, organization, re-watching the same TV shows over and over again, cracking jokes and sarcasm (tasteful sarcasm though). I like spending time with my husband, holding his hand, when he kisses me on the forehead and snuggling. I like calling the boys random names I make up (like Bruce-a-licious and Leaver Beaver) and seeing them grow into nice young men. I like to check the mail and getting phone calls and texts. I really like going to church and putting dresses on. I like the fall and the winter and the spring. I like snow and colorful leaves, flowers blooming and rain. I like to drink coffee just for fun, helping other people and being around friends.




Wow, I didn't realize that my short list would be that long! I could probably write for hours and hours about all of my random likes. I did forget the months of the year I like... January, February, March, May, June, September, November and December. And, it isn't like I don't like April, July, August or October, it is just that I have different reasons for loving the other months!


September.... Colorful leaves, the start of fall, sweatshirts, football, boots, cardigans, pumpkin smells, cinnamon, baking bread and more! Fall is just the cherry on top of the last part of the year and the last part is my favorite!

Get to know me!

I don't write in my blog everyday, but I would if I prioritized my time better! However, if you do read this I wanted to change it up and do a get to know me post that I pulled off of the internet somewhere! It is mostly for fun, but if you didn't know me too well maybe after this you will know me better! :)




1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? 
I was not named after a specific person, but I was named after a character in a book.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? 
Wednesday...

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? 
Sometimes. I guess it depends on the day and the writing utensil.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
I like ham and turkey both!

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 
2 boys

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? 
Yes.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? 
Hmmm, I think of sarcasm as a second language and I am fluent in it!


8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? 
No!

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
 Maybe, but I would rather skydive.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? 
Special K with chocolate

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? 
It depends on the shoe, but most of the time I don't.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? 
It depends on the content!

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? 
 I usually don't care for ice cream, but if I crave it once in a while then I like peppermint ice cream from Braums (which we don't have of those around here)!

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? 
Hair and the color they are wearing.

15. RED OR PINK? 
I love pink, but I don't mind red either.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? 
My word vomit ability and the fact that I ramble and don't shut up.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? 
I can't pick one. I can say that I miss all family in MO, AR, IA, KS, OK and more. And I miss Emily, Leslie, Leslie and more.

18. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?
1 puppy dog, Bella.

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Currently I am not wearing any!

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
A strawberry nutrigrain bar.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The TV on something random.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? 
blue violet

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Peach, coffee, fresh cut grass and anything related to fall and winter.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My husband.

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
Mountain hideaway for sure.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? 
Football, NFL and college.

27. HAIR COLOR?
Dark brown

28. EYE COLOR?
Hazel. They change from greyish to green to a tan like color. It depends on my mood, clothing color and the light.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, I love my glasses and embrace my inner nerd!

30. FAVORITE FOOD? 
Cheese.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? 
I don't watch scary movies, so happy endings.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? 
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? 
Light teal.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter!

35. HUGS OR KISSES? 
Kisses from my husband and hugs from everyone else! I love both!

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? 
Tastefully simple pound cake of any flavor. I also love no bake cookies.

37. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
Cardio!

38. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Computer or tablet.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? 
The Bible.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
I don't have a mouse pad.

42. FAVORITE SOUND? 
Laughter.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? 
I can't choose!

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
If you count from where I was born (MO) then I would say Pennsylvania, but if you count from where I live (NC) then I would say Iowa.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? 
I soak up random information and my memory is pretty exceptional most of the time.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? 
Joplin, MO

47. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
NC

48. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?
I will just say that the door is red!

49. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?
Silver

50. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 50 QUESTIONS?
I don't mind it!

100 Miles

I started running almost 12 weeks ago. When I started running I could not do it for more than a minute and I felt like I wasn't going to make it! I was nervous and freaking out to myself about not being able to run 13.1 miles in October. I started trying to run further, thanks to gentle pushing er encouragement from Betsey and Matt! I finally could run a 1/4 of a mile without walking after a few weeks, then a 1/2 a mile and then I was up to 1 mile without walking! I was so happy, but at the same time I thought that I couldn't make it for a half marathon still. I was discouraged and I felt like this was something to keep to myself at first. I didn't want to pray about it because I felt like God had bigger things to help people with and that something like meeting a personal running goal was a selfish thing to pray about. I did finally pray though. I didn't pray to get better at running, I didn't pray to make me the best runner, I prayed that God would help me get through my run that day. I think it was 2 miles or something, but I kept having a hard time completing my run each day. I realized that I don't ask God for help very often, well, I mean for help for myself. I feel like some things are too small to bother Him with, but when I trust God with everything in my life I realize that things go much better.


Philippians 4:13
 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.


Well, today I ran 2.5 miles, which was my run for today! It wasn't a significant amount by itself, but it allowed me to hit 100 miles since I started! I have a Nike watch for running and today when I was done my watch told me "Wow, great job" "You reached 100 miles". I was surprised because I haven't been paying attention to how many total miles. I have also ran 5 miles in 57 minutes (which was my longest run). I know that there is still work to do, but I feel like this is an accomplishable goal now!




I wanted to share because maybe someone else is struggling with something too.

Never Say Never

I have never been an athletic person... ever! I played T ball in kindergarten and had to participate in gym, does that count? I didn't think so. So yes, I have never ever been athletic. I played a game of yard volleyball here or there, played some mean tether ball with my cousins at our grandparents house and may have climbed a tree or two. I have never played team sports competitively, I have never taken up running or weight lifting and I never cared to be. I am almost as klutzy as it gets... I walk into walls while I am looking at them to make sure I don't walk into them and I stub my toes a lot. I have jammed every finger and regularly peel my fingers while in the kitchen, yes, with a peeler. I sprained my wrist while reenacting Ice Age when I was 17, sprained my hand this past winter by slipping on the ice when I was trying to get into the truck and I broke my leg when I was 13 while getting on the bus! See, I am almost as klutzy as it gets, I am pretty sure it could be much worse or at least a tiny worse.

Okay, back to the point. I was never athletic and this year for some reason (maybe because my husband was coaching) I played ladies softball (church league). I wasn't great, or even good for that matter, but I played! It was hard for me to do, to stay in the whole game each week, but I did it! I also got a gym membership about 6 weeks ago. I was scared and nervous because I know I am not athletic, but I was determined to run a half marathon once my friend put that thought in my head. I am still not completely sure I will be able to run 13.1 miles without walking, but I am finally believing that it is at least a possibility. Last week I ran a total of 10 miles. I did 3 in one day with no walking! Yesterday I ran 1.5 miles in just under 18 minutes and today every treadmill was taken so I decided to get on the elliptical. At first I wanted to stop at 18 minutes, and I almost did. I then talked myself into going for the 30 minutes that it was already set for! I even put it at level 7, which I had previously only got at level 3 for any length of time. My ending time today was 49 minutes and 2.9 miles on the elliptical. I was drenched in sweat and my legs were numb feeling, but I did it. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that yesterday was leg day? ;)

It may be a small thing, but I am proud that I have started this journey and have kept it up! Now I get to run 3 miles tomorrow without walking again... I can do it maybe definitely!

Mother's Day

As a kid I remember the mother/daughter banquets at church that we had on the Friday night before mother's day every year. The men gathered together and "cooked" the meal and served the women and children while the mother's sat together and ate and fellow shipped and we waited for door prizes.
Throughout my childhood my mom was a single mother sometimes and other times she was married, either way my grandma or another family member would help me get her a present. There was a big emphasis on Mother's day and how I should celebrate how amazing she was because she gave birth to me, raised me/was raising me and just in general how great she was. Those are more her words and thoughts than mine, but that is how I thought of the day. I went to the banquets and I even sang or said a poem a few times. I got her a card, or made her one and I celebrated Mother's day every year.
It wasn't until I became a mom that I started to really get that Mother's day was one day I could be celebrated or I could celebrate the mom's in my life, but it wasn't necessary to have one specific day to do that when we should thank our mothers and care about them daily. Same goes for my thoughts on Father's day and Thanksgiving too. I love the mom's in mine and my families lives and I am glad to get them a card (and present when I remember on time) and call them and see them when possible, but I hope that they feel loved  always.

Moving on to the mother's in our lives.

My mom, Susan. She had me when she was 24 and was single. We moved when I was 5, to Carl Junction, where I lived until I was 18 and she still lives there. She taught me how to be independent, how to stand up for myself and how to argue! She helped to make my arguing skills even better when she made, er, forced me to sign up for debate my freshmen year of HS. She is the reason I count down the days to my birthday and other holidays (and she still does as my whole family knows). We argue and fight and people think we are rude to each other, not that we aren't, but we have our own way of talking and communicating, which usually involves me talking, her interrupting and then me trying to get her attention. Without her I would be a different person than I am today. She wasn't perfect and still isn't (despite what she says), but she always will be my mom. I learned from her mistakes, do things a little different than she did and I do have things about my childhood that I would change, but she isn't perfect, none of us are, and she did what she could do. All in all I love her.

Matt's mom, Lori aka Lolli. Obviously I love her and I am so grateful for her because she is the reason that my husband, her son, is in this world. Without her, there would be no Matthew (well, our Matthew). She is a beautiful woman and I am so blessed to be apart of her family. She raised Matt (along with his dad of course) and made him the man that I fell in love with. Matt can cook, do laundry, sweep and do the household chores, although he chooses not to, and he lets me know his mom is the reason why he can do those things. They lived all over the place because they were a military family also. I look up to her and know that she has our backs. We love when they come and visit or we go and visit them. She has taught me new ways to cook, among other things! The love that she shows our family is so deep and I hope that I can one day be half of the mother in law to my future daughters in law that she has been to me! 

 My grandma, who was always like a second mom to me! She was there for me when I needed somebody and sometimes when my own mom couldn't be or wasn't there. She helped me make my valentines boxes for school, spoiled me with Velveeta mac and cheese and always had gum in her purse! I talk to her so much now and still consider her as one of my closest family members.

My Aunt Sharon. I was in family pictures with her kids, I am the one who made her an aunt and she was always there for me. I stayed with her while my mom needed someone to help take care of me, and I lived with her when I needed a place to stay when I was 19. I am so grateful for her and always remember everything she did for me, including being the girl scout leader!

My Aunt Shirley. I remember getting french fries with her, for some reason that sticks out! I also remember her telling me like it was, when I was mouthy she would let me know. She bought me a dictionary, coached me in tball and always shared her pepsi with me! When you were neighbors with your family you get chance to get close with all of them!

My Aunt Sandra. She let me stay with them in the summer one year and that was really great! She also moved to Kansas before I was fully grown and moved myself, so I remember taking trips to her house and camping on her lawn! I remember her being the funny and cooler aunt (sorry aunt Sharon and aunt Shirley, you guys weren't too bad yourselves either).





Lacey, my sister in law, Matt's sister. I am so blessed to have Lacey in my life as another example of a great mother. Although she isn't a mother to me personally, she is a mother and one that I am proud to know! She is raising our two nephews and is the aunt to our 2 boys! We don't live by each other, but the times that our families get to spend together are always great!






I also want to mention Matt, Bruce and Levi. They aren't not mother's, but they are the reason that I am a mother! Without these 3 I wouldn't be me. Bruce and Levi are great boys (even when they are misbehaving) and Matt is a great husband who does so much for us!




I also wanted to add that I am incredibly blessed with so many great moms in my life. My friends, Matt's aunts and grandma's, cousins of mine who are now Mom's too and mother's of my friends. I couldn't name everyone by name because I didn't want to leave anyone out or forget anybody, so just know that if you are a mom and I know you, I am thankful for you too!


HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY EVERYONE!