We have some new "adoption friends" who are very close to having their little one home. They have just finished their first trip to Ethiopia for the court date. All went well and it is only a matter of time before they will be able to travel back to bring home their son. While in Ethiopia meeting sweet baby Valor for the first time, his dad wrote these words and he summed it up so beautifully that I wanted to share them here.
"You pray, prepare and imagine in your mind what the day will hold. After nearly twelve months and 10,000 miles, that moment finally played out. Today I met my son, Valor. We hugged... he smiled and I cried. It was beautiful. Simply beyond words. I've been journaling and promise to share the details of this special day with all of you who helped make it so. Tonight joy consumes, but words escape me. It's the middle of the night and I'm sitting in a hotel room half a world away, pouring over pictures that I instantly cherish. Smiling through the tears and soaking it all in. Along with promise, we've learned that the journey of adoption comes with all kinds of uncertainties. But today every fear fell silent with one sweet embrace. An orphan no more, our precious son forever... perfect providence.
Daddy loves you Valor."
To follow the rest of this journey, check out their blog:
http://www.hopelovevalor.com
1. The swim is scary at first. You won't be able to see more than a couple of inches in front of your face in the lake. There are flailing arms and feet everywhere and it is difficult to find space. Be prepared for that and if you can hang in there for 5 minutes or so, you will no longer feel like you are being drowned and it will start to open up. For those who aren't big fans of lake swimming (uh...me)...no worries. There are so many people and it is over so quickly...it really isn't bad at all.
2. Triathlon shorts are not flattering unless you are super fit (and I am not). They make your legs look like sausages and they are unkind to a mommy-tummy. I ended up wearing tri shorts made by Louis Garneau that had a higher waist and I really liked them...very comfy. Tri shorts have a small pad, rather than a big diaper like biking shorts. They are much more comfortable for running.
3. For a sprint triathlon, you will see ALL types of equipment...so don't be afraid. From $150 mountain bikes to $1,000 tri bikes...it will be a mixture of everything. It is a short race and unless you are a serious competitor, the shoes you are wearing, your helmet, etc. are not going to make a huge difference.
4. If you thought swim caps were not a flattering look for you when you were a kid...well...you can imagine how you will look in one now...almost three decades later...
5. If a course is said to be flat - it isn't...it will have more incline than you are expecting.
(The Lake Lanier course had rolling hills for the bike...no huge climbs, but the first 1/2 of the run was uphill.)
6. The race officials will write your age on the back of your calf. This is both good and bad. Good, when you run past a 25-year old...bad when a 60-something grandma passes you. Mostly, it is just humiliating because unless your age starts with a 2 or less...do you really want it written in Sharpie on the back of your leg?
7. Many tri jerseys have built-in bras. This will do nothing for you if you have any sort of chest (unless maybe your "girls" aren't real...no judgments here...just stating facts). I bought a jersey without a bra and wore two sports bras (yes...I always wear two bras when running). I was prepared for major chafing since the sports bras got wet during the swim, but with some Body Glide in the right places...I had no problems.
8. Plan for your transition time. It is easy to think you will move quickly, but it is amazing how those seconds become minutes tacked on to your final time.
9. Bike on the right unless you are passing...then pass quickly on the left (letting the other person know you are there) and move quickly back over to the right after you are a few lengths in front. It is amazing how many people don't know this and it can get dangerous.
10. Race your race. There will be a good mix of both "competers" and "completers." Don't look around and compare yourself to others. It is wonderful just to be involved - regardless of the outcome. In a sprint tri, you will see all types...from super-fit to supper-jiggly. If you are over 30 and have children, simply finishing one of these races is a great accomplishment. Just enjoy the experience and be proud of yourself!
"Hey! I'm not an orphan anymore, but lots of kids still are...147 million of them. Check out my cool t-shirt too! You can buy one at http://www.promise686.org and all of the proceeds go to grants to help adopting and fostering families. Please spend some time today praying for children in America and all over the world who need families."
You will not see a lot of recipes on this blog. I struggle in the kitchen, so there is no use pretending that I know what I'm doing. However, I'm always looking for ways to get more (organic) veggies into my kids. So if I find something that works, I'll post it. They really don't love any type of cooked vegetable and my best success usually comes by just putting out raw veggies and some hummus or a healthy dressing for dipping. However, this recipe is one that they will eat...and Kale is an important super-food, but it has a bit of a "bite," so sometimes it is a difficult one to convince kids to try. I saw Kale Chips at the grocery store the other day...a 2 oz. bag for $7...this is a much less expensive option.
-Preheat oven to 300 degrees
-Wash kale (be sure to dry completely)
-Break the leaves into bit size pieces (no stems)
-Spread pieces onto cookie sheet
-Spray with an olive oil spritzer to very lightly coat (you could also put them in a bowl and toss if you don't have a mister...I try to avoid cooking sprays due to the propellants they contain)...you want some oil, but they very easily get soggy so be careful
-Sprinkle with sea salt (you could season however you like...I enjoy adding a little cayenne pepper or something spicy...but this doesn't work well for the kiddos)
-Bake 10-15 minutes, turn the pan around and go for another 10 minutes or so
Enjoy!
