I am a Runner

I've always had admiration for people who are 'runners.'  I got running shoes for Christmas 2009 and I decided to give running a try.  In January I started running with Suzy every day.  And I hated it.  Suzy ran a half-marathon last October, and she was thinking about doing another one.  She asked me if I would train with her and run the half in August.  After much deliberation I decided that I could probably be in shape to run 13 miles by August, so I agreed.  Then she changed her mind; there was a half-marathon in Provo that she wanted to run.  It was in May.  And I had already agreed to run with her.  I was stuck.

For the last four months we have been training.  Suzy is a pretty good coach, and we did a good job of sticking to our running schedule, although sometimes running had to take a back seat to school or work.  Yesterday was the big event.  I was so nervous. The day was cloudy and chilly.  Right as the cannon shot signaled the beginning of the race it started to rain.  It rained pretty much the whole time, except for when it was snowing. 

Around mile 10 I was looking around at the people Suzy and I were running near and feeling so impressed by all of them.  Then I had the realization:  I am a runner.  Yesterday I ran 13.1 miles without stopping.  I didn't go fast--it took a little over two hours for me to finish the race.  But I ran the whole way.  That makes me a runner.  And I am so proud of myself.

Before...

Eating a power bar/trying not to freeze to death!

Starting...

Almost finished!

After!

With some family and friends that came to watch

Melissa's Summer Reading List

I love summer because I get a chance to read.  I live approximately three blocks from the Provo City Library and attend a university that boasts one of the largest libraries in the nation.  With such an overabundance of material, this is the list of books I have compiled to read this summer:

1. How to Win Friends and Influence People

2. Oliver Twist

3. North and South

4. Man’s Search for Meaning

5. The Importance of Being Earnest

6. Walden

7. The Thirteenth Tale

8. The Hunt for Red October

9. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

10. The Miracle of Forgiveness

Missionary Handshake

This morning I checked my email and found that Paul's Aunt Diane had sent me a couple of pictures she took of the two of us before his mission.  This particular picture is of Paul and me exchanging a handshake as a joke.  I loved meeting his Aunt Diane and Uncle Tom and their family.  They are wonderful people!

Relief Society Enrichment

Last night I hosted a Relief Society enrichment meeting.  Every semester the guys in our ward have a 'Sister Appreciation Day' where they come around and bring a plate of goodies and take out the trash or something.  It was time the girls reciprocated.  Last night the girls in my relief society got together to bake all the guys in the ward brownies to wish them good luck on their finals.

We filled them with yummy things like swirls of fudge, pecans, and chocolate and butterscotch chips.  They looked good and smelled even better.  Then we put them on plates with nice little notes and delivered them around the ward.

Oh yeah...and we may or may not have added some methylene blue to the batter.  Enjoy boys!

So Much to be Grateful For

As the semester winds down, things start to get really busy.  It's so easy for me to get overwhelmed at this time and forget about the good things in my life.  Because I LOVE lists, here is [yet another] list of things I am grateful for:

*My job. I really love it...and the awesome ladies I work with.

*My family. My dad and Haley came to Provo today to watch a BYU softball game with Suzy and me. It was so fun to see them.

*My classes (even organic chemistry...) Although they are the primary cause of stress in my life, they are also one of the greatest sources of pleasure. I love my major and I love the learning environment at BYU.

*The flowers sitting on my kitchen table. I love flowers so much!

*Warm weather. I think I maybe even got a little bit sunburned today :)

*Good friends. This week my friend Caitlin got hit by a car (don't worry, she's alright.) It reminded me how grateful I am for my friends. It also reminded me that I need to be a good friend.

*My healthy body. Or maybe just my body in general, because even if I'm feeling sick, my body is still the most amazing and miraculous thing I can think of. If you don't believe me, you should read this and this.  Even if you do believe me, you should read those talks anyway.

*The light at the end of the tunnel.  Even though I am grateful for my classes, I am also grateful that next Thursday is coming...the day that I won't be able to do homework even if I want to!

There are so many good things in my life.  I could never list them all, but I thought listing a few would be a good start.