"You Got This MOM!"

"You Got This MOM!"  Those were the words I heard from my youngest daughter, Molly, as I was exhausted from the unseasonable heat in Chicago Sunday at the Shamrock Shuffle.

She will never know just how much that meant to me or how much it encouraged me!

She believed in me...

I had done the training...I had put in the miles...I had put in the time...

For some reason I was doubting myself.  I needed someone to believe in me, only I didn't know that until I heard her voice say those words to me from behind me. 

Molly ran with me the entire way...either a few steps behind me or a few steps ahead of me to help pick up my pace.  Continually looking over her shoulder to find me.  It was of great encouragement and comfort to know she was there.

When you run, the temperature feels 20 degrees warmer than it actually is after about 20 minutes.  It was about 73 degrees when we started the 8K (about 5 miles)...that translates to about 93 degrees.  It was roughly 88 when we finished...about 108!!!  I was HOT!  I was tired...and on top of that my injured knee was killing me!!  Only I was NOT about to let that stop me.  Especially after I heard my little girl say, "you got this, MOM!".  I had to do it now.  I ran the entire way.  No walking!  NO REGRETS! Thank you, Molly!  I learn so much from you each day.  This day was no exception.

John "the Penguin" Bingham has been a great resource.  My Marathon runner friend, Linda Anderson, recommended his articles (even sent me one before my first 5K) and one of his books.  It is his quote that reminds me of how far I have come.  "The miracle is not that I finished.  The miracle is that I had the courage to start!".

Recently I saw this video.  It brought tears to my eyes.  I am an Olympic fanatic.  I love the competition, I love the spirit, I love the stories, I love the success's.  I am inspired by the dedication, talent, commitment, courage and strength - in victory and defeat.  See if this doesn't move you, too.

Find the courage to start...

"you can do this."

Coming Soon!! I Promise!

New Post Coming Soon!!!

Taste of Heaven

There are some relationships in life that pass the test of time, distance and age. 

Kathy is one of those friends.

How wonderful it was to be able to share accomplishments together like

 doing something neither one of us thought we could do!



and even better to cheer her on and celebrate!

Spending time, making memories, sharing from the heart....transparency in the struggle, hurts, difficulties, pain and also the wonderful love and provision from our Father,

who's Grace comes in the form of friendships right when you need it...

That was this weekend for me!

Staying up late and talking, and talking and talking......

It was the icing on the cake when her kids threw their arms around me...

hugged me and cried when I left. 

 I miss them on a daily basis. 

They are in my heart just like their mommy. 

I miss you guys! 

Thank you Scott and Elliott - our two wonderful husbands that supported this girls' weekend and took care of things so we could connect.  You guys ROCK! 

18 Years Ago Today I was Blessed Beyond Imagination!

ANNOUNCING!!!!!

Bailey Dawn Freemire

2/11/1993

8 pounds 12 ounces!

23.5 inches long!

After only 4 months of marriage we were thrilled to discover that we were about to become parents!  I was sick...I mean, really sick!  At first it was due to my HCG levels being extremely elevated.  I was pregnant with twins, but early on I lost one of them.  Did I mention I was sick?  I was so sick that my organs started to shut down...I ended up with a week stay in the hospital the day after my youngest sister, Amy, was married. I ended up spending the next 9 months throwing up...nothing seemed to help. So I spent my time planning the delivery.....

Like most expectant type A, control freak, soon to be moms, I had the birth all planned out!  I would be completely ready, have the bags packed, and go in after a nice shower.  I would deliver with soft music playing and NO DRUGS!  I would feel refreshed, beautiful and rejuvinated....HA!

However, my due date came.....and went....and went into the next month!  I was due January 29th....My Dr. told me my body just wasn't ready to give up the baby....WHAT???!!!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME??  MY BODY WAS SO READY TO GIVE UP THIS BABY!

So, after almost being 2 weeks late and a few non-stress tests later, I entered the hospital on February 7th to be induced. I spent 3 days on Pitocin!  After the 3rd day, my very patient Dr. sat on the end of my bed and very gently told me that enough was enough.  I could either have an epidural in the morning or a C-section.  But one way or another, I was going to deliver on the 11th...

That night, my baby thought it would be a good idea, that even though the pitocin was turned off for the night, she was NOT about to let me sleep and began contractions!  UGH, really?  why couldn't she have done this earlier...like two weeks earlier?  All through the night I had the back and leg labor AND Scott falling asleep on my STOMACH in between contractions...so much for the Norman Rockwell picture I had so painstakinly painted over the last 10 months!

So, in the morning,...I chose the epidural...and ya...about that....I have a curvature in my spine and that made the process of the epidural difficult.  OH!  did I mention that on the Pitocin that I had ALL back and leg labor?  YEP!  So, they tell me to sit hunched over (riiiight - a VERY pregnant woman hunched?) OH, and they tell me not to move....HAVE THEY EVER HAD BACK AND LEG LABOR???...likely NOT!

Scott was holding me from the front and could see over my back to see what they were doing...or not doing....and how much this epidural was, as they now say, an EPIC FAIL!  They kept whispering something about a "false resistance".  It took three different needles, my husband calling for someone to "take his wife" cuz he was about to pass out from watching the proceedure, and a nurse yelling, "this is why I don't want dad's 'helping' me do my job!"  They finally got the dang thing in and boy did I feel better....

You'd think things would improve, right?  NOPE...By the time my body was ready to start letting me push, I had to push for 2 1/2 hours!  AND they wanted to use forecepts to help get the head unstuck...by that time I had had enough...I pushed without contractions and pushed and PUSHED cuz I saw those forecepts...NO WAY were THOSE THINGS gonna be used on MY BODY!

FINALLY! 

My precious girl!

All through the night, when Scott wasn't sleeping on my stomach, he would sing to me.  One song he sang was the old Hymn, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness".  I was so tired, I was so discouraged, I was at my end.  I kept hearing, "morning by morning, new mercies I see.  All I have needed, thy Hand hath provided.  Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me."  After 4 days of labor, I needed His mercies morning by morning...All that I needed His hand DID provide.  He was faithful... So, because every morning His mercies are new...DAWN was her middle name.  Bailey came from two places.  Scott loved the name from the old TV show, WKRP in Cincinnati and it was his mother's maiden name...so Bailey Dawn was our daughter....

Bailey is a strong girl, she used to hang back and watch before trying anything...now she just jumps right in!  She is beautiful, smart, funny, talented and wise beyond her years.   She has friendships that have lasted her whole life...She is faithful and true.  She has been a wonderful older sister by example.  She has a way of facing adversity head on with beautiful strength, courage and beauty.  She finds humor around every corner.  She is not one to be jealous of others, but rejoices in other's sucess and blessings. 

Bailey, I love you so much.  You were such a gift from God and continue to be.  You are about to embark on your next phase of your life.  You are called to be a nurse.  I am confident you will be a wonderful nurse...that's how you are wired up...to care for others, to use your strength, experience and compassion to minister to others.  I am so proud of you!  I love you!

Now some pictures of her life....

Happy Birthday, Bailey!!!

Not So Good at This....

I'm not so good at this Blog thing. 

I think about doing it.......  

I have ideas.........I take some pictures.......

 and then...

 life happens.....

and I live the life instead of writing about it. 

 It's so much easier for me to post pictures on Facebook. 

I can whip right through that. 

This takes time.....

and thought....

and sometimes I don't have either.....

AND

sometimes I get really frustrated at the process....

and

really disappointed in how it turns out

But,

I'll

 keep

 trying..

until

no one

comes around

 to check out my blog...

Packed and Packers

What a packed weekend!  I left early Friday morning for the Youth Winter Retreat that I direct for churches from Northern/Central Ill, Chicago Metro area, Indiana and Iowa!  Teens were scheduled to arrive at around 6 and the rest of the weekend was sure to fly by.  Informative Sessions with our speaker, a great band, The Least of These and fun with Bob was all in the schedule as well as time for Broom Ball, Tubing, Wall Climbing, games, and all kinds of shenanigans with reunited friends and new friends were in the schedule!

The camp we use sure looks different in the winter...it was the coldest weekend of the winter so far with temps around -7 and wind chills near -30.  That wouldn't stop the fun!

    

Games played around a table....



Great time spent in singing and worship!



 

 Eat the napkin race!!!

 

 

Fun and games....

More games...more fun...lots of memories!

Memories with friends.....



time with my girls

 







In 7 months these same chairs will be occupied with students in shorts, swim suit and tank tops....but the smiles, the fun, and the same great fellowship and learning will be there!  Summer's Best Week!!! 

So after a fast and furious weekend with 110 students I headed home to watch the Bears/Packers Game.  Although it was not the outcome I had hoped and even prayed for, it was a good enough game. The game, for the Conference Championship was like a Superbowl for those who are Bears or Packers fans.  We will never play in the Superbowl - so this is it.  We have the longest running rivalry and it is heated!  In the end the Packers won.  We went through 3 Quarterbacks.  Our third string QB, Hanie, did outstanding.  Just too little too late.  At the end of the day I am still a Bears Fan, I still enjoyed the season, I still love watching football...but, my hope is not in the Bears...My hope is a firm foundation....  My ONLY hope rests in Christ. 

Go Blackhawks and Go Bulls and Go Cubs!

 Molly Adore Freemire

1-18-1996

Born 11:56 PM

20.5 "

8.2 pounds

     On January 18th, 1996 my precious Molly Adore was born.  She was an incredible gift to me and continues to bless me, stretch me, challenge me and make me smile...

     Molly's middle name is special to me.  You see, my deliveries of babies are hard...really hard.  Molly was a three (3) day labor.  She was induced.  I went into the hospital on Tuesday. She was born on Thursday at 11:56PM.

    After the 2nd day of labor on Pitocin and all back and leg labor I was discoraged.  I cried out to God for mercy.  I asked a nurse who she would trust for an epideral..you see I had two previous epiderals that went horribly with my first two daughters.  I held out until that anesthesiologist got on duty.
     As the Dr. was doing the epidural I began to sing "Father, I adore You, lay my life before you...how I love you...." I realized I was holding on to things in my life that I wasn't trusting God for...things like my independance, self-sufficiency, pride...things I needed to turn over to HIM!  I pictured myself approaching the Throne and laying those things at His feet.  I substituted these words in the song.  My heart was lighter, I was forgiven, I was before my Heavenly Father....He was giving me the strength I needed.  He WAS my strength.  I ADORE HIM!....ADORE....that song holds so much meaning for me...I used ADORE as her middle name.  I am reminded everytime I look at my beautiful Molly Adore of His love for me and that I need to continually lay my life before HIM and trust HIM.





Molly came home with me...she got Jaundice - a really bad case...She was put under lights - here she is all hooked up to the lights..she was so small she was in a Longaberger Basket all snuggled up.

 
 Molly - 3 yrs old and full of life, love, joy and personality!!  That only increased as she grew...

Molly Adore -

brave, adventuresome, stubborn, sure and strong...sometimes it gets her into trouble...

Molly Adore

She has a servant's heart and cheers for the underdog...here she was serving Tea to us.  She happened to have a REALLY BAD CASE OF CHICKEN POX!!  She was such a trouper through that.  When she felt relief, like here, she was up and enjoying life!

Molly - always ready for a good time and adventure had no fear in so many things....She loved hanging out with daddy and being COOL was her middle name!

My Inspiration and reason I started running!



Our goofy kid!

  



Our Beautiful Baby Girl



Our Crazy out of the box thinker 



Determined and not afraid to face fears                              



She brings joy, love, laughter to my life and is my HERO!

My Birthday Boy

David Scott Freemire

January 15, 1962

He came from humble beginnings.

I hear he was an easy going baby and kid...guess that's where our kids got it from....



Scott and his dad - age 8



How handsome is this guy in High School!!



Scott with his winning ribbon for Horse Rodeo Riding!!



                                                       

. 



My Man before I met him....



This is the man I fell in love with...he rose above the hardship of many things in his life.  He has seen hard things in his life, been through the fire and rose above it all.  He is known by all who know him as a gentle, wise, compassionate man.  A man who is fair.  A man who listens.  A man who loves to ride his Motorcycle, fish, camp, read, fix things, and build things out of nothing.  He is a self taught man.  He is a genius and one of the smartest men I know.  A man who would rather repair something than replace it.  He has a heart of gold and would give his last penny to help someone else before he would keep it for himself.  If you know him, you are blessed.  I know I am....

Scott with his favorite Uncle Mike and his Dad