Being a Mom

My babies, 13 years ago:

Today:

This morning, it was BNI.

Then a chiropractic adjustment.

Thank you, Dr. Carr!

Then a two-hour drive to Phoenix, which had to include a stop to find replacement TOMS for Parry.

(since Giup ate her other pair.)

I stopped at ASU to drop off bins for Abbie, then headed to SpoFit for my tour.

It's amazing.  I am humbled and privileged to workout there in a few weeks.

Back to Manzy one last time to pick up my newly-a-college-sophomore daughter.

Our drive home took three hours, as we had to stop a few places, and got caught in early rush hour.  She's moving into her own apartment on Saturday; my broken hand prevents me from helping.  Instead we'll shop tomorrow, picking up the necessary odds and ends.  It's a new chapter I've looked forward to for years.

Abbie was a very difficult child, but a fairly easy teenager.  She has, however, wanted to be on her own since she was 15 months old.  It took her 18 more years, but here she is-embarking on adulthood.  I couldn't be more thrilled.

I don't crave the baby days, which I enjoyed thoroughly despite being a young widow.  I certainly wouldn't wish her demanding childhood on myself again; we made it through once only by the grace of God and a horse named Sam.

Century Oak Scimitar with his mistress.

So I'm supposed to pine for the past days of motherhood, wringing my hands that my baby has grown. 

I don't think so.

I like having a grown up daughter.  For one, she's much more fun.  

For another, she's in love with a boy.  And I am loving having a daughter who is in love.  For the first time, I am hearing her share her beliefs on love and marriage...and they match mine.  Why, you'd think she learned them at home from her still-married parents.

Will wonders ever cease?

Tomorrow, I'm letting the younger two play hooky from school to hang out with their sister.

Why ever not?

I think Nastee Dogs will be on the agenda.

Whining, injured, hurting...but not quitting.

Troy is a fantastic health coach.

So optimistic, isn't he?

I had to challenge his assertion. 

And in the end I reluctantly agreed I didn't regret it as I could eat my "skinny piggy" without guilt.  Not that I feel guilt, but hey.  Without the King begrudging me every bite.

The Prince of Athletics of the Central Highland, my son Charlton (aka Lad) with a Carolina Nastee Dog, bacon dill potato salad and a Mexican coke (made with sugar!)

Let's start off by saying my hand was sore, and my shoulder has a nerve pinch from hell resting in it.

Apparently I am not as strong as I'd like, since I whined a lot yesterday.

https://www.facebook.com/katie.cornelius/posts/10205076509085871

In six days, I lost my cardio ability to hike that dang mountain without stopping.

AND FITNESS FREAKS WONDER WHY PEOPLE QUIT.

Seriously?  I broke my hand.  Surgery was in question.  I chose to "be wise" and PROTECT MY HAND.

The King and I just had an extensive argument about this.  He insists that I did not lose my cardio ability.  I insist I did (I was there, I know I did.). He claims I didn't.

Just in case it's not clear...

Finally, he asks if I slept yesterday.  No, I was up at 3:30am and never fell back to sleep.  Was my body knitting a bone back together?  Yes.  Was my shoulder in pain?  Most assuredly yes.  Therefore, was my physical abilities compromised?  Yes, again.

Oh.

So the King informs me I didn't lose anything (look David, that's twice!) cardio-wise.  My individual performance that day was compromised by physical (and psychological) factors.  In other words, I had a bad day.

Score:  King, 1.  Katie, 0.

Sigh.

The moral of the story?  Don't break your hand.  Or get a pinched nerve in your shoulder.

I'm not quitting.

I finally downloaded "Warrior's Apprentice" last night, and fell asleep reading it (hence the lack of blog-first one I've missed.) I was immediately reminded why I love the character of Miles Vorkosigan, and I cannot wait to revisit the next dozen books, all lined up on my bookshelf:  He has a soundtrack mind.

The character himself has many physical limitations, which he amply makes up for with intellectual prowess.  I suppose being injured (so stupidly injured, it pisses me off to no end) it's given me another perspective on the quest.

Injury:  the number one reason people quit.

Injury:  the number one way to build mental toughness to get through to the goal.

Goal one:  a good push-up.  Wow-that is pushed back three months.

Goal two: touch my nose to my knee.

Hmm...that I CAN do.  Pain doesn't have to prevent me from continuing (and at least the pinched nerve is the same shoulder as the broken hand.)

Fitness Quest.  Keeping it real.

Buddy Taping & Other Repairs

That blown out tire yesterday?  Guess what?  It blew out because it had gone bad.  Providence alone kept it from blowing out at high speed, and instead on our driveway.

That also meant I spent a very long time waiting for tire repairs instead of hiking today.

And I had the nicest injured princess hiker vibe going, too.

Oh, I popped over to Starbucks and worked the phone, so all wasn't lost, but I'm aching for exercise.

Yikes.  Did I really just say that?

I hear this on the radio, and I want to be here:

Surprise, surprise.

Breaks hand, wants to lift.  Will wonders ever cease?

Next week, I've got two new exercise partners-two wounded warriors.  Week after that, I'm revisiting Sgt Steve, the Professor, Lucille & Fusion of Movement.  Each has agreed to a special modified session which won't engage my hand.  Week after, I'll be at Spofit in Phoenix, which specializes in fitness for the disabled.

You see, the number one reason people quit is injury.  

Not me.

Not some others.

The next six-eight weeks I'm highlighting those who refuse to stop when injured, and stay fit (or get fitter!) after injury.  So what if I can't use my right hand for six weeks; I can get it back.  I've got no excuses not to keep at the Fitness Quest.

With four new tires (sigh) and an oil change I talked them into for free, I collected Lad for a little date.

We went to Nastee Dogs, of course.

Despite a later ice cream cone, all he did was tell everyone how much he loved Nastee Dogs!

The boy is expected to behave as a gentleman on our little dates.  They started when he was four, ten years ago.

We got him registered for high school, and then I had my surgery consult with Dr. Eric.

Yep, the one who says I can use his Viking picture because he's so cool.

Thankfully, no surgery is necessary, and I was freed from the splint, too!! Buddy taping the ring and middle finger, plus a simple ace bandage for a broken hand.  Six weeks healing time, but I could sign my name tonight without pain, so I was delighted!!

After playing Mom's taxi for the kids, I met Lucille for dinner.

We did not wear these outfits to dinner.

Lamb Boti Masala.  Need I say more?

I drove home in pain, my shoulder aggravated once again.  Lucille had asked me some tough questions, and I appreciated her candor.

Brain injury.  Seriously.

Tomorrow I can get back to work; I'm looking forward it.

The Day I Wanted to Quit

Today was the day.

After a hard day yesterday, and waking up in pain due to the mystery shoulder injury, I was done.

I was done...but I wasn't.  I wanted to quit, I wanted to be done.

But that's not what I'm supposed to do.

Today, after a bad start and many tears, I brushed myself off and squared my shoulders.  I went to my networking meeting, and felt better afterwards.  I filled my calendar for the following week. I left, and then I discover this:

Lynne's article was in Drudge.

This is HUGE to a small news source; it's IMPOSSIBLE to feel bad with such fantastic news.  Shortly thereafter, I received another call, from one of my clients.  A television producer had read their articles in Prescott eNews, and wanted to do a television show about them.

Of course, they may have to close unless they figure out stage one fire restrictions...

I could not help but feel better about my job (I wasn't planning on quitting that, but the boost there did help me refocus my exercise energy) and I rethought the Fitness Quest.  I need more than one week at a facility; my CrossFit Prescott experience was the best thus far due to the fact I did two weeks.  I decided to discuss it with Lucille during Pilates.

Pilates.  This wonderful, intriguing new-to-me exercise.

Much more complex than it appears!

Just when I can't do one more, we switch.

Lucille readily agreed, and some stress was removed by knowing I had the time to truly explore "getting cooked."

Then more good news; Ered has a lilac bush.

My favorite flower.

He filled my arms with the scented blooms, and my soul was restored as I buried my face in their scent.

Then I picked up my painting, and hung it  in the place I picked out weeks ago.

Ian's painting of Prescott.  Love it!

The King of the Central Highlands arrived, and surprised me with a sweet change of plans.  It's our 17th wedding anniversary this weekend, and he's taking me away.

Exercise will be a part of my life, hopefully for the rest of my life.  This morning (and yesterday) were just moments.  Hard moments, but just moments.  My quest continues, and it's going to be ok.

THIS WEEKEND we have a GUEST BLOGGER!!  Troy is on his own Fitness Quest, which he will be sharing with you over the next few days.  The funny thing is we've met only once, when he was 16 and I was 15, out at Lori Lane (do you remember this, Troy?  It's in my journal from that trip!) We were introduced by my BFF Rochelle, who delighted in both of our quests, and thought we could encourage one another.  THANK YOU, Troy, for taking it on!

Happy 17th Anniversary, King of Athletics! 

22: The Nutrition Quest

Well, it's time to address the dreaded issue of food.

I love great food.  I'm a foodie spoiled by farm to table restaurants.  I adore deep sea fish and Hawaiian fusion cuisine.  Unfortunately, none of those things exist in Prescott, Arizona.

Thank God for Chef Stephen & Chef Paul at Nastee Dogs, however.  They have a HUGE Kickstarter party tmrw at 5pm, St. Paddy's Day!

With the exception of outstanding hot dogs, there's not much here (oh, there are some good places, but if they aren't a client of mine I'm not mentioning them) and I'm not a big fan of cooking.

Because no one likes to do dishes in our house, and I refuse to buy a new dishwasher when the teenagers are perfectly capable.

So, I eat when I'm hungry.  Like at 3pm.  For the first time of the day (sans my morning cup of joe.)

Which means I'm like this quite often.

Which apparently means my body is in:

I'm not certain that's real...yet.

So today, I met with my health coach, Jim Turner.

Hmmm.  My face is kinda fat.  This was three weeks ago.

He's teaching me to unthink all my bad, not eating food habits and to think of food as fuel.

I'm partial to rocket fuel, myself.

It was only our first meeting, so he gave me a reading assignment and an invitation to do get my BMI done (body mass index.). I agreed, but went for a hike first.

I was still mad about stuff (I'm not good at letting stuff go, you may have noticed my obsessive hatred of exercise, for example.)  I was so mad I decided to hike the hike I hate the most:  the steep side of Thumb Butte on #33.

Becky chose the path to the left.

I hate this hike.

This is totally faked, but pretty telling of my loathing.

Air monster lives here.

We started up, I stopped to stretch my calves.  That didn't count as a stop.  Air monster announced his presence, I stopped and waited until he left.  Darth Vader starts demanding to know where are the plans he sent me.

That's what my text tone is.  Sometime I tell him I've received no transmissions.

It was hard texting while hiking, so I stopped to answer it.  Then another text. And another.  

Is it a coincidence Ian can drive and text since he was not hiking?  Hmmm.

Tracy was much kinder in her texts.  She sent me this:

I gave her a shout out on Facebook for it.

Our hike was actually rather uneventful, and dare I say, almost pleasant?

I did stop to read history.  It's important.

Becky stopped to show off the green grass.

All in all, we were SHOCKED to find ourselves at the top 21 minutes after we left.

Granite is in the distance -our planned Thursday hike.

We only stopped three times to catch our breath.  The other three times were to answer texts, take photos and stretch.  (Maybe we stopped more than just three times.)

It was a very good hike.

My mood had improved remarkably, and we got done in record time (who knew I could get faster.)  I headed off to sit in a pod in my undies.

No picture of that, folks.  Move along, move along.

Turns out my BMI is a whopping 31%, meaning I have excess fat and should drop 19lbs to have an ideal BMI.

I told Jim that morning I wanted to weigh 140lbs.  He thought that thin for my height.  After the pod, the computer said I should weigh between 139-141lbs.  

That's B I N G O!

19lbs, eh?  Eat six times a day as fuel, NOT a diet? (Nope-no diet for me, just a change in when I eat habits.)

I was right!  Much less fat on the face!  The other photo was three weeks ago.

Bring it on.  I actually left a cheese Danish uneaten today.  What other powers do I possess?

17: The Big Break

After ten days straight of exercise, I took a break.

Well, sorta.  I worked today (did you all know I have a job?) and spent time with my girls.

Because isn't it convenient one of my clients is Nastee Dogs:)

If you haven't been to Nastee Dogs yet, you are missing out.  They make EVERYTHING from scratch-even the mayonnaise, ketchup & mustard.  

This is Chef Paul checking on the links-yes, they make those from scratch, too.

I had a full afternoon of meetings and interviews, and returned home feeling good.

Like really good.

Like, this good:

Maybe it's because I was wearing a princess t-shirt with sparkles.

Snow White.  Not my favorite princess, but they didn't have my size in the Cinderella one.

All I know, is I felt like I actually accomplished something today.

I did not exercise (well, walking six blocks downtown is probably mild exercise) and today was all about business.

I love business.  I love growing businesses.  For twelve years I not only sold things, I trained and built businesses.

I loved the awards ceremonies as you can see:)

I was really pretty good at it; then the company closed.  Days like today remind me that there is something I'm really good at-and it's been too easy to dwell only on what is not working lately. Fitness is an entirely new challenge for me, one I have failed to master my entire life.  Business is something I love; I can feel myself easing into this new cockpit with anticipation, familiarizing myself with the instruments.  This weekend I'll write my flight plan, and by next week I should be pushing the throttles forward.

I'm sorry, but I love this plane.  Can anyone manage to get me a ride as a RIO?

Just as the Fitness Quest has pushed my physical limitations, my new job is pushing back some old barriers I had erected.  While the runway isn't quite cleared, I'm getting ready to taxi out to it.

I know, it's a Piper Warrior & not an F-14.  But when I picture taxiing, this is my real life experience.

I'm 6, Dad is 38.  We flew a lot together; as the oldest daughter of an Air Force vet with no sons, I come by my love of flight righteously.

So it's time to open the little window, yell "all clear!" and start the prop.  My one-day break from exercise has restored my hope in what I do, and what I'm about to do.  It's time to slip the surly bonds of Earth, and dance the skies on laughter silvered wings.

To hell with "exercise."

It's time to fly.