1000 miles from nowhere

I took a little drive the other day, a detour if you will.  I was headed to a small town in a small county for some work, but I saw the sign for the Auto Tour of the Santa Fe Trail that cuts through Marion County, KS.  I stopped and took a folded piece of copy paper which showed a map of the county and the driving tour.  

I had to take dirt roads, blacktop roads and gravel roads. 

I stopped, turned around, and backed up many times. 

But wow. 

Being places where you could see the ruts in the land from the hooves and wagons was really powerful.

Imagining what it was like for those pioneers who came west in search of freedom and a better life.

Thinking about reading the Little House on the Prairie with my kids and having to explain,

really explain what life was like then. 

I enjoyed myself immensely. 

So much so that I was almost there...

I could hear the laughter in the prairie grass.

I could smell the cooking fires.

I could see the river to be crossed all too soon.

It's amazing what there is to see and do here in Kansas.

I'm learning that every day.

eats shoots and leaves

I have not been at home for the past 6 Saturdays.  I have slept in beds in Kansas City, Hays, Grand Island (NE), Kansas City, Tulsa and Oklahoma City in the past 6 weeks.  NOTHING (really...nothing) has been done at my home over the weekend for that long...well, only laundry to get ready for the next trip.

All of this has been done in the name of basketball.  Carson finished up the 4th grade travelling ball season in Grand Island, and then we were off to the Big 12 Tournament and the first and second rounds of the NCAAs.

The only good thing about being gone all those weekends?  I didn't miss our spring.  We still barely have any buds on the trees...the first daffodil bud is just now popping up...and my grass has not yet changed from brown.

Yes, I am looking forward to this weekend.  To waking up in my own bed, and to doing a little spring-ifying around our house!

on strength

A mere 2 weeks ago I had a whole post written in my head about strength.  I was feeling so strong in all these areas of my life. 

• My legs were strong and were carrying me longer and longer distances.
• My lungs were strong and breathing was extremely easy.
• My heart was strong and I was able to be myself and not worry about others.
• My head was strong and I was happy and content with the world around me.

Here I am today and it seems to have all fallen apart.  I have had several terrible runs in a row, and I am wondering if I will even be able to run this race in May.  My breathing is labored, I have a stitch in my side, and my legs are just pounding the pavement (and not in the good way).  My heart is heavy.  Work is stressful, friendships are strained, and decisions feel like they need to be made.  The world around me is not what I thought it was.  But is it ever?

I guess it just goes to show you...things change so very quickly and we need to remember to be content.  To be content with our lives, to not always be looking forward to wht is next, and to take things as they come...  enjoy our lives and ourselves and all of those around us.