One Step at a Time

Got out for a run this a.m., and I only went 15 minutes at a barely-above-snail pace (doesn’t your Forerunner have that read-out? Click the snail button….) and I had to stop. This ankle is driving me crazy. I don’t want to be on Ankle Rollercoaster again. Last fall, it was the same deal and I bought the new shoes. Now I’m wishing that I’d track my mileage better, because I just can’t imagine that I need new shoes eight months later?? I think I’ll take them into Running Room on the weekend and see if they can give me advice. And what they suggest for my overseas investment portfolio. And if they have a good jerk chicken recipe. And what I should do about Camryn’s dry skin. Yes, I put a lot of stock into what those Running Room people say, I know. So … how often do you replace shoes?

We’ve had a busy week here. Our neighbours — dear friends we’ve known since our eldest children were weeks old — have gone to Victoria to go house-hunting, and so we’ve had their three boys for the week. Their two eldest are the exact ages of Troy and Derek, so they’re all at school. Their youngest is almost 2 years older than Camryn. Today, we went to a picnic at the park with a bunch of moms and kids. It was a blast. I love the fact that summer is in the air!!

As I was getting these kids ready for bed last night, and tucking them in (after we had a very chatty and very silly hot tub party), I had a very strong feeling about this situation. It was a feeling of doing things exactly how I want to be doing them. Does that make sense, even? Maybe that’s not so foreign to you. So often, I am a “what if” or “shoulda/woulda/coulda” thinker, that an overwhelming peace came over me that I was doing the kinds of things with the kids exactly how I want to be doing them. I always envisioned that my house would be a hang-out for my children’s friends. It would be a place where any friend could come, help himself, and feel at home. A place where kids would want to choose to hang out. I don’t know why that is so important to me … it is the kind of house my mom had, I suppose. I think it’s critical to know your kid’s friends and have a relationship with them. I also think it’s critical for your kids to see you extending kindness to people. Plus, I think that the simple gift of hospitality gets lost in the crazy pace this world keeps.

Last night, Troy and Oldest Neighbour Boy (ONB) were talking in bed, in the basement where we set them up to sleep. I was working in my office, and admittedly, straining to eavesdrop. They were talking about what ONB would miss once he moved. Troy said, “I’ll bet you’ll miss the BMX track.” ONB said, “Yeah, I will.” Troy said, “And your house.” ONB said, “Yeah. And your house too.”

That makes me feel very, very peaceful. To be on par with the BMX track to an eight-year old boy is a good thing.