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As part of The Mommies Network, LakeNormanMommies.com is a free community for moms in Lake Norman Area, North Carolina. We realize that all moms need local support -- and who can't use another friend? LakeNormanMommies.com offers a simple way to connect with local moms for friendship, support and fun. Members meet on our private discussion forums to share information on everything from where to get the best haircut to tips on transitioning to a "big kid" bed. Each month, we also offer many face-to-face events for our members, their children and their families.
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Adventures in Pregnant "Racing" For the first time in my life, I started a race in the back of a pack ? a pack of 1,400-plus runners. I'd like to thank pregnancy for this enlightening experience. To be honest, I didn't have much of a choice, I was delighted to be back on the race scene and soaking up the energy of all the other happy runners and supporters. It was Thanksgiving morning, and I was getting to run with my husband. Untainted joy coursed through my veins!
Life delivered some ups and downs in 2011. One of those downs was not getting to race ? no road races and no triathlons. One of the ups is that I am pregnant. So, to be back in my element, I literally felt as if someone slipped LSD into my water bottle ? not that I know what it's like to trip on LSD, seriously. I was running on all-natural euphoria! Training and racing are what I do and what brings me closest to my Creator. It is my passion, my relaxation, my meditation, and my freedom. It's not how I define myself, but more simply it is what I was born to do and what I thoroughly enjoy.
Wait, where was I? I digress. Back to Thanksgiving Day, hubby (Jeff), and Gallop & Gorge 8K in Carrboro, N.C. The gun goes off, and so do I, leaving my husband in the dust. Upon realizing we were pregnant, we made a pact: We would do as many road races together as we could, which meant starting and finishing together. How cool! Our own little Adventure Series! Piece of cake for a pregnant lady, but not cool when I am fit and fast and not pregnant, and refuse to be held back by anyone. On any given race day, I become Pavlov's dog, only the bell is replaced with a starting gun, and the food is replaced by the vision of a finish line. What remains the same is the drooling and the complete focus on getting what we want. And not even pregnancy thwarted this all too natural response of mine.
So, in my glazed-over state observed merely by my unbreaking stride and joyful grin, I take off, weaving my way through people I think are so wonderfully fantastic, but at the same time, just too slow for me to stay behind. Within the first few minutes, I realize Jeff is not beside me. I quickly turn around, remembering I am pregnant and hoping I don't get trampled on by other runners, or trip and fall over my Size 11 feet, I find him jumping trash cans and darting through people's yards to catch up to me. Oops. His comment: ?What are you trying to do, beat all the other 1,000 pregnant women out here?? Clearly, he was irritated since I seemed to be the only pregnant woman out of 1,400 runners. Oops, again. But I felt great! Not even out of breath! I told him to stay by my side, and I'd get us to a clearing so we could settle into a stride. I was left with a stare, a very serious stare that stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 225 pounds. I released the accelerator, we laughed, and we trotted on to a strong yet relaxed 8:36/min pace and crossed the finish line together, holding hands.
Moving on to Dec. 3, 2011, and the Mistletoe Half Marathon, a historically epic race known for its postrace buffet, runners dressed in their best Santa Claus and elf attire, a hilly but beautiful course, and reuniting with old and new friends. For many, it is the last race of the season. I have done it every year since 2006 except for last year, when I traded my running shoes for margaritas and Bloody Marys on a Belize beach at 9 a.m. (honeymoon!). Not wanting to miss another Mistletoe and excited about crossing another finish line with Jeff, we signed up and began our preparations.
Twenty-six weeks pregnant and sporting a round belly, I toed the line and finished in 2 hours and 3 minutes (36 minutes slower than my previous race ? see, I am taking things more conservatively!). The starting line was glorious! Cold but sunny and insulated by Jeff to my left and my two best gal pals to my right and 2,000 other runners infiltrating Sunset Avenue in Winston-Salem, N.C.'s West End. And this time, I received the starting gun with more awareness and took my time weaving through the start crowd.
Ahhh, but that didn?t last very long. It happened again: I got glazed over and entered the sixth dimension, Ma-la-la-Land, and I took off. But this time, Jeff didn?t catch me until mile marker 2.5. Feeling slightly guilty but secretly annoyed that he fell off the pace so soon, I glanced over and saw a large man dripping with sweat ? gloves and hat already peeled off and dangling from his shorts. He gave me the nod that he was OK, so off we went, cruising along at about a 9:00 minute/mile pace.
How lucky was I? Really? Healthy, active, pregnant, and doing what I love with the man that I love ? life is good (I know, pretty cliche of me). I suppose life was good until my bladder spoke up and just couldn't take it anymore at Mile 3. The one and only mobile toilet on the course was at Mile 6. I was in big trouble. The course was way too suburban for me to urinate on the curb, plus with all the cops directing the runners on the course, I was bound to be arrested for indecent exposure. My bladder held on, and I greeted that big green stinky toilet with excitement, but I was third in line. What?! This is going to kill our pace! Sweet, sweet Jeff waited for me and after three long minutes, and we were back on the course, running where, darn it, I took off again. I just felt so good. About 1 mile later at the apex of a hill, that tall stare peered down on me again, and a talk-to-the-hand gesture instantly flashed with his words reaching me loud and clear: ?If you keep this up, you?ll be finishing alone.? I didn?t finish alone, and neither did he. We crossed again holding hands, shared a smile and wink, then headed straight for the food and water.
People have told me that having a child would change me, and subsequently, all that racing and career stuff will wane in importance. Yes, becoming a mother is an enormous game changer and a quite welcomed one. But wow, how intrusive for someone to assume or make a statement that I would change my outlook on the other loves of my life. Yes, they do take a back seat, but they are still a priority. By the way, I wonder if someone would ever say that to a man? I digress again. My son has given me the gift of patience, and he has given me a reason to want to work harder and strive for greatness. He has made me realize what is truly important in life, and in particular, in my life and my family's life.
Racing pregnant has been a blast! I have been somewhat forced to stop and smell the roses or perhaps, the aroma of sweaty runners, and notice a few things. Oftentimes, athletes forget all too quickly what a race can give back to us: fellowship, sharing of achievements, and the reminder that we are all in this world together trying to be better people. As a coach and fellow athlete, I continue to witness everyone's observable capabilities, as well as those that lie hidden deep within all of us. Whether you enter a race to win, to conquer a goal, or to share an experience, you will find that every challenge asks us to step outside our comfort zone. For me, slowing down has been an enormous step outside my nice and cozy comfort zone. But by welcoming discomfort, we discover those hidden talents, strengths, and gifts that lie unnoticed within us and awaken to recognize those roses we forgot to stop and smell. Everyday, step outside YOUR comfort zone, and unleash your potential!
"Although it's difficult today to see beyond the sorrow,?
May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow."?
~Author Unknown
We lost a dear friend and much loved member of LakeNormanMommies last weekend. In honor of Lara, our chapter will be taken off-line for an hour Sunday, May 20th at 6pm while Lara's friends and family join together to celebrate her life and mourn her passing. This family gathering (children are welcome to attend) will take place at Jetton Park and is open to everyone who would like to join Lara's friends and family to say goodbye to this extraordinary woman.
For more information about how to support Lara's family through this time, please see the following links...
Remembering Lara - information about supporting Lara's family in bringing her ashes home and creating a fund for her children, organized by jamierippy and mommy2mckenna
Meal Train for Lisa - a meal train for Lara's sister's family, organized by mommy2mckenna
Happy Mother's Day! As I reflect on the hardest three years of my 44 years on this planet. I feel a connection to all the mothers of every faith, race, education level, and method of parenting. We are all in the sorority of motherhood. You already passed the initiation. Let the lifetime of lessons ensue.
Happy Mother?s Day to:
~ All the moms mothering alone, and to those managing children with a life partner.
~ All the moms who mother one, two, or three little souls; hats off to those who guide a baseball team.
~ All Moms who work outside the home, and those who stay at home. Each has their own rewards and trials.
~ All the moms who use ?double coupon day? to stock up on diapers, wipes, lotion, kid safe shampoo, and organic food items instead of ?youth serum?, diet magic pills or hair dye.
~ All the moms who use the afternoons to taxi children to karate, boy/girl scouts, dancing, soccer, baseball or dance instead of your own yoga/ Pilates, Weight Watchers, or other sessions (not that these things aren?t important for self care?.but there are only so many hours in the day). Hats off to those who leave a paid job first and then do all these things.
~ All the moms who parent children with special needs/physical or emotional challenges, and to all the moms who support/help and provide friendship to these causes and these moms.
~ All the moms who gave up wonderful careers to be home with small children. Hats off to those who have managed to kick butt at work and at home.
~ All the moms who have become mothers naturally, easily, and without effort; hats off to those who ventured into assisted reproduction or adoption paths?for these were not without tremendous pain or sacrifice.
~ All the moms who wonder if what they do matters, and to all the mothers who reassure them it does.
~ All the moms who ready their children for the day with clean clothes, clean hair and teeth, signed homework, and homemade lunches but whose own hair could use a wash, a cut or a color not to mention a shirt for the morning without hummus, snot or other stainable substance on it.
~ All the mothers who gave up pursued dreams, in order to manifest what their hearts longed for, and to those still wondering.
~ Those who realize that a parenting book is a guide not a fortune teller.
~ Those who question the diagnoses of their offspring and find their own ways to ?heal? their children. And to those who do what needs to be done to make sure their children are healthy.
~ Those who have parented multiples? the love and the sacrifice is multiplied. The appreciation and understanding of what it takes to handle two(or more) nursing infants, two teething babies, two throwing up toddlers, and two little egos trying to assert independence?.only God can truly know all you have done, consider yourself gifted and wonderful.
~ All the mothers everywhere whose hearts have grown and changed from the instant they adopted, inherited or gave birth?. The magic is yours. May you never doubt the decisions you make, may you know you act in love in all you do. May you forgive yourself for perceived mistakes, and rejoice in each and every good day (or hour). May you find the peace of mothering in hugs and in kind gestures from your children and find growth in each challenge and hardship. May you refrain from blaming yourselves when things still don?t go as planned.
The universe blessed us to be caretakers of these little precious spirits, and holds us only to the premise to do our best. Perfection is not required, or expected. A loving heart, an open mind, and a forgiving spirit is all that matters. Happy Mother?s Day to you all!
Special blessing to those women who have continued their ?mothering love? by being loving and giving; grandparents, aunts, best friends and co-workers.
Peace, love, and a blessed Mother?s Day to you all!
--Meredith (merekolk)
This Week with the Mommies
The LakeNormanMommies calendar is packed with all sorts of events to keep you and your little one(s) busy this week! Please click an event below for more information or to RSVP.
Monday, May 14 Club 35 Dinner - Let's get together for dinner at Brixx. Mom's Night Out - Join us for fondue at the Melting Pot.
Tuesday, May 15 Park Play Date - The K16ers are meeting at the park. Coffee Talk - The K17ers are meeting for coffee and a chat.
Wednesday, May 16 Park Date - May 16th is "Love a Tree Day." Let's celebrate with a trip to one of our favorite shady spots.
Thursday, May 17 Music Time - We're meeting at the Library for some music time with the kids. Splash Pad Play Date - The K15ers are meeting at the fountains for some fun in the sun.
Friday, May 18 Meet & Greet - Whether you are an old member or a new member, come join us for a play date at the park. Catch up with some old friends and meet some new ones while the kids play. Murder Mystery Dinner - Join us for a three course dinner and solve a mystery. Mom's Night Out - Join us for an evening of laughs and painting pottery.
Saturday, May 19 Zumba In the Streets - Come shake your groove thing at this free outdoor Zumba class.
Sunday, May 20 Family Lunch - Join us for a family get together at Firehouse Subs.
