Mom to the rescue.

My mom is the best.
The other day when I returned from my run with a few sobs. I walked inside, grabbed my puppy, and went back out crying. I didn't get fifty feet down the driveway before she came running out. I could tell by her face that she knew this wasn't a hurt cry, merely an emotional one.
She asked what was wrong. And I told her all about how terrible my runs had felt and how entirely frustrating that was.
"Before my trip I could do 15 miles non stop, but now I barely get two before I begin to give out."


I'm a distance runner. For the past six years that's been my growing identity. But right now, that title feels threatened. 

Two months ago I spent half a month in a third world country. There I was unable to run. Which was fully okay in my mind. I figured that it wouldn't be long for me to get back in the swing of things. 

But I was wrong. 

I told my mom how I have been struggling immensely since my return home." My runs are sluggish and fatigued." Mom pointed out that I was sick; I was stuck with a nasty chest cold, and so there was a number of times in which the congestion got to the point wherein I literally couldn't breath, so I would have to stop and hack for a few minutes. And yes this was true. As is the fact that since my return, summer has been at its peak; 80-90 degrees and humidity at 50%+. So when I stop, look at my watch and fund my heart rate to be 190, I'd say it's okay to take a breather. 

But what about the other times? Because they happen too. And once I give in once, I do again. And again. And again. And I don't know why. I won't be out of breath, my breathing will be dandy. But something within me still feels worn out. I hesitate to think it to be my mental state. The reason being because I still love to run. I want to run. Which is why it is causing such distress and sadness inside of me that something just isn't clicking. 
I'm hoping this is just a quick phase. And with XC season right around the corner, I hope it's one that soon passes. 
As I told mom these things, she couldn't fully comprehend. I'm not sure anyone who is not a runner could. But she tried. 
I then told her my final haunch as to what is wrong. My summer diet has been terrible. I have been consuming less whole foods and fruits, and more crap food like poptarts and cookies. And oh gosh, do I feel the difference. 
Again, she told me she didn't know what that was like. And that's okay. 

Later that evening when I returned home from work, I came in to a house refilled with an abundance of fruit; bananas, raspberries, strawberries, kiwi, grapes... All of my favorite things.
Her silent way of trying to help me. 

And for this, I'm grateful. 

Recipe::Healthy Pancakes

I love breakfast. It's no joke my favorite meal of the day. Though, I could eat it any time of the day. The breakfast food-group as a whole is my favorite. Cereal, oatmeal, waffles, crepes, eggs, pancakes... Yum!
But really now, pancakes--so good. Also, Maple Syrup. I can't have a pancake without a good lake of syrup to go with it. Thus generally speaking, your typical pancake doesn't do much for you on a nutritional basis. I mean don't get me wrong, I think they're phenomenal. Just not the kind of thing I believe is good to start the day with on a regular basis.

And so last year I did some searching for a "healthy" pancake recipe (and not just a "mash some banana with oats and you'll never know the difference!" sort). After reviewing a number of them and trying a few different combinations out, I came up with my own. Though to give credit where credit is due, I think in the end my recipe was adapted primarily Sally's Baking Addition.

What makes my recipe different though is that I use instant oatmeal, but omit all sugar from her recipe (due to the already added sugar). Though, I initially did this because it was the only kind of oats in the house at the time, but in addition I liked the idea that one could use whatever flavor they wanted! Though this is to say that there is zero reason that you couldn't use quick oats, you would simply have to make up for it with sugar add in. Also, I can't help but mention that these are low in fat, and high in protein. Perfect combination.


On to the recipe!

Makes 8 Pancakes.

1 Cup of Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1 1/2 packets of instant oatmeal
1 egg
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
1 dash of cinnamon (optional)
1/4 Cup blueberries (optional)
1 banana sliced (optional)

1. Preheat and grease frying pan or griddle.
2. Mix flour, oats, baking powder together.
3. Whisk in egg, yogurt, and all optional add-ins.
4. Pour 1/3 cup of batter on to griddle. Cook 2-3 minutes (or until firm enough to flip). Cook an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side (or until done).


Seriously though, these are a great substitute when you're craving a vessel to carry syrup to your mouth, but with less guilt! Also, if you like blueberries, I highly recommend adding them--so good.

Also, I got a puppy.

I'm by no means an animal person. I would rather comfort a baby than pet a cat any day.

Throughout high school, I always said that I would not get a dog until I had en established family with a child old enough to do all of the work. 

After I granduated high school, that plan changed slightly. In that, I would get a dog after I graduated college. One to be a running companion.  Bernese Mountain Dogs are my favorite breed, but practically speaking, it didn't sound like the best choice. They're rather expensive ($1,000-2,500!) and live only an average of six years due to their high rate of health issues. A Bernese would also not be the best running Dog. But they're so cute!

And so after much research I decided on an Australian Shepherd, because they're known for their intelligence, ranked highly as running dogs, cost half the price of a Bernese, and live double the life. Not only that, but Black-tri colored Aussies look remarkably like that of a Bernese!

Back to the story: I was going to get one post college graduation. Because I would no longer be running with a team on a regular basis, rather I would be once again alone. So for safety reasons, getting a dog seemed smart. And so over the past two years, I've had a jar in my closet containing all of the tips I made throughout that time. This was my puppy fund. 

Fast forward to two weeks ago. Mom and I were talking, and it dawned on us that it would take a year until my pup had grown enough to run with me. Which brought about the temptation. I began looking into breeders and on dog classifieds (ads) at pups. Within a week I had narrowed it down to two, both of whom had puppies ready to go. After speaking to both on the phone, I decided which seemed like a legit person to purchase from. The very next day Braelynn and I road tripped two hours north and picked up my puppy. 

Introducing Keira

Seven Weeks Old.

Peace. 

Rawr.

Caption This.

Such Joy.

Just an Associates.

With summer coming to a close, and school time drawing near, this age old question is increasingly popping up:

"How's school?"

This is the way the conversation usually begins. The one that fills small talk time and time again.
The one to which I reply how well it's going, though ever busy; between class, track, and work, life can become rather overwhelming at times.
"I'm graduating this coming May." I tell them.
To which they reply "Really? Wow, that's crazy!"
"Well, I'm only going for an associates degree."I explain.
After a quick "Oh."and awkward pause comes about.
They then fill the silence with "Well why don't you just go into nursing?"
This is said in a confused accusatory tone of voice.

At this, I am always taken aback. Because the implication the question brings is that it is unreasonable for me to be graduating without a bachelors degree. After all, that is the goal for every college student, no?

As a result, I generally stutter in my answer. You would think that considering I am asked this question so frequently, I would be able to go on auto play as to my response. But I don't.
Honestly, I am not very eloquent when I speak. My words always seem to barf out of me in a jumbled mess that goes something like
"the nursing program at Davenport is super competitive" and "apart from my core classes there is very few that would transfer to that major meaning in essence I would have to start over, which makes no sense considering I'm so far along in my current major" and "I really don't want to add another three years of debt to what I already have"
These responses generally satisfy the listener, though i'm often still given such a skeptical look.
And there is often so much more I want to explain to them, but I don't know how to say.
What I have to say makes perfect sense in my head, but I never know how to transfer it through my mouth to the listener's ears (thus I wish I could just perform a Vulcan mind meld and have them understand perfectly). I am far better at writing words than I am speaking them. So here's a more in depth answer to the question at hand, why an associates? Why not a bachelors?

Simply put, I don't feel right now that a bachelors degree is where God is now calling me. I'm by no means saying that I am closed off to a change in that plan, but as of right now, I don't feel that to be the path for my life.
When I am in the working field, I want to work with babies. NICU or the postpartum ward would be ideal, but I am open to whatever gets me in the door to do so. Likewise, I am open to other similar fields to that of a medical assistant (such as nurse tech) to be able to work in such an area. All my life i've had a passion for babies, which only grew as I got older.
When I was twelve a close family friend had a baby who was born with an unknown condition which made her very lethargic. To survive she needed a trachea and g-tube installed. To this day, the little girl, now eight years old, lives. I don't know all of the details, but that's not the point. I'm just using this as an example of when my interest in working in the field of babies began. It was at this time I began reading endless blogs of handicapped babies, NICU babies, birth stories... My research was endless. I just found it all so fascinating. By senior year, I knew that was where I would like to work.
At the time though, I thought the only way I could do that was by going in to nursing, and so my plan at the time was to go to GVSU to do so. And for a moment, that was my plan. I soon found out how competitive the field was, which sort of slammed a door shut on that idea. Bringing about a few months of uncertainty. My plan was still to go to GVSU, but for what, I had no idea.
In the coming months, and through the help of my mom, I found out that there are other positions in which one can work in such field. Enter: Medical Assisting.
This major also sounded more appealing to me because it was half of the schooling, thus half the debt (a major worry I has upon graduating high school).
This is where Davenport came in to play. My mom helped me set up a campus visit and go through the application process, and within three weeks, I was in. My new path ahead of me. Little did I know what would come from this change of schools; that I would run and become better than I had even imagined!
Back to my major, practically speaking, as I come to learn about the job of a medical assistant, I am coming to find that the job description is far more appealing to me. Nurses now days do a lot more of the communication from Dr. to Patient. It is the medical assistants and nurse tech who do a lot more of the caring (empathy and emotional support) for patients and hands on work (hands on being vitals and whatnot). This is what I want. I want to work with people. Sure, nurses make a boat load of money in comparison to medical assistants, but I'm okay with that. I'm not in it for a career to become rich. I'm choosing this because I feel it's where God is calling me.
Furthermore, I feel confident that a bachelors doesn't have to be the path for my life, my degree is not my identity. I rest in this, knowing my identity is in Christ, and that it is God who holds my future. I firmly believe that if He wants me to continue my education, he will open doors and make that clear. But as of right now, August 2015, I don't feel that to be where he's leading me.