Moving Forward (West, Actually)

I have to confess something. My running mojo disappeared. Why? The dang heat! Today, for example, it was over 100 degrees with a heat index of 121. Seriously!

After the failed 23-miler I got in touch with my dear friend (and forever coach!) Terry. We decided basically that I'd shake it off and adjust my Galloway training according to the heat, i.e. not necessarily go after a 26-miler and 29-miler. I was good to go! Then the hot weekend got here and I talked myself out of 10 miles of speedwork based on the fact that a) it was too hot, and b) I wouldn't be any faster since it was so hot. True and true! But I should have attempted it, regardless.

By Monday I decided to reach out to Kevin of The Extra Mile Podcast. He, after all, was my motivation to try the Galloway Method. And, like me, he's running Chicago (67 days from now). He encouraged me to do precisely what Jeff told him to do, in light of the extreme heat: 30/30 (run 30 seconds, walk 30 seconds). By golly, if Jeff says to do it, I am gonna do it! And I am just gonna get over the heat. Nuff' said. I gotta... or not run again until the week before Chicago.

Going up the slide is more fun than going down, of course.

Cooling off at the sprinkler park in nearby Collierville, Tennessee.

Isaac is learning, very slowly, to eat with a fork.

The rest of my life has been a mix of exciting and complex. I have teased about the real estate topic in previous posts, and now I will tell all. Ever since Isaac was born, our house has magically gotten smaller and smaller. I'm sure all you parents can relate. And a "zero lot line" home is really not practical for us with a growing boy with tons of energy. Plainly stated, we need more space on all fronts.

Just over a month ago Chasen decided to look up local real estate online. And the whirlwind began! We found a really, really good deal three miles away from here in Southaven, Mississippi. It needed some work, but it had TONS of potential.

Here is a portion of the front of the fixer-upper. Looks OK, huh? Looks can be deceiving.

Long story short, we met road blocks every step of the way. We were quite disappointed, but everything happens for a reason. And like I said, it would have been an ongoing project for years. With a small child and me basically not working these days, that would NOT have been fun. So we accepted that fact, begrudgingly, and kept looking. Then we found this:

A gem of a house (and deal!) four miles away, also in Southaven, Mississippi.

It is move-in ready! Of course, there are things we'd like to do to it long-term, but waaaaay down the road. We have gone through all of the negotiating and are having it inspected tomorrow. Hooray! If all goes well, we will take ownership at the end of this month. Isaac got to climb stairs for the first time in this house:

He was off like a shot! No stopping him!

With this new skill he was able to attempt the slide at the indoor playground.

Our current home in Olive Branch, Mississippi has been on the market just over two weeks. Today our listing agency's agents came through to all see it as a group. Chasen decided to make a funny sign for me to put somewhere. I was a little antsy about doing so. But ain't it cute?

The poor little guy's parents do not need double mortgages!

So I put it on the pitcher. The realtors thought it was cute and enjoyed the treats.

Isaac also enjoyed a treat once we returned home (we had to be gone while they were here).

So there ya have it. I have been on a real estate roller coaster and I let the heat beat me for a while. But no more. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. I ran tonight at 9 PM and just did the best I could with it being 90 degrees or so. Take that, Mother Nature.