2012 WTH Have I Done???

Well here we are again. I just reviewed last year's Wrap up and see that many issues remain unchanged.
Firsts: I had a... few this year. All of them documented here. I am proud of what I have done. I had hoped to accomplish more by this point, but life happens.

I have learned that the important part is to keep going.

This year has had it's share of disappointments and sadness. Probably more than it's share. I keep hearing how that makes us stronger, but it makes a fat person EAT. So I end this year weighing more than I started it.

Lucky for me I am more than a number.

My daily life and those in it have changed a great deal in twelve months. Most of this has been unexpected and quite an adjustment .
I had a brief time "home" recently and was reminded of the strong bond of dear, close friends. It is truly a special kind of love over the years. Some friends you learn are actually " people that you know", and some... are family.
But enough with all the depressing replay here. I have much in the works for the New Year. I am about three months into a project that will surprise a lot of people. I am enjoying this challenge and am very excited about the changes it will bring. Yeah, I can't wait....

So 2013: Let's review-
1. Live each day without regret.
2. Remember to put value on myself.
3. Who's approval do I seek? God's.
4. Continue to make good choices every day for myself . Choices that are positive for my health, my happiness and my emotional well being.

Hmmmm, that should be easy, right?

2013 ---- You "ain't seen nothing yet" !

Mud. Everywhere....

This post can be considered my post game Wrapup . You see it seems I am officially a Dirty Girl.
The Dirty Girl Mud Run has come and gone. I have never done anything quite like this. It consists of a 5K with obstacles. And a lot of mud. Wait, make that A LOT.
Obstacle 1: a giant inflated pyramid wall thing you climb up, over and down. The"Steps" are really about hip high, so this presents a challenge. I chose to step and then pull up onto the seam of the next... Hey it worked.
#2 A mud pit: not terrible, man made, about thigh depth- but wait a water cannon hits you while passing through...
#3 A giant mud lake... The fun part is the drop off. Surprise !!! I fell several times, as my goal was meniscus and ligament preservation . I was determined to NOT try to "save" any slip or slide, but land soundly on my rear end. This WORKED.
#4 after climbing a very steep hill, there is a wall to climb..... Again the first step is a b$&#%€. No other option but to pull myself up again to be able to get my other foot up. It's a little tricky at the top. You must swing one leg over and find a slat on the back ... So you can swing the other leg over and so on....
I really didn't think I could do it , and a random stranger behind me said "yes you can"------ seriously a bell rang in my head. And I did it, ha!
#54-56 (it felt like )were more mud. Crawling through metal pipes filled with muddy water, ok half full. And then a long mud pit you crawled or stayed on hands and knees under a net... I chose to be on my stomach and pull myself through. Surprise !!! Gravel. Really?
Next up : Walls to climb. Covered with you guessed it: MUD. First wall, had slats, second, third, fourth: nope, they were the "Haul your butt over " kind. ---And I did them! You see there are some activities that no matter how much fun and comraderie you experience , you get in the mindset that you are NOT. QUITTING .
More fun, more mud.... And then the beast I have been fearing: the cargo net climb. Oh , Lord I hate heights, and I am sure I hate falling more. But I figure I have come this far in my adventure. So I begin. And it sways, and is slippery, and holy cow it is so...HIGH. I keep telling myself to not look down. Well that is harder than you might think. I am near the top, maybe about five feet to go, and I freeze. I have never been this high on anything without an elevator or a pilot. And I don't want to keep going, and then I realize there is no other way out of this. And then I prayed. I am not really good at asking for help for myself... But seriously I just said "Help me". This may sound melodramatic, but I then looked across to the other side, and looked into the face of my friend Becky. I didn't say anything, but she looked at me and said " Keep going. You can do this" ----so I did. I made it over and down the other side. The down part btw is much easier... When I reached the ground, my whole team was cheering. And Becky was there crying.
So I cried too, I am like that, don't be alarmed....
We were just one more giant mud pit from victory , and then it was over.
There were pictures, laughter and memories of bonding together in one of the hardest things I have ever done.
Good Times, Dirty Girls. Good Times.

PS That is Becky in the front of the team picture.