Tues/Thurs

After I got back from my visit to WA I experienced a lot of change to my ever changing CA life.  I had two gals that I always went running with at least 3-4 times a week.  My Tammi and Cynthia.  Cynthia ended up moving away before I even got back and Tammi moved away within a week of me getting back.   Those girls were my evening therapy, my little team of support and I knew after dinner was done it was time to lace up my shoes and hit the pavement.  It was only 20-30 minutes but it was just what I needed at the end of a long day.  I worked my body and filled my sisterhood cup with our casual conversations.

I felt so sad that I didn't realize that Cynthia was going to be gone before I got back, that I never got to tell her good bye and give her a squeeze.  I got to say good bye to Tammi and it broke my heart.  Tammi was my partner in crime, every day we were either walking, going to the beach, playing at the park, running, bringing food to each other.  This place is like a pressure cooker for building friendships fast and Tammi and I were airtight after just a few days of hanging out.

I really struggled with getting back into my exercise routine after my girls moved away.  Tammi had met Heidi and texted me right away "I met this girl, she is a runner and I think she could be the new me for you."  It totally cracked me up, it's just so Tammi's style to make sure I would be all set for when she left.

When I met Heidi (above picture) I was so pumped!  She is fun, outgoing, athletic and totally willing to run with me.  We have a schedule and we run, rain or shine, every Tues/Thurs.  It is amazing to me how much I learn from her every time that we head out.  She is wicked fast and I know her endurance is way above mine but she always paces with me.  She says words of encouragement to me right when I need them, even if we are in the middle of talking about something that is going on in one or the others lives.  I always leave our runs feeling better about myself and inspired on how to be better in different aspects of my life.  Sometimes we just chit chat when we run, but when something big happens we hash it all out.

We always sprint it out just at the very end and this is going to sound cheesy, but our sprint out at the end is like a perfect metaphor for friendship.  One of us starts to pick up pace and I know that she could waste me if she wanted to.  I am huffing and puffing my brains out during our runs and she is able to keep pretty even paced conversation.  She always meets my pace and maybe pushing a little bit further but never out pacing me.  It pushes me just enough to reach my full potential but it is something that we both accomplish, together.  Even if it gets hard for me at the end and I slow a little she is right there beside me.

It always touches my heart so much.  It might seem like such a little thing to her, or she might not even realize she is doing it because that is just the type of person that she is.  I think about it a lot.  The kind of friend that I want to be.  Supportive and pacing right there beside them.  Helping them when they need a nudge but never leaving them behind.  Staying with them until the end.

I am so grateful to have such wonderful friends back home.  Such examples of love and kindness.  Sister wives who love and support me and finish the race with me, even when it is hard.  I feel double blessed to be able to meet so many special people here as well.  Just when you think your heart is full to bursting, you find you have room for a little more.