Almost RACE time!!!!

Tomorrow Matt and I leave for Panama City, FL for our very first Full Ironman distance race!!! I am more than excited!!!!! It’s so hard to believe that exactly ONE year from this month, I purchased my VERY FIRST bike! Scary, but at the time I couldn’t tell you the difference between a “Tri” bike and a “Road” bike!  Not to mention, I have never really ridden a bike until this year, because let's face it, I wasn't any cyclist! Who would have thought that a race like this would be in my future! Certainly not me! It wasn’t until my wonderful hubby, Matt, introduced me to this sport! I must say, I never imagined spending 16-20 hrs a week training (all three sports) for something like this, it has certainly stretched me at times, BUT the best part has been the ability to train with Matt. He has been such an encouragement! The moments, when I didn’t want to get out of bed at 4:30am to swim, or run late at night in the pouring down rain, OR endure 6+ hour rides on the bike, HE has always been there to push me to the next level, always willing to encourage and remain patient with me.  Let me tell you ,it is sooooo soooo nice having your best friend train with you AND coach you! I know God definitely hand-picked this one! AND, it certainly has been a wild ride! I can’t wait to race on Saturday! Since this is my first IM, I do not have any HUGE goals, just go out and enjoy myself this year. Looking forward to what the future holds for the next few years! One year down, many more to go! J As for now, I am ready for some sunny, warm weather!!  

Bitter sweet memories!

This past weekend, was sooooo much fun!!!! My younger brother James and Christine were married in New Jersey! It couldn’t have been a more perfect weekend! The weather was gorgeous, 60’s and not a cloud in the sky. Family and friends arrived from all over. Amazing food was enjoyed, and conversations filled with laughter, tears, excitement, joy, and love all around. The bride was truly stunning. You can tell my brother is so in love!!  The way he looks at Christine, it’s as if he is seeing her for the first time!!

Kindof hard to believe Matt and I were married a year and 3 months ago, still feels like it was yesterday! Time really does go by fast! Throughout the weekend, there was only one person I truly missed and that was my mom. It’s hard to go thru BIG events like this and not have her around to experience these “moments.” She always loved the fall season with the changing of the leaves, cool weather, and football games. I remember (back in the good ol high school days) she would cook the BEST homemade chicken noodle and cauliflower soups on weeknights after soccer and cross country practice, it was soo yummy!  Definitely was the highlight of my day! Sundays were “family days,” where we went to church, cooked big meals, built fires, shared stories and sometimes just caught up with everyone before the start of another week. It was “home” to me. I will never forget those times together as a family.

YESTERDAY  it was family meals, soccer games, sleepovers, homework….TODAY it is working full time jobs, getting married, paying bills , and training for crazy Ironman events, TOMORROW its raising kids, starting another family, and leaving behind another legacy! Throughout life, it’s so important to have family by your side, to go thru the journey together! This weekend I was soo blessed to experience such an incredible wedding. With the blending of another family, the Mazzacone’s, it will make our family that much bigger and richer. Like my mom would always say, “the secret to life is to give your life away.” In doing this, you can truly experience a fulfilling, abundant life! God wants to multiply your blessings and increase your family! So here’s to a weekend of creating lasting memories and gaining another amazing family!

“Set the World on Fire”

This weekend, amongst spending close to 12 hours swimming, biking and running, I had the opportunity (Sunday night) to see one of my favorite Christian artists in concert, Britt Nicole, with two of my special friends Jaime and Victoria! Britt rocks! I absolutely LOVE her lyrics and beat! My sister actually introduced me to her music a few years ago, and now I’m hooked! Anyways, one of her songs, “Set the World on Fire” is my favorite! In my life right now, this is exactly how I feel! I want to set the world on fire, I want others to know that with GOD ALL things are possible! We are weak in our own strength, but with HIM we are lifted up and made STRONG! WE can do ANYTHING! HOW awesome to know that we are made in HIS IMAGE!! Sooo cool!!  Here are some of her lyrics to the song:

I wanna set the world on fire
Until it's burning bright for You
It's everything that I desire
Can I be the one You use?
I am small but YOU are big enough….

I am weak but YOU are strong enough to…

Take my dreams
Come and give them wings
Lord with You
There's nothing I cannot do
Nothing I cannot do

It’s such an incredible feeling to know that I can call on God for anything and he will be there with open arms. Apart from God, on my own strength, I am dead, I can do nothing, no real fruit is produced from my life….BUT when I lean on, trust, rely, put my entire being in God’s hands, I have an abundant, fulfilling, ever-lasting, enriching, blessed-beyond-measure, kind of life and it shows! I don’t know about you, but that’s how I want to live my life! To the fullest! I want to reach out to others, letting them know there is an AMAZING love found in God! He wants to give you ALL the desires of your heart! Where do you draw your strength??