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Thursday, August 28, 2008

Training

You know, I get asked a lot, about how in the world I can handle having so many kids.

For the record, I think 4 seems pretty tame. 15 would be so many.

Well, you know there's really only 1 answer... well, maybe 2.

1. I am mind-blowingly in love with each one we've been given.

2. Motherhood kindly trained me for the task.

When you start to run for the first time, you huff halfway down the block.

When you can get around the block without a huff, you go further, and so on.

Pretty soon, well, not that soon, you're running miles and miles for fun.

It's that way with children too.

One can seem very hard, what, with your first trip around the block and all.

You start to get a handle on that, then you add another. This adds to the difficulty at first, but gosh, it sure is worth it.

And so it goes.

One was a new challenge for me, but I got through that phase with just a few scrapes on the knees. Two seemed like a welcome addition to the workout. The third was the hardest for me. I wasn't sure I'd ever recover. But I got over that wall and started to feel like maybe I was cut out for this after all.

By the time we got to that guy up there, it didn't even seem like more work. I mean it.

Now I'm just running for fun.

Do I get sweaty? Yes.

Sore muscles, bloody feet? Sure, sometimes.

But really, it's all good.

12 comments:

Ashlie said...

Love the analogy! Your little guy is too cute!

anne said...

That's a HUGE encouragement and great reminder to me as we get back to "normal" this week. :)
Thanks.

Lisa said...

Great analogy. Now the question is - are you satisfied with the length of your run - or are you going for the 5K?

Lauren W said...

That's so funny, that's almost exactly what my sister said (she has 3 girls and a boy as well)! Although, for her, two was the hardest. She said after two it just gets easier :)

Sarah in the Middle said...

Great post, and great outlook! Thanks for the encouragement. I feel like we're getting back to the "fun" part. Of course, the fact that the baby slept 9 hrs. straight last night makes a rosy outlook easy this morning!

amanda said...

what a perfect analogy friend.

and the picture up top - totally worth it :)

Mandy said...

This is such a wonderful way to describe it. Good job! And I so agree with you.

Kiki said...

That is a great analogy. Thanks for the reminder and encouragement!

Kristen said...

What a great way to put it!

You make having more than two kids seem possible. Somedays I don't know how I will survive with two. :)

Unknown said...

Ditto what they said.

Whenever people tell me "Oh you have your hands full!" I say, "and so are my arms and heart!"

Ris said...

I think the hardest part would be leaving the house. It's a huge production even for us to leave the house...packing all the stuff, deciding to carry the baby and let Dax walk, or putting them both in stroller, how to get groceries, etc... Always an ordeal!

I think 4 sounds like a great number!

Robyn said...

AMEN!! Wow - yet another post I wish I'd written myself because YOU NAILED IT.

1 child and the learning curve was steep: but I was in love with the new "sport" I knew I was addicted . 2 children and I was running miles, but huffing and puffing. 3 children and I was injured and in need of physical therapy. 4 children and now I'm a bonafide runner - bring on the marathon because I can handle it, and I love it, and I want to run one every year!