Summer Days Of Joy...

It feels a lot like summer outside, however it's not quite summer yet!

Friday, June 21 is technically the first day of summer, although

these temperatures are telling us different!

It's been BEAUTIFUL outside the past week, and by "beautiful"

I mean that there hasn't been any rain or horrible "wipe your face

as soon as you walk outside because it's so hot" temperatures!

It's the season for things to come to an end..

I successfully finished my second year of college! Even though that was

technically 3 weeks ago, I just needed to get that said in public. ;)

Young Life has come to an end for the semester. 

The kids I nanny finished school!

Spring sports for the kids are also coming to an end.

Crazy, busy, "so many places to go in an hour" schedules are finally

coming to an end. 

However what I've really been learning is that just because things

are coming to an end, doesn't mean the Lord isn't preparing me for

BIG things ahead! I'm so excited for things to come...

The pool is open, so relaxation is upon my life.

Young Life camp is coming up! 

Another 5K is in my future.

And so much more, but I'm just too tired to really think right now!

Even though there are so many great things to be looking forward

to, I've had a hard time finding happiness lately. Let me rephrase that,

I've had a hard time finding joy in my everyday life.

No, I'm not sad everyday and no I do not mope about my life...

but I've been having a hard time finding pure joy. I've been 

thinking about this a lot the past week and I really can't pinpoint 

exactly the reason for this, but all I know is that if I don't

start finding some joy in every day ahead, I'm going to become

miserable and that's the last thing I want to be!

So, starting today I have decided to start finding joy in every single

day this entire summer. So from now, until school starts again, I'm

going to document everyday, whether that's an Instagram post,

Facebook post, journal entry, or even a blog about the joy

I've had that day. 

James 1:2-3 says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

Well, God, I am READY for some perseverance!

Prayers during this time are definitely welcomed! 

Some days may be easy, others may be hard,

but I AM READY!

"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes

your smile can be the source of your joy."

<3xoxo

My first 5K - Graffiti Run!

You read that title right.. I completed my first EVER 5K!

Do you know how much 5K is?! ONLY 3.1 miles.. I mean, no big deal.

Well, for some it REALLY is no big deal. *snaps for you*

For me, it was a HUGE deal! *big claps for me*

I seriously cannot even believe I did it. 

Preparing up until the run...

I was so nervous, but I was excited. I had been mentally preparing for this 5K since beginning of January, but I didn't actually register until about a month before the run. Not because I was backing out, but mostly because I was freaking myself out. I wasn't physically ready for the run. Mentally, I was already across the finish line. But physically yeaahhhh not at all.  

After I officially registered, I set a goal for myself.
(I had a bad habit of eating horrible, but still going to the gym)
But I decided it was time to stop that and make sure my mind and body were ready!

So I set a goal for myself. I would start eating better and start working out at least every other day. That was a hit! I accomplished my first goal! Whoop whoop!

Two weeks before the run, I made this post about my next goal!

And up until the day of the race, I accomplished it! Go me!!!

The night before the race...

I got a phone call from my bestfriend, Stephanie, telling me that she wanted to sign up for the 5K and do it with me! Which was SUPER exciting! Obviously. (Just to clear things up, no I wasn't planning on doing this run by myself, lol, my friend Stacy was planning on doing it with me... Well now she's doing it with us!)

The day of the race...

My thoughts "Holy crap, am I really about to do this?"
"Heck yeah I'm going to do this!"
I was beyond excited and ready for it, after all, I did spend
what felt like forever preparing for it!
Stacy, Stephanie, and I drove together and as we got to the parking lot, my heart was racing! As we were walking (literally felt like 3 miles) to get to the starting line I kept saying to myself "well, there's not turning back now!" and there really wasn't!

Needless to say...
After the race fun started, it was just amazing!
There were times that I wanted to give up, but Steph and Stacy did an amazing job of keeping me motivated! Steph did so awesome pushing me to run! My goal was to run more than I walked, because I knew I couldn't run the WHOLE thing just yet, and I think I accomplished that goal! I had so much fun with it! 

My favorite part...
Just running to the next color! It was an absolute blast setting goals during the run and pushing myself to complete it. (Steph was a great help with goal setting) Goodness, I am so thankful for her! 

After the race...
Well, Steph & I celebrated with ice cream! :) 

 

My future goals...
I have big plans for the future! My next goal is to do at least 1 more Color Run. 
After that, I plan to start training for a mini-marathon! 
After that, I plan to start training for a half marathon!
And after that, I plan to start training for a full marathon!
I would also LOVE to do a triathlon or a decathlon one day... but that's pretty far in the future!


Thank you, Graffiti Run for an awesome time!
AND THANK YOU STEPH & STACY FOR JOINING ME!
And thank you ALL for supporting me, praying for me, and being excited with me!


I am blessed.
xoxo, Ally