sharing the stairs – Page 17 – because life has ups and downs…

One of Those Days

24 Mar 201724 Mar 2017

Must. Run. Daily. That’s the mantra. At some point during the day, maybe before breakfast or maybe after work, there’s going to be a run. The distance may vary, but…

Anybody Is Everybody

I was a writer for RUNHAVEN website, which was a site designed for all types of runners that shared technical advice as well as personal runner stories. Because RunHaven is…

Right Where I Was Supposed To Be

3 Sep 20163 Sep 2016

Does anyone else save the chore of grocery shopping for the weekend? It seems like I can never manage to fit in the kind of marketing that fills my cupboards…

More Love. Less Hate.

I was clearing the table from dinner when it started. The news broadcast showed the 49 victims from the shooting in Orlando in alphabetical order of the last names along…

Joplin Tornado: 5 Years Later and 5 Things I Know For Sure

It can be difficult to remember what our city looked like 5 years ago today. On May 22, 2011 at 5:41PM an EF-5 tornado slammed through Joplin, Missouri, and left…

Honoring My 13.1 Miles

21 May 201622 May 2016

The Joplin Memorial Marathon was today. This event honors the lives lost in the May 22, 2011, tornado and the rebuilding process since. The slogan is "Run. Remember. Rebuild." Beginning…

Reflections-25 Things Learned from the Joplin Tornado

Five years ago this week--May 22, 2011 at 5:41PM to be exact--Joplin, Missouri, was just about wiped off the map by an EF-5 tornado. It was a tornado unlike any…

Every Day is Mother’s Day

7 May 20168 May 2016

I remember standing on the front porch with my newborn daughter in my arms thinking HOLY COW!! How was I responsible for this tiny human when I wasn't even sure…

I Think Maybe God Wears Running Shoes

24 Apr 201624 Apr 2016

Church, for me, was running a few miles alone with God today. Sometimes, that's my personal time to reflect and give thanks. I lace up my shoes and pull up…

The Magic of the Marble Stairway

20 Mar 201626 Apr 2016

My childhood dentist's office was located in a tall downtown building, one of the only tall buildings in our small town. I bet half of the kids in town went…

If I Won The Lottery

A notification from Yahoo News just popped up on my iPad. The lottery is currently up to $900 million. $900 million! Insane! When the numbers are drawn, someone- or maybe…

My One Word 2016

So, I've never been one for resolutions. The idea of sticking to one goal for an entire year seemed like too much. Heck- the idea of making one goal for…

A Very Disney Christmas

The holidays always brought the same things. Some might call them traditions. In all honesty, they may have simply been habits. Our kids counted on the familiarity of family dinner…

Rockin’Around The Trail

Runners look for any reason to put on their running shoes. The running community here in Joplin, Missouri, found the perfect excuse to throw on some festive attire along with…

Runners-Be Aware!

2 Dec 201526 Apr 2016

When I arrived at school today for an early meeting, I found my usual seat with the usual teachers. One woman looked a bit distracted even for the early…

I Broke My Face… Really

28 Nov 20158 Dec 2023

One year ago today, I was out for a run. It was an unusually gorgeous, warm autumn day. It was the day after my birthday. It was Black Friday. It…

Happy Birthday to Me!!

It's my birthday! I'm 52 years old today! On the day I was born in 1963, my mom watched the TV coverage of the Kennedy assassination while she was at…

My 80 Year Old Mother and Her iPad

14 Oct 201523 Oct 2015

It was a couple of months ago when I received the dreaded phone call from her land line to my cell. My 80 year old mother's computer wasn't working…

Life Lessons from the Trail

30 Sep 20157 Jul 2016

There's a trail race series that runs through Elk City State Park on the outskirts of a small Kansas town called Independence. My husband and his ultra running buddies love…

It’s Not About Me…

Whew! In the last three weeks, we drove our son back to Chicago for his sophomore year of college. Our oldest daughter moved to Florida for an internship at the…