The End of The Quarter.

Oh hi, everyone (hey Mom); I'm back again! I decided on the eve of my 26th birthday I probably ought to do a little "self-reflection" of the past year, and the past quarter century for that matter. But first, where have I been?

Did I drop off the face of the earth after the last blog post? Basically. I went home to the Sunflower State (Kansas, for those of you who struggle with geography ;) for almost a whole week at Thanksgiving. I don't do "homesick" and never have had that longing feeling to go home, but I'd say this was the closest I'd ever been. The anticipation of spending time at my parents' house in the middle of nowhere, where it's quiet and peaceful,  was as high as it had ever been. 

While there I got to unleash my inner Katniss and shoot bow and arrows. I literally got within a foot of a bird on the ground too (honorary Everdeen over here). Jace & I also unleashed our former inner athletes and got in a few good heavy lifts in the high school weight room. Of course, I ate a ton of delicious food with family I hadn't seen since July, and played Apples to Apples, one of my favorite traditions. I was bummed to learn my metabolism died though, and I could only eat one helping of everything, instead of the usual 3 (or 7, it's whatever). It also snowed, and I was quickly reminded why I moved south! The break from the hustle and bustle, sirens and lights of the city was a wonderful reprieve, and spending time with the 3 people I love most was also fabulous!

Because obviously archers wear plaid PJs

My favorite place in my parents' house

The normal Moore's and goofy Jen

Some of you may be wondering about my running, as that was one of the original main subjects of this blog. I finally saw an orthopedic MD, who did an x-ray of my right foot that has been injured since November 2014. I have a lovely bone spur coming right off my calcaneus, so I got a steroid injection and am taking 30 days off high-impact activity. This limits my running, my jumping, and basically everything I love, with the exception of walking. I'm 7 days in, and I've never wanted to run more, but I'm honoring my body and trying to get some healing at least, but bone spurs are trick little boogers, so I may just get to deal with foot pain forever! Yay! I did register for 1/2 marathon #5 though, which is the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego in June. I could not be more excited for my first trip to Cali! I will post updates as the time gets closer. 

I've also got a few shorter (K distance) races planned in the upcoming future, so just hang with me for this month-long sabbatical and I promise I'll get back to fun running posts!

Now onto more important, er, interesting....no, more pressing matters. I turn 26 tomorrow, you guys. Last year when I was turning 25, I joked about the proverbial "quarter-life crisis", which isn't so proverbial probably, because I think my generation came up with it, but oh well. 25 was such a fun and interesting year, and part of me can't wait to see what this twenty-sixth year brings. However, for some reason as excited as I am, I'm also equally terrified of this birthday. 

25 brought lots and lots of races. Countless 5K's across the metroplex, a few 10K's, and a couple 15K's and 10 mile runs. This was THE year of running and I loved it. Along with the "shorter" races, I did 3 half marathons. The Disney Princess Marathon in Orlando was the experience of a lifetime, and I cannot wait to go back and run another Disney race; it was truly magical. The Divas half marathon in Galveston was also an awesome experience....I'm not sure if there's a cooler place to run than along a beach (except maybe through Disney World haha). The last half, the Nebraska Half in Omaha was also fun! It makes me excited to run even more throughout the rest of my life while my body is still able!

25 was also the year of spiritual growth for Jen. When I moved to Texas I got involved and became a member to a pretty big bible church in Fort Worth. That church ended up planting Living Hope Bible Church in Mansfield, and I cannot say enough good things about LHBC. I have developed several meaningful relationships within the church, grown closer to God, realized how much SIN is in my life, and most importantly learned to love Jesus more. I can't wait to see where this little church goes, and how many more lives are impacted through its ministry. 

25 brought me closer to my family. Even though we're 7 hours apart, I feel like we grow closer with each visit, and I'm thankful for them and their wisdom. All three of them are so important to me, and keep me grounded and pointed toward Jesus. They're also not afraid to tell me when I'm wrong or encourage me, and know when to do which. I could do an entire post on them and probably will someday.

25 was a hilarious year for my dating life, to say the least. I just knew this was the year I'd meet "him". Well whoever "he" is, I'm still waiting. Growing up, I was going to be married by 22 and be started and finished having kids by 30 at the latest. This year I went on a few dates with high-quality men that just didn't work out for one reason or another, and I went on a few dates where I laughed and/or shook my head internally the.entire.time. If and when the elusive Prince Charming ever does come along, I'm going to pen a comedic novel about the journey to our castle... 

Finally, 25 brought a BIG purchase into my life: my first house. My goal was to live in an apartment for a year, figure out if I wanted to stay here, and if so buy a house. I lived in my apartment for 13 months then moved into my little cottage, affectionately known as Club Mockingbird. Being a homeowner has been interesting thus far, but I'm thankful to have been blessed with my cute home. 

I'm sure I've forgotten some other big events from the past year, as I always do but it was a good reminder of how blessed, how entertaining, and even at times how tough the past 365 days have been. Am I still a little afraid of 26? Well, yeah! I have to pick out my own insurance now (thanks, Obama; the only genuine thanks to him), so I'm really a real big kid now. More than anything though, it's comforting to know every event that has happened, and every event that will happen until my next birthday (Lord willing) is pre-determined by God. I hope this year I give HIM more glory & draw people closer to Him. If you've made it this far, thanks for hanging with me till the end. You deserve an award...until next time. 

PS What's your favorite age you've been so far?
PPS What advice do you have for me as I turn 26?

Twitter: @jen_being_jen
IG: @jenbeingjen

About Grace.

Well hey there, everyone (hi Mom); it's been too long since my last post. Fortunately and unfortunately lots of things have been happening. First, I'll give a quick "catch-up" on running and life in general.

I have been running VERY little to allow for some healing of my body as a whole as well as some specific injuries. I won't bore you with the details of the injuries. I got on Pinterest (aka time suck central) and found several "crossfit" style workouts I can do in my garage, so I've transitioned into that type of workout for now and am totally enjoying it. I do miss running, but it's nice to change things up! The only 5K I've done since running in Omaha was a Superhero Run on Halloween with Jace. It was slow for both of us (especially me), but the race raised funds for victims of child abuse, such a worthwhile cause. It was also such a treat to get to hang out with my best friend for a couple of days!

Then, last weekend my parents came down for a visit. How blessed am I; two family weekends in a row! My mom & I love the Sound of Music, so when I got a notification that it was going to be on stage in Dallas, I knew they needed to come hang out with me for the weekend. The show was amazing; my Dad even enjoyed it. See how cultured we are (but we will still opt for sporting events nine times out of 10)! While they were here, my parents also treated me to an early birthday present: a new mattress! Oh, the things we get excited about when we are "grown-ups". 

Now that we're caught up on the little things in my life, I'm gonna get down to what I purposed this post to be about: grace. I have been writing this post in my head for about three weeks and just haven't felt ready, and truthfully I'm still not sure if I'm ready but I'm hoping the right words and thoughts come to fruition as I go.

If you're friends with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter you probably saw that, a few weeks ago, I had some boxes stolen off my porch. Were they worth tons of money? No. But coming from a town of 300 people where I hadn't really had anything of importance taken from me, this was a big "welcome to the city, small town girl" moment. Through some not-so-tough detective work, I am mostly positive I know where they are but it's not worth my time or efforts to try to retrieve them, and I did end up getting a re-shipment of my items (thanks, Active Gear Up for your outstanding customer service). 

After the events initially occurred, I was ready to pack up my entire house, which I just bought 3 months ago, and move far away to a remote desert island where no one would bother my things again. Thanks to family and friends who know how to talk me down, and some grace from the Holy Spirit, I'm working through it. 

Through the whole situation, I have thought so much about how I am called to forgive those who do wrong to me. I will be very open and say, giving grace to those who go against me is something I have STRUGGLED with my entire life.  In many cases I'd rather just cut off the relationship completely than work through the issue. However, as a Christian, is that what I'm called to do? NOPE.

I found a good article called What is Grace? that explains how God gives grace to us. Let's be honest, I have times where I sin all day every day like it's my job. I am an utter disgrace to Jesus, and often a poor representation of Him. But still, He bestows upon me relentless grace. So why is it so hard for me to do the same to those who wrong me?

I'll tell you why: I'm human, and as I mentioned before, I'm a sinner. God literally sent His Son to die on the cross for my sins, and I'm sitting here harboring anger and bitterness toward people who may say mean words, or take things from me. Does it make what the others do right? No, but how does my testimony look if I speak about Jesus and say, "Oh but by the way I don't like these 37 people because of petty things they did to me 13 years ago"?

With that all being said, I know it is my responsibility to forgive those who do wrong to me, no matter how hard it is. So I pray for a heart full of grace, because look at my life. As the above article mentions, "grace is unconditional love toward those who don't deserve it"... like a hammer over my head, I am smacked with the Truth and completely convicted. I hope ya'll realize how much grace you've been given, and give it out to those who don't deserve it, because frankly the world needs so much more Jesus; and how will that happen if so-called Christians are walking around hoarding God's grace instead of handing it out?

PS Favorite bible verse about grace?

PPS Favorite at-home crossfit/HIIT workout?

Follow me on:

Twitter: @jen_being_jen

IG: @jenbeingjen 

Omaha? More like Home-aha

Now that I have regained full ability to walk & have resumed most of my normal activities, I think it's time I share about my experience at the Nebraska Half Marathon in Omaha. I'll start from the beginning. :)

Last year, my brother talked me into running my first half marathon, the Scout Strong Challenge, in Kansas City. My friend, Shane, and I were already planning to do the Disney Princess half marathon in February 2015, so we decided doing one in September 2014 would be a good trial. That race went well, as did the Disney Princess Half. From then on, Shane & I dubbed each other running partners for life. We have known each other for almost 20 years (that seriously feels so bizarre to say it; I didn't realize it's been that long!) but always played different positions in sports and excelled in different areas. How funny that after college we decided to do long distance running races together. I use the word together very loosely, as she is a fast little thing and smokes me in every run. After running Disney, Shane texted me a few weeks later and asked if I'd be interested in doing a half marathon with her in Omaha in the fall. I was then in the middle of training for the Divas half marathon, which I completed in April in Galveston. Of course I agreed to the Nebraska half marathon; I have always loved the city of Omaha and was thrilled that maybe I'd get to race in cooler weather! Truth be told, Omaha is probably my favorite midwest city. If it weren't for the brutal winters, I might live there.

Downtown Omaha + Trees Changing Colors = BEAUTIFUL

We officially began training for the Nebraska half marathon 10 weeks prior to the race. For those of you who haven't trained for a long distance race, I'll just be honest and say, training really sucks sometimes, especially the longer you do it. You know you have to prepare, but the long distance miles early in the morning or in the evening after a long day at work can get really tedious and challenging, especially in the 100 degree days of summer. On top of those challenges, I had a year-old foot injury to contend with. What started as plantar fasciitis has turned into what I think may be a bone spur on my right heel, something I use millions of times each run. This greatly limited my speed, training run distances, and even some days my motivation. I tried to press on as much as I could, but going into the race I felt the least prepared physically and mentally as I have any race I've ever run. 

I flew to Omaha Friday night and Shane picked me up at the airport. I so love our friendship, because to me, it's one of those unique relationships where you might not talk or see each other for awhile, but when you see each other it's like you haven't been apart. I consider myself blessed to have a friendship like this, as I know they are uncommon. 

From the airport, we went to her new house and watched the Royals on TV (GO ROYALS) and caught up on life. On Saturday we were able to sleep in, since we didn't have to get in a long run, and began carb-loading with pancakes for breakfast. We then went downtown Omaha and got tea from a local coffee shop, and drove the half marathon race course. Driving the course was nerve-wracking, but nice to see where we'd be running! Afterward, we went to a pottery-painting studio called Creation Station. Here, we got to select pieces of pottery and painted them how we wanted. I chose the cutest "snuggle mug" and painted it KU crimson & blue. Rock Chalk Jayhawk! It was so much fun to pretend to be an artist, and I can't wait to see the finished creation (it won't be ready for a week, so I'll be having mine mailed to me). 

I'm not artistic at all, but I love how my mug looks!

After unleashing our inner artist, Shane & I went to an outdoor shopping center and did more carb-loading. We had some truly yummy spaghetti with sausage & marinara, along with delicious bread. Then we went and walked through an enormous sporting goods store, where we picked up hand warmers and energy supplements for the race. Then it was time to go home, prop our race legs up, and get to bed early. 

Ran by this gem around mile 4

Sunday morning, my alarm went off at 5:15 (I seriously get up earlier on the weekends than during the week) and I got dressed and ready to run. I didn't hear Shane getting ready and we were supposed to leave at 5:40, so I called her at 5:38 to make sure she was up and around. Lo and behold, she was still in bed. She gathered all her things and got ready in about 4 minutes and we climbed in with our ride and headed to the race!

About 3 miles of the race was actually in Iowa; you could say we ran from Nebraska to Iowa!

Race time temperature was 46 degrees, which is not something I've felt in north Texas since probably March. It felt AMAZING! I wore a tank top and was getting lots of funny looks from people, but didn't care because I was determined to soak up all the fall weather I could. 

Running buddies pre-race in the dark

The race began at about 7:04 a.m., and it was dark for the first few miles of the race. The race course overall was actually one of my more favorite courses I've run. There were incredible views of downtown with the sunrise behind it, running through Creighton's pretty campus, and running by TD Ameritrade park, home of the College World Series. The course also took us through several areas where I was exposed to actual fall foliage and trees changing colors! While the course was incredible to run through, my feet were not feeling so incredible. Around mile 6, my left leg started to fall asleep, which is an issue I've had for awhile and can't figure out. I pushed through as much as I could, until I was forced to walk and wake the foot back up. This cycle repeated a few times during the race, but I finished. Shane also did well and set a PR! My goal was to finish, which I did, but it was the slowest half marathon I've ever run. I tried to give myself grace during and after the race, but at the end I just lost it and started crying from the pain and disappointment. I've never cried after a race.

Sweet medal! The shirts were awesome too!

In the end, I'm so happy I did this race, and I think at some point in the future I may repeat it. For now, I've decided to take some significant time off of long distance running to allow my body to heal. I have tried to "man up" and just deal with aches and pains, but the longer it goes on, the more it affects my overall health and that's just not ok at the age of 25. I will take a few months off, get stronger, figure out my foot injury situation, then in March plan to get back in the swing of things. The thing about runners is, we hate it when we're in pain, but the second we cross the finish line we're ready to plan the next event. That's just what Shane & I have done, and we plan to run our next race together next June at the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll half marathon. :)

PS Look for 5K updates & updates on other life events in the blog in the near future; I said I'm taking a break from long distance, not running altogether ;)
PPS Have you been to Omaha? If not, please go. You'll love it.

Twitter: @jen_being_jen
IG: @jenbeingjen

Texas10 Fort Worth

Wow, what a weekend! I can't believe how fast time flies, but I'm thankful I get to participate in fun activities & events during this short time I'm on earth. Saturday morning I woke up bright & early to get to Ft. Worth to help hand out water to athletes running the C.A.L.F. 15K & 5K with a group of Girls on the Run volunteers. I usually run the Cowtown 10K in February, and thought it'd be cool to help out at their fall event. I am also a huge fan of the Girls on the Run organization. Click the link above to find out what they're all about, and how you can get involved! For those of you who don't run, a 5K is 3.1 miles & a 15K is 9.3 miles. It still HOT here in north Texas, but yesterday was a beautiful day for a run. It was so inspiring to me to see the different levels of athleticism in all of the runners. There were kids doing their first race, and seasoned veterans just out for another run. Every runner has a story, and it's fun to peek in and see little glimpses of those stories while they run by!

Bib Number 178!

The main event of my weekend was this morning's race: the Texas10 Fort Worth. Since I have 1/2 marathon #4 next weekend in Omaha, this was my last training run before next Sunday. The race was on the Trinity Trails, which is one of my most favorite places EVER to run. If you're local to DFW, please go check them out!  

I took it easy after getting home yesterday, eating good foods, mentally preparing, and dancing around a little in the kitchen to get psyched (you're welcome for the visual, haha). I got up at 6 again this morning (I don't believe in weekend sleep ins; wake up earlier than during the week if possible!) & headed to LeGrave Field, ready to tackle 10 miles. 

It was about 66 degrees at the start, with a nice cool breeze, but warmed up quickly as soon as the sun got over the buildings of downtown. I felt pretty good until mile 4 or 5, when I started having pain in my feet. I've been battling what I think is a bone spur in my right heel for almost a year, and nerve pain in my left foot for a little over a year. The nerve pain reared its ugly head, forcing me to take a few walk breaks. I did finish, but my time was pretty terrible, AND the course only ended up being 9 miles! Typically, I'd be bummed at a short distance but today it was a blessing in disguise. I heard a few people talking afterward, & apparently there were some mix-ups on the course, which led to confusion among the runners. The best part of the race is that it's over; however, it was a pretty day to be on the trails so I will try not to complain too much.

Pretty sweet medal; there's even a fact about Ft. Worth on the back of it!

Obviously today's performance makes me super nervous about running the Nebraska 1/2 Marathon next weekend, but I'm going to do it. I may just try run:walk intervals depending on how the feet feel. This has been the hardest training of any of the races I've done before, but I will finish no matter what; it'll just be slow[er than normal]. 

For the rest of this week, I plan to get in a few short runs, some stretching, and heavy mental preparedness training. I'm so excited to run another race with my friend, Shane and see her new hometown! 

PS I ran a race this same date last year & it was 39 degrees. Get with the program, Texas; it's FALL!
PPS If you've never volunteered at a race, I'd encourage you to get out and do that! It's fun, plus the runners are super grateful you're there.

Twitter: @jen_being_jen
IG: @jenbeingjen

Country Run, Pumpkins, A Country Bumpkin

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to finally blog about an actual race! I'm finally almost back to my "normal" (whatever that is), & I ran my first 5K in about a month on Saturday. A couple of months ago I got an email saying the first few people to sign up for the Country Run 5K in Fort Worth would run the race for free. Obviously, I say yes to pretty much anything free and signed up! 

Since I signed up for free, I wasn't really expecting much, but was really just excited to finally pin a bib on and run after what seemed like such a long break from organized running! Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. I picked up my race materials Friday evening, and got a super soft and comfy race shirt, fun red bandana, a cool personalized bib, & a fun hat! That in and of itself made my day! 

When I showed up Saturday morning to run, I paid $10 to park (the only money I spent besides gas to get there & back home) and went to the start line. There were surprisingly a TON of people! As a PT and runner, my heart just smiles when I see lots of people up early to exercise on Saturday mornings. The course started straight up a hill, which I hate but I know is good for me. Then, of course there was a beautiful downhill. :) The race took place around the Will Rogers Center near downtown Fort Worth (I think it's a big deal locally), and parts of the races were run through horse stables and pig pens, which was a funny touch. It made me feel like I was at the fair back home in Kansas! 

After the race was over, the runners were given a blue finisher's ribbon and a cool drawstring bag, and ushered into the Will Rogers center, where the event coordinators had set up a country fair, complete with carnival games and food, and a live cover band. I walked around and collected lots of free beverages to put in my new bag. I, of course, also got a free watermelon ICEE. All in all, I give this race 5 stars. It was well-organized, a challenging but neat course, fun "after-party", & did I mention I ran it for FREE? It was also very family-friendly, but good for competitive athletes too. I'd run it again in a heartbeat!

After the race I drove home and got ready to go to the Dallas Arboretum with a good friend who I went to college with and lives in DFW too. I had gotten many recommendations on going to the Arboretum in the fall, because the have tons of pumpkins, and I'm basically obsessed with autumn and pumpkins.

While I wanted to feel like it was a crisp autumn day, in reality it was about 90 degrees and I was sweating and wishing for water the entire time. That didn't take away from the incredible amount of pumpkins I saw! I'm going to let the photos below do the talking. :)

Playing Cinderella...because I pretend I'm a Disney Princess sometimes

 What you don't see is that the entire carriage is completely surrounded by probably hundreds or even thousands of various pumpkins.

Gorgeous infinity pool overlooking White Rock Lake

 White Rock Lake is one of my favorite places to run, so it was neat to get a different perspective of the water. I really wanted to just sit and relax in the pool, but I'm pretty sure that's frowned upon.

I call this "basic white girl sitting on pumpkin"

 These pumpkins had to weigh 100+ pounds, you guys. I'm 5'11" and literally using this guy as a chair.

Someone please find out how many varieties of pumpkins there are!

 I'd seen a few different pumpkins, but this really opened my eyes. I'm trying to figure out how people see the incredible variety of these fruits/vegetables (another question) & can't see that they are the handiwork of a Mighty Creator.

Of course they made Texas out of the friendly gourds

The Lonestar State is known for its pride, so naturally there is a giant pumpkin state of Texas with a heart where DFW is (you can barely see it if you look super close at the NE corner of the state).

So that was my fun-filled weekend! If you're ever down here, go to the Arboretum. Plan to spend some pesos though; it wasn't cheap, but I'm pretty sure you can take your own food/drink, so make a fun and educational day out of it. 

PS I'm serious, someone please find out the number of pumpkin varieties and tell me.
PPS What's your favorite season? Mine has changed many times throughout my life, but right now it's autumn. :)
Follow me on Twitter: @jen_being_jen & IG: @jenbeingjen 

Those of you who know me know I have an addiction to shopping. It's borderline to the point of needing rehab. If you didn't know me when I was younger, you wouldn't know that I have also always loved samples of products. I remember being little and sending away in the mail for samples of shampoo, body lotion, and beauty products. They were literally the kind you get in a tiny perforated packet, but I loved them (weird, I know). Some things never change. I'm still in love with getting samples of products, so much so that I subscribe to companies who send monthly boxes of these little samples. I'd like to tell you about the two to which I currently subscribe, along with other options for those of you who may not enjoy the same things as I do! I would also like to preface this post by saying I am not sponsored or receiving monetary gain in exchange for promotion for any of the following products/services (although that would be really cool!).

The first monthly subscription service I use is Birchbox. I have been subscribing to Birchbox for about a year and a half. The way it works is: you fill out a "beauty profile" (i.e. products you like, your skin tone/complexion type, and the types of products you use or would like to use) and  for $10 every month the magical beauty fairies at Birchbox put together 5-6 samples of beauty products. Each month, they also send an email describing what will be in the upcoming month's box, along with sample choices you get to choose. Imagine my delight when I get options on samples to receive in the mail! It kind of makes my day every time...

Perks: 
-Cumulative points you can get by quickly reviewing your samples; they add up & you get to "spend" them on full-size products!
-Adorable packaging-- each month's box has a different design. I'm actually hoarding my boxes in my closet right now because someday I will need 15 small boxes for something, right?
-High quality-- Some of the sample brands I have only seen in magazines & are WAY too expensive for me to ever buy full-price, so I love feeling luxurious for the 5-6 uses I have them. ;)

What I Would Change:
-Delivery-- It takes FOREVER for the box to come. Often, it takes a week to get my box after it's been shipped, and this cost me a lipstick sample once, because it melted. :(
-More brand variety-- Oftentimes, Birchbox recycles the same samples and brands. I like to keep it fresh and try things I've never heard of before, not just a different shade of the same nail polish.

Told you...I'm a box hoarder!

The second monthly box service I subscribe to is for runners! It is called Stridebox. I couldn't decide whether or not to buy into this one, but decided to very recently and have received one box so far. I am thoroughly impressed by this service! For $15 each month, I get 7-10 samples of "runner stuff", including nutrition, apparel, and recovery items. This month I got an energy bar, some pre-run snacks, energy tea, pain cream, and several other LARGE sample products. I don't use a ton of running nutrition products, so this is handy to find which ones I should start using more. 

Perks:
-Thorough info-- I really like the card insert that describes all of the samples included in the box. For example, I received an energy bar and the card says it is best to eat the bar before or after a run; others say to use during, or anytime. It is nice to have that info for proper fueling!
-Sample sizes-- As I mentioned above, the sample sizes are enormous compared to most samples! I would even consider some of them "mini full size" because to me they are larger than samples.
-Feeling like an athlete-- Receiving these samples & the information with them makes me feel like a legit runner (maybe that's an issue to be taken care of another time) ;)

What I Would Change:
-No Points-- Unlike Birchbox, Stridebox doesn't have a cumulative points system to be used as a discount on future purchases of full-size products and I wish they did.
-I don't know what else I'd change yet, as I just became a subscriber and haven't found many flaws yet! :)

This month's Stridebox swag!

You might be saying, Jen, I HATE beauty products and I HATE running so thanks for wasting my time. To you I would say keep reading! These days, sample subscriptions have caught on and can be found in just about any realm you might be interested in. In a quick search online I found NatureBox, which is healthy snacks (um, yum!); I also found Faithbox (Christian and faith-centered items); and the WODbox (for all you cross fitters I envy and admire so much); the last "box" is Stitchfix, a monthly clothing delivery based on your clothes preferences. I have had friends who have subscribed to Stitchfix & have done some personal research myself, and have to say that at this point I'm still on the fence about it!

The jist of this post is to get out of your daily routine, buying the same deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner; or snacks; or workout gear; every time you go to the store. TRY NEW THINGS! Branch out! It's only 10-20 dollars a month to find new things you will likely fall in love with...so just do it!

PS With snack sample boxes, make sure they're aware of any allergies/sensitivities
PPS What are some sample companies I didn't mention that I should try?!

Balloons & Injections

I can count on one hand the number of times I've missed a running race due to sickness; in fact, I can count on one finger. It happened this morning. This post was supposed to be my very first race recap after running the Plano Balloon Festival 5K this morning. I signed up for the race a couple of months ago, and was planning to run it with a friend named Celeste, who I met through a running challenge group on Facebook. All the details were planned out, she kindly picked up my race packet, and we were ready to meet and run at 6:15 this morning. The Plano Balloon Festival includes hot air balloon launches, running events, and concerts. I was so excited to run amongst the hot air balloons, as I have never been very close to one before, and I think they look so neat!

Then, strep happened. I started noticing some congestion and pain in my chest Thursday. Then I woke up at 3 on Friday morning with a 101 degree fever. I was able to take some medicine to get my fever down and feeling up to working on Friday. I don't "do" sickness, so I was sure with continued medicine, hydration, and some sleep, I'd be perfectly fine by this morning and the 5K would go off without a hitch. Boy, was I wrong. Again, I woke up in the middle of the night with horrible fever, a headache, and a sore throat. I have always caught strep throat really easily, so I took one look into my throat, and saw the infamous pus pockets (disgusting, I know) and knew I wouldn't be running any races.

Instead of sweating under a sky of hot air balloons, I spent a couple of hours in urgent care, only to have my suspicions confirmed. I know many people are anti-antibiotic, but I felt this was the quickest route to feeling normal again. So, one rocephin shot and an azithromycin prescription later, I'm on the fast track to health again. Of course I did check with my brother (a future pharmacist) to make sure these treatments were necessary & would help me heal quickly. My mom (hi, Mom) also gave me a bountiful to-do list of natural remedies to sickness as well. 

I guess sometimes I need reminders that I'm human, and can get sick. I have another race planned next weekend, countless training runs, and in less than a month I'll be running my fourth half marathon in Omaha! As for now though, I will be spending the rest of the weekend sleeping, eating chicken soup, Netflixing (yes, it's a verb), and watching football. I promise more exciting race updates in the future! :) 

PS The doctor's office said strep is, in fact, going around in full force. So SEE a doctor ASAP if you have signs & symptoms. It's not something to let linger.
PPS Comment below with your favorite Netflix shows. I'm almost finished with Friends, so I'll need a new show soon. ;)

Twitter: @jen_being_jen   IG: @jenbeingjen 

On Thriving.

Thrive. According to dictionary.com, this word means "to prosper; be fortunate or successful; also to grow or develop vigorously; flourish." My all-time favorite band for life is Switchfoot. Whether they'll ever know it or not, their songs and lyrics have impacted me in a meaningful way. My brother & I have spent countless hours discussing words Jon Foreman & his band have written, as they are deeply thought-provoking. Many songs talk about our purpose on this earth and how we can reach others, and what we can do to grow closer to God while we wait to see Him in heaven (which, I personally can't wait for). 

One of my favorite songs by Switchfoot is "Thrive" (link to lyrics). It talks about how life can wear on your soul and sometimes you just feel like your own existence is a hoax. I would be lying if I said I don't feel like this sometimes. The first line of the song refers to fighting things I can't see. To me, this is in reference to spiritual warfare happening all around us. As a Christian, I am a pawn in battles I don't even know are going on. This is where I look to God as my strength and comfort, especially in the most trying times when I feel so "down and can't get up."

The song also talks about wanting to "thrive, not just survive." When I used to play in sports tournaments, the coaches' motto would be "survive and advance", meaning just get through one game and move on. There are some people who have adopted this attitude into their daily lives. They think just get through today, make it to tomorrow, then sleep and do it all over again. This is the absolute antithesis of thriving; in fact, it's barely classified as surviving. 

While it's normal to get into a funk sometimes, where yes, you just need to survive and make it through, this is no way to live life. I come into contact with dozens of people on a daily basis, and I can't tell you how many times people tell me "Oh, I'm just here today", or "Well, it's just another day you know". I know there are circumstances beyond your control sometimes, but when you get into a prolonged attitude of complacency, your life loses its purpose and meaning. 

For me, I do all the "fun" things I do so I feel like I'm THRIVING. Thriving looks different for everyone too, I realize. For stay-at-home moms, thriving might look different than a business man. My thriving looks like this: first and foremost serving God, then traveling as much as I can, being the best PT I can be, doing as much as I can, and saying YES to as many things as I can within reason. Ultimately, yes, I'm living for something bigger than this earth; however, as long as I'm here my philosophy is to soak it up and enjoy what I can while I can, all while waiting for the ultimate eternal vacation. 

What is your thriving? Are you living that on a daily basis; if not, what is preventing it? "A warm body doesn't mean you're alive"; I would challenge and encourage you, start thriving and stop just living day to day with a ho-hum, poor me, life is boring, attitude. Life is as exciting as you make it! 

PS If you haven't listened to Thrive, do it now. You're welcome.
PPS Comment below with how you thrive or why you're not thriving
Twitter: @jen_being_jen IG: @jenbeingjen

Jen Being Jen

This is real life. I've officially taken the plunge into the blogging world. To those of you reading this right now, thank you for spending some time & joining me on this fun & crazy journey I call my life. Also, hi Mom; you may very well be my only reader, and I know you'll be my most devoted reader, as you've always been my #1 fan (along with Dad & Jace). :) 

My plan for this blog isn't anything fancy, extravagant, or earth-shattering. I just hope to share my life and provide entertainment and/or relatable posts to other humans. I'm a 20-something, single lady trying to live a rich & fulfilling life, all while supporting my shopping & travel addictions. I have always loved using writing as an outlet, & believe it or not, I have had requests to start blogging based on social media posts, so here we go!

First and foremost, my life belongs to Jesus Christ & I exist for His glory, so there will be blog posts about God and/or scripture. Secondly, my family is very important to me, so expect to see them in the mix relatively often, as they are my 3 favorite people in the whole world! 

I'm a Doctor of Physical Therapy by trade (please don't call me Dr. Moore though); therefore, encouraging posts about health, fitness, nutrition, and links to other blogs I love regarding these subjects should be expected. I grew up an athlete all through high school, then took a break from organized fitness during college. A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted to be a "runner" and I do a lot of running events, from local 5K's to half marathons at Disney World. Race recaps are some of my favorite things to discuss, & I absolutely can't WAIT to share them with ya'll!

I thought about what blogging "niche" I wanted to try to join, and could not pick just one, so I will call this a fitness/lifestyle/Jesus-loving/travel/all of the above blog. Thanks for bearing with me through the introductory post; being from the Midwest originally, I feel proper introductions are important and promise to be more exciting in the future. With that being said, welcome to "Jen Being Jen", & welcome to my life. :)

PS Comments and constructive criticism are welcomed; please comment below!

PPS Follow me on Instagram (@jenbeingjen) & Twitter: (@jen_being_jen)