A Good Day

This afternoon the sun shines in a cloudless sky, illuminating the light green aspen leaves, highlighting every turn of leaf and wave of branch. The world looks sun-drenched and washed. Rains fall nearly every day in the mountains this time of year, and as a result we are surrounded by lush green and cool evenings. This morning, during my run, a single cloud in the sky burst sending a gentle rain misting down while the sun shown brightly overhead, creating an incredible weather dichotomy. Warm sun shining and cool rain falling, neither sacrificing the other. Pondering the magic of it all nearly distracted me from the task at hand... RUNNING.

Huffing and puffing doesn’t begin to describe what I look like on my first weeks of running in the mountains. Pasty, gasping and heaving paints a more clear picture. Incredible how lack of oxygen to the brain, tho, creates a unique high... and nausea. If I get in shape here, I am going to be brazen about how awesome I am. As it is, I still get dizzy and feel my lungs expanding well past their normal boundaries in efforts to find useable oxygen--sometimes I think I even TASTE them. I celebrate when I can run longer than ONE MINUTE (count it, 60 painful seconds) as I'm heading the return trip back UP the mountain toward home and water and couch and snacks. Oh its so deceiving... I take off from home feeling like a million bucks... run for 20 or 30 minutes and think "man, I'm doing awesome," conveniently ignoring the fact that I've been running downhill the ENTIRE time, letting gravity be my fuel. Getting home is another game COMPLETELY. But the scenery is breathtaking (or is the altitude or my out-of-shapeness?), and I keep shaking my head in wonder that we really LIVE here now. Incredible.

Despite coughing up a lung today, I feel great after my run. I'm having one of those days which I am inspired to get my life back into rhythm and balance with the universe. Of course this usually means first making a list (there is always a list, I'm so type A) of goals and hopes for the oncoming year. 2010 has had a rough and challenging start, but one that despite its tragedy and trials has gifted us with tremendous love, generosity, and a new-improved family. We've seen the true colors of family and friends, and let me tell you--they are spectacular. We also found out what we are able to survive and weather. Instead of throwing the books at 2010, I'm hoping that we can take a rocky beginning and round out the year stronger, healthier, better for it all.

Solomon, Valancia and I just came in from playing outside... throwing pinecones at trees (rather than at sisters, brothers or mommies), climbing over rocks and playing "jump-jump" and "run-into-a-hug" (highly technical, evolved games, I assure you). They are currently in a window of cute behavior and loving on each other in ways that makes me want to bronze a moment and live in it for all time. When Cici throws her arms around Solomon's neck, or Solomon takes Cici's face in his hands and brings her in for a smooch, when they walk hand-in-hand up a hill, everything else melts away and I instantly forget the previous episode of slap-fight or screaming match. I am so glad I have them, but even more grateful that they have each other. I'm not so neive to think that their lives will be charmed and trouble free. They are growing up in a family that will cause the parts of the world that are unkind to question or judge. I pray that we'll get through such rocky moments with love and grace. But when I look at my kids, at the way they are becoming such good friends, I know that no matter what they'll have to face, they'll do so having the other there to understand, to sympathize, to walk the sometimes bumpy road. I am reminded of all the things my brother and I have weathered together, the history and stories we share. Chris makes me stronger just knowing there is another person in the world who understands, who comes from the same beginnings and who has my back no matter what. I was gifted with a best friend conveniently packaged within a family. I am SO GRATEFUL my children have the opportunity for such a relationship and that they are so quickly well on their way on becoming great friends.

Strangers often ask if my kids are twins. No... born on a different day, to different mothers, but brought under the same roof by a twist of fate and a whole lot of luck. Siblings, yes. And may they forever be so. In the best sense of the word.

So on this gorgeous day that invites reflection and play, I celebrate how far we've come as a family and what we've become. I soak in the here-and-now with the warm sunshine. I give thanks for sun and rain, for lungs that breathe (no matter how dramatically), for kindness shown between children, for my family and precious time to play, to explore and to cherish each other.