February 2013

I started February strong by running 7 miles while visiting my family in Millington, but my half training quickly took a nosedive a week later when I developed a sinus infection. Although I started to feel sick the next weekend, my friends Tara and Felecia and I ran in the Kiss It Goodbye 5k. Here are pics from before and after the race:

 

The sinus infection has lasted well over a month. James wanted me to take a week off from running so I could recover, but I just couldn't shake it even with taking a break. Over the past few weeks, I've only ran a handful of times. Because of that, my knee has started hurting when I run. It just takes time to get back to a point where it won't hurt when I run...time that I don't have before the Murray Half Marathon. With that being said, I made the decision to drop out of the race, and my friend Britt (Felecia's sister) is going to take my spot. I'm a little disappointed, but there will always be other races. I may just stick to shorter races for now anyway.

Only 50 days until we leave for our cruise!

Winter Runnerland 10k

The "Moms Run This Town" Winter Runnerland racers

Murray Half Marathon training group. We finished a 10k!

We kept a good pace together during the race.

Murray Half Marathon training group. Love these girls!

Winter Runnerland 10k medal

January 2013

Just wanted to take a moment to recap January 2013. I have done a fairly decent job at keeping up my New Year's Resolutions. I finished the Hunger Games trilogy yesterday, and I have a long list of books to read. I'd like to try to read one book per week. So far, so good.

I cooked more in the first two weeks of January than the past couple weeks, but keeping up with my half marathon training is taking more time than originally anticipated. For the entire month, I've ran 4 times a week. Two weeks ago, I also started going to a fitness class two nights a week to strengthen my core. The long runs on Saturdays have been fun this time around. I'm training with several of my friends from college and church. We plan to do a few smaller races in the next couple months to help us prepare for the half marathon. Having a group of friends to train with definitely motivates me more than just about anything.

I have already begun to see a difference in how I look and feel since training began. Hopefully, I can keep this up until May 4. That's when we leave for our cruise. I'd love to be more in shape then than I ever have been. I have exactly 100 days to get there!

Perspective

A friend posted this today. I really like this change of perspective and how it reminds me to be thankful for all things in this life.

"I am thankful for:  
The taxes I pay because that means I have a job.
The clothes that fit a little too snug because that means I have food to eat.
The shadow that follows me because that means I'm out in the sunshine.
The halls that need to be swept and laundry that needs washed because that means I have a home and loved ones to spend my time with.
The spot I finally find at the far end of the parking lot because it reminds me that I still have the ability to walk.
All the complaining I hear about our government because it means we have freedom of speech.
That lady at church that sings off key because it means I can hear.
The beeping of an alarm in the early morning because that means I'm able to wake up to live another day."

Chicken Pot Pie

My First Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

For the recipe, click here. I did make a few slight changes such as:
-using Heart Healthy Bisquick instead of flour
-using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth
-using dried minced onion instead of real onion
-adding broccoli, cauliflower, and poultry seasoning

2012 Recap & 2013 Resolutions

A recap of the resolutions I made in 2012:
1. Grow closer in my relationship with God. (Lifelong process)
2. Read and study Scripture more fervently. (Lifelong process)
3. Exercise more and eat healthier. (Lifelong process)
4. Graduate from the Master of Business Administration program in December. (Completed!)
5. Get into the Master of Science in Information Science program at UTK. (Completed! Although I'm almost certain I've decided not to continue with this program.)
6. Pass the Certified Administration Professional exam in May and get the 9% raise. (Completed! I didn't take the exam in May as originally planned, but I did take it in November and passed!)

2013 Resolutions/Goals: 
1. Grow closer in my relationship with God.
2. Read and study Scripture more fervently.
3. Exercise more and eat healthier.
4. Cook and read more. (Off to a good start: I cooked ham, green beans, purple hull peas, mashed potatoes, pumpernickel bread, and a double berry crisp dessert for dinner last night, and I am almost finished reading the first book in the Hunger Games trilogy.)
5. Train for and run in the Murray Half Marathon in April and complete it within 2 hours and 30 minutes or less.
6. Lose 10-15 pounds before our cruise in May. (I did great with my healthy eating for half of 2012. The past couple months are a different story. So goes that yo-yo effect I am bound and determined to conquer someday!)

Christmas with the Copeland's

Home Improvements

Since becoming homeowners in May 2011, James and I had not done anything different to the house until this fall. First, we had our laundry room and bathroom painted. Then we bought a new front door and had it painted. Finally, we bought a new mailbox from Pottery Barn to top it all off!

Bathroom Before:

Bathroom After:

Laundry Room Before:

Laundry Room After:

Front Door Before:

Front Door After:

MBA Graduation

Four Month Hiatus

Once again, I have allowed time to slip by me, and I have neglected to update my blog. I'm sure many of my readers have long since moved on since I have barely written a post this year. Although I'd like to think that life will finally slow down now that I have graduated (whoo!), I have a feeling my extra free time will fill up quickly (with things to be described in an upcoming post). I'll recap the past few months (or year, really) with the Christmas letter that we sent out to friends and family:

Merry Christmas to our dear friends, family, fellow bloggers and readers!

As 2012 comes to a close and as we all look forward to what’s in store for 2013, we hope that you and your family are doing very well! God has blessed us in great ways this year, and we would like to share some of our 2012 highlights.  

The most exciting event this year was most definitely when my dad became a Christian and then was baptized on July 22! Praise God who is faithful! Although his soul is now healed, please pray for physical healing and relief because he still struggles with a great deal of back pain and discomfort. Thank you for your prayers!

In March James and I celebrated our 4^th anniversary by spending a night at Patti's 1880's Settlement in Grand Rivers, KY. James had been there a few times with his family, but this was my first visit to Patti’s. The pork chops are definitely worth the drive!

In May James’s sister Casey and I spent two weeks in Europe for a Holocaust Travel Study with groups from UT Martin, Union University, and Rhodes College. We visited Poland (Warsaw, Oswiecim, and Krakow), the Czech Republic (Prague), and Germany (Dresden and Berlin). We toured ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto, Treblinka (extermination camp), Auschwitz I (main concentration camp), Auschwitz II-Birkenau (extermination camp), Auschwitz III (factory/work camp), Terezin (concentration camp), and many Jewish synagogues, cemeteries, museums, and memorials. Words cannot describe these humbling, surreal experiences. Casey and I have both been captivated by the history of the Holocaust since we were young, and we will not soon forget this incredible trip! 

On December 15, I graduated from UTM with a Master of Business Administration. I plan to continue working as the secretary in the Department of Engineering at the university as long as James is working on his nursing degree. As James continues his studies in nursing, he also enjoys his job installing and repairing classroom technology with UTM’s Information Technology Services. Over the past several semesters, James has also taken scuba classes. Diving has become one of his favorite hobbies. He has attained several scuba certifications and has had many opportunities this year to dive at Mermet Springs in Belknap, IL.

Speaking of opportunities, we have booked a 7-day Carnival Caribbean cruise in May 2013 to celebrate our 5th anniversary! James has already planned an excursion to go diving in the Cayman Islands. This will be his first ocean dive! Our ship will leave from Miami, FL and stop at 4 ports: Cozumel, Mexico; Belize; Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan, Honduras; and Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. We have never been on a cruise, so we are excited to try something new like this together!

This year we also visited with James’s aunt who was in town from Africa (my first time to meet her!), went camping with his family during a beautiful fall weekend, and celebrated with many of our friends and family who either graduated, got married, and/or had babies. This summer I helped with VBS at our wonderful church and this fall I attended an uplifting women’s conference with her mom and home-church ladies. James still actively plays the drums at our church and for other ministries through our church. We give thanks to God for how He has worked in our lives this year.

One last thing we’d like to add: In September, James officially got out of the Marines!

We hope that you and your family have a joyous Christmas season celebrating the birth of our Savior!

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill!” Luke 2:14