What have I been up to?

W hat have I been up to lately? {as inspired by this post}

• Swimming. For twenty-two straight weeks now I have spent my Friday mornings at our local pool swimming lap after lap, rhythmically and methodically, cutting through the water and finding much relief from the stressful week. 
• Running. I know! Who knew?  I am such an unlikely runner.  Asthma. Pigeon toed. Habitual self doubter. But with the help of a great running partner and dear friend, I was able to put one foot in front of the other yesterday and pound out 5.27 miles. It has become a spiritual journey for me.  Just me and my Jesus one step at a time.
• In search of Quality Time. I recently sat in a staff meeting and listened to shocking statistics regarding today's children and the vast difference in quality time spent with them compared to ten years ago.  It stopped me dead in my tracks as I thought of all the times I was checking my phone or yes, even facebook, when I should have been spending quality time with my boys.  So we reprioritized.  We now focus fully on our boys from the time we pick them up until bedtime.  No cell phones, no internet, no reading the mail.  It's just us time. And my favorite part of this is that we now all read bedtime books together.  Before it was one of us reading while the other picked up, but now we are all snuggled together going on adventures with Ms. Frizzle, trying to find Knuffle Bunny, and laughing at Splat the Cat.
• Trying to love well. God has been stretching me this year. And in His stretching, I have come to realize that I am quite a hypocrite.  I expect others to love me wholly and completely, regardless of my flaws, but only offer my love with conditions.  And Steve has been the recipient of the large majority of this judgemental love for quite sometime.  So, I am starting with him and loving him well without criticism or control.  It's a daily battle that I often fail at, but I am hoping to grow.
• Reading. Slowly but surely, I am making my way through the first book of the Hunger Games Series and loving it.  These books are all the rage with my fifth graders, and I have heard nothing but rave reviews from adults alike. If you are looking for a good read, you can borrow mine if you'd like.  I should wrap them up quickly sometime after June 10th.

So there you have it. Nothing too monumental, but it's me, in this moment, right here, right now.

How about you? What have you been up to?