The Haunted Half Doesn't Scare Us

Well folks. I have changed a lot over the last couple of years, and done quite a few things I said I never would. (Number one on that list would be nursing school. That was a hard no. But it turns out you cannot actually give Heavenly Father a hard no, or he will test you on it.) 

Kylie, Rick, me, and Steven keeping warm pre-race

Running was something I always despised growing up. I hated being sweaty, I hated feeling slow and out of breath, and I hated feeling weaker than everyone around me because I just thought I could not do it. I always told myself and others that I simply was not athletic; it is easy to blame things on what is out of your control and rationalize that you therefore have no power to change it.

Spider Man, Harry Potter, Leonardo, and Super Man ready to rock.

As I have grown and matured (or like to believe I have..) I have come to reject the idea that there are a lot of things outside of my control. I have come to love the challenge of being told I can't do something or can't change something. My parents raised me to believe that I could accomplish anything I wanted if I planned and worked hard enough for it. A few years ago I decided to take my health into my own hands and started doing research on healthy eating/lifestyles/etc. I came to truly love how it felt to eat and be healthy. I started swimming a lot to get my exercise in. But the problem with swimming is it is sort of a seasonal sport. Every winter would come and my health would decline for a few months, and I once again would place the blame on the weather; something outside of my control. Last year when I left on study abroad I became determined to continue exercising year round. I realize the only way to make that happen would be to start running...

family fun 

I was lucky enough in London to have a bunkmate who was an avid runner and got me up every morning to go with her for a half hour. It only took a week or two to learn to love our morning jogs through Kensington Gardens. It was gorgeous trails, perfect temperature, and just felt good to move my body and feel my heart and muscles growing stronger.

This summer I made a goal to run a half marathon. Daunting to my beginning runner self, but I wanted to prove I could do it. Fast forward 6 months and I am thrilled (and shamelessly proud) to announce I have conquered that goal. Yesterday me and my roommate/best friend ran the Haunted Half! We've been running every morning together since school started and training for longer runs, but the farthest I had ever run was 10 miles.. How different can 13 be, right? ha.

running 13.1 miles is fun folks

We had two goals going into it:
1. Don't walk/stop running
2. Finish in under 2 hours.

shamelessly proud of ourselves and thrilled that I can now go eat all the pumpkin cookies I want..

We did not stop even for one second and ran an 8:47 mile to finish a few minutes under the two hour mark!  #success. WE ARE SO HAPPY. It was so fun! Can I say that? It was 2 hours of running, but I had the time of my life pushing myself and accomplishing a big goal with Erika. My brother-in-law decided last minute to run it as well, and the three of us ended up running the last few miles together and crossing the finish line hand it hand. Ashley came down to support us at the finish line, and Erika's parents came so we saw them several times on the trail. They are adorable.

Rick's cute fams signs

I would be lying if I did not say it was hard, and I definitely had to push myself. I don't know if I could have done it alone, but Erika is a champion friend and encouraged me in my moments of doubt and up the hill at the end. It was definitely an experience for the books, and we are already looking into future half marathons for us to run. It might be an addiction.. We love to say that we run because we can. Our bodies are strong, and they can do amazing things. I am so grateful to my Father in Heaven for my incredible body. The more I study it in anatomy and physiology the more I am blown away by the complexity and perfect intricate workings of our bodies.

 

Health/exercise has become one of the subjects I am most passionate about. I love that I have grown to love running and pushing my body to its limits. It is so empowering and humbling at the same time. I run because I can; I will keep pushing myself and running until I can't. And even then I am not sure I will accept my fate.. Who knows what adventures are in store for me and Erika now. We feel like we can conquer the world at this point! Everyone should go make a health goal and then work until you reach it. I have such a testimony of goal setting. IT IS SO FUN. Go! Get up and move. You won't regret it and I promise your body will thank you for it now and in the years to come.

Spider Man and Harry Potter on cloud 9

Happy Halloween!

Love Always, Aimee

medals are for winners.

efy never ends

In an effort to start blogging regularly again, I feel I owe it to my kids and my Heavenly Father to write a tribute of sorts of the incredible youth I worked with this summer and the amazing experiences I had.

SB Dream Team

Working efy was a major blessing in my life. It has been a unexplainable dream of mine since I attended four years ago as a youth in Nauvoo. I had a wonderful counselor and company that made me want to be at efy every day, not just for one week. I kept the idea of being counselor in the back of my mind all these years, and last February I was finally old enough to apply (apparently they don't want the counselors to be too close in age to the youth..). I got an interview and felt pretty all right about it, but at the end of it they said something along the lines of, "Well, it was nice to meet you. We will try to get back to you soon, but just be proud of yourself for even getting an interview. With all the returned sister missionaries we have had record breaking numbers of applicants, and we just LOVE all these RM's!". Ouch. Okay, thanks......... I thought that was their nice way of letting me down easy or something.

Harry Potter's birthday. Obvi.

But Heavenly Father hears prayers and must have known I needed to do this THIS summer, because low and behold, a couple weeks later I got an email saying I was hired.
WHAT. It was basically a Christmas miracle. Only in March..

 

I knew efy would be fun. I knew efy would be spiritual. But I was in no way prepared for how incredibly exhausting it was: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I think when I watched my last girl leave on my last morning of the summer, I quite literally had nothing left to give of myself. That being said, it was also one of the most rewarding things I have ever done with my time. I was focused on the youth and (attempting to) facilitate the spirit so they could better come to know their Savior from 5 am to about midnight (if I was lucky..) every day. I was surrounded by laughter and scriptures and brilliant examples of faith and courage EVERY DAY. I got to meet and come to love other amazing counselors. I learned what it feels like to teach with the Spirit, to follow promptings that make absolutely no sense, to bare bold testimony, and to hold crying and broken children of God. I became better acquainted with my Heavenly Father and the completely personal love and devotion he feels for me and each of children. I might have been completely drained, but I was also completely filled.

 

squad goals.

 

when you boy illegally kisses you. 

This summer my testimony of God's awareness of every person increased a hundredfold as I watched tender mercy after tender mercy unfold in front of my eyes. We are each Heavenly Father's hands, and it is incredible to watch how He works through us imperfect people to heal and help all His children on their way back home. I made some of my very best friends this summer, and the youth I worked with had more influence on me than I could ever have on them. I am so grateful I had the privilege of being surrounded by the most strong, loving, and Christlike human beings this summer. My life was definitely changed for the better because of it. efy will never end for me, not really. Those weeks of wearing over-sized polos and khakis will always hold a special spot in my heart. The testimonies shared and spirit felt will influence me in the years to come. I expect I will always miss my kids and who I was when I was with them.

my girls <3 <3 

all these kids are amazing. The Church is in good hands.

I know that my Savior lives. He is my elder brother and best friend. I know the atonement of Jesus Christ not only covers all my mistakes, but heals my heartaches and infirmities. I know that God is intimately aware of the details of my life and cares about me more than I could comprehend. I know His hand is in all our lives; we only have to look for it. I know that faith brings miracles, and I want to spend the rest of my life following the footsteps of Christ. I want to be the hands of God and watch miracles come to pass around me as we all come closer to Christ on this journey home.

Lord, Here Am I.

 

Love Always, Aimee

ps. If you are one of my kids and not pictured here, please do not be offended. I somehow lost more than half my pictures from the summer...? And some weeks all together. I have no idea what happened. But I love you all more than you know! xoxo Aims