My original plan was ice cream, yet (because of God) it turned into something much better.

Better isn't always easier.   (Hmm.  I wasn't planning on writing that.  Guess I needed to hear that tonight).
But it's true.  The better things in life do not come easily.  And how well I've discovered this in the past 15 weeks of my life.
It began last spring.  Motherhood was getting the best of me and to be honest, I felt more panicked about the impending teen years knocking at my door then I did during the two hours it took to thrust my firstborn’s reluctant self into this world.
Besides the growing frustrations between Tyler and myself, I began to watch other mothers with their sons.  Some encouraged me – gave me hope, while others made my blood run cold with fear.  
One thing I knew.  There is an enemy who has an agenda for my life and that is to destroy every good gift that God has blessed me with.  As a mother, I refuse to sit back and “hope for the best”.  And allowing any opening for Satan to step in and turn my son’s heart against me is not an option.  I will fight for my family… and if it means the battle starts now, then watch out - I’m strapping on my weapons!
Tyler was likely as frustrated as I with our relationship and I felt helpless to change it (hence the ice cream).  It wasn't that our relationship was terrible.  Just frustrating.  Our approach at life is vastly different.  So, my plan was to take him to our favorite ice cream store… enjoy a banana split... find ways to spend more time with him…  learn to understand each other a little better, etc.  But I couldn’t shake that still small voice deep within my heart.
Run.
Great idea!  I began to imagine all the quiet beaches and far-off places I’d escape to… and I couldn’t help but chuckle at my own wittiness… but God wasn’t laughing with me.  (Well, maybe He was just a little.)  
Run!
I heard it over and over again, and to be honest, I hated it.  I don’t like running… or any form of exercise for that matter!  Ice cream would be so much easier!  But like a sculptor chipping away at his creation, God continued to chip away at my will-power heart until my stubbornness allowed me to at least research a running plan.
I was pleasantly surprised.  The Couch to 5K plan was much more attainable than I expected.  I printed it off, taped it to my fridge door and went to find my son.
Ty’s eyes lit up when I asked him.  Would he want to train for a 5K with me?  “You know it, mom!”


[Image] First week of training


[Image] About to run our first 5K
And we did it!
My heart is full with the lessons I’ve learned along the way (I plan to share them here).
And Tyler and I?  It’s amazing!  He’s grown and I’ve grown (actually, I’ve shrunk a little too!  Can you say 15 pounds and 14 inches?).  Sometimes we talk.  Sometimes we don’t.   But it’s those early mornings together that has deepened our love for each other and produced another special bond that I’ll always treasure.  

And I have to admit, it's better than ice cream.