I know it's your world, too, but every afternoon/ evening from 3-7 is just a life- marathon, isn't it? I was incredibly lazy over the holidays so getting back to a routine has actually been a nice change. But it's just so much routine! This week is typically nutty, with just all sorts of mundane appointments that never seem to be in the 'finished' column!
As I mentioned yesterday, I'm just slowly crawling back into walk/ jogging. I shouldn't have quit going to the bicycle class so soon -- my brain is suffering lack of exercise endorphins! I know that makes no sense to you, but if I don't get back on track soon, my family will probably request that I move out for a while. I'm also getting paid back for the people I have tortured while walking with me. I'm not tall, but when I walk for exercise, I walk FAST. It's what I do, how I find my endorphins! Well, flipping up your feet much faster than you are used to really works the front of your calf muscle (yes, it's the still the calf muscle, even in the front). So anytime I get a new walking buddy, they usually make it about 5 minutes into the walk until I hear, "Man, my shins are burning... let me stretch... wow... that is really on fire.." I sigh and roll my eyes and keep torturing these people. Well, my feet are flipping for about 5 minutes before my shins are aflame these days. Take great delight, walking partners!
Thank you to everyone who responded -- via facebook, email, AND comments on this blog for song suggestions! I plan to (eventually) try every last one of them. Maybe a reward to myself for getting back to running where I want to be would be an iTunes gift card to stock up! You can never give me too many! Keep sending them!
This morning, I woke up early to read my Bible before the day ran away with me. Walking down the hall in the dark I could hear
Stickers' wheel squeaking. When I let Duchess out, I could hear Stickers "crunch, crunch, crunch"-ing on her food. I turned around to see Stickers' very ample bottom still on her exercise wheel while her top half leaned toward her food bowl. We have Americanized Stickers -- she is snacking while she exercises. Yeeshk. So funny.
Between my lack of exercise endorphins and some minor technology derailments of late, I have been a little grinchy. I think it's a mark of an abundantly blessed life when you allow the little things to bug you. And they have. But God is faithful and continued to bless me and this morning, after viewing my waddly little rodent, God gave me these words. Familiar words that, thankfully, increase their power to me with repitition:
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
May you soar on wings like eagles. May you run and carpool and care for and not grow weary. May you walk -- just one step in front of the other -- and not be faint. His blessings on you today.
Keep in mind that hedgehogs are nocturnal and not supposed to do much of anything all day. Today, when she was still running and napping, I was afraid what sort of brouhaha would result from a sleep-deprived hedgehog and just moved her igloo and stuck it over her. 
All in all, we are having a great time with Stickers. You'll have to come play!