We're goin' places!

This past weekend was Judson's graduation!!! I can't believe we are officially finished with our relationship with ACU. Don't even get me started, or I'll get really emotional about it. I've pretty much been in denial for a year now. We both have job interviews on Thursday so shoot a prayer up for us! So. Many. Applications. And. Interviews.

I am SO proud of him! I think my wifey pride was beaming all over Moody all the way up from the tippy top of section K under, what I can only assume, was a heat lamp. He has worked so hard this semester and taken more teacher certification exams than any human ever should. This boy is a rockstar.. Excuse me, this MAN - COLLEGE GRADUATE.

Also my roommate of all 4 years of college graduated! She too, is a rockstar. Here is our transformation from freshman passport. Two words - Khaki. Diaper.

This girl has been by my side through the good, bad, and ugly (see above picture for proof). I love her so.

We've also experienced every season in our first home now! Because we've been married for 9 months already!! WHAT! Time is passing so quickly but also so very wonderfully. I wish I could video tape everything so when I'm old and pooping in my own pants I could see how FULL my life was.

He also still does things like this which gives me butterflies. It is a known fact I am a very NOT CUTE sleeper due to nasal congestion. I love him.

Here is my running progress so far.

I set running goals at the beginning of last week and almost met them!

Shut up at what my fastest mile goal is. I'm telling you I'm starting from rock bottom!! I ended up only getting a 10:36 as my fastest mile and I was short of my 8 mile total. I have good excuses okay? Mostly, it's because the weather was like this every. single. day. at every single hour. And I wanted to die.

Another is because for some reason my knees are killlllllling me. I know its because I'm probably running on the smallest sliver of leg muscle ever known to woman. 

I have new goals this week and a 5K race scheduled for Saturday. Even though I am icing my knees this very second, I am optimistic about my progress because tonight I met my fastest mile goal!!

BAM!

I hope this is encouraging to someone who is trying to start from the bottom, too. I also hope that if you are in shape you aren't making too much fun of my baby goals! I'll race you someday!!!

inspiration is hard work

here's some things that spring has brought:

 bluebonnets and job interviews/1,280,745,462 job applications

Yeah, pooping on bluebonnets. I've seen it.

track meets with Coach Foster

garage sale MADNESS. 

My parents getting snapchat… 

 Easter

AND LASTLY/MOST IMPORTANTLY

it has brought INSPIRATION 

I'll start with my tree growing inspiration. One beautiful spring day I got in my car to go to the grocery store only to find that my windshield was covered in maple tree seeds from the tree in our front yard. I cursed them, got out and wiped them all off, then went on about my day. The next day the same thing happened and I thought "UGGHHH how many frickin' seeds are even up in that tree!?!" (yes, I realize I sound like a grouchy old lady. yes, I'm going to blame it on the stress of newly obtained adulthood.) SO I decided to get out of my car and look up into the tree branches. I was immediately inspired and awestruck. Wasn't it just a couple of days ago that this tree had no leaves at all and now it is sprouting leaves AND seeds all over. This tree gives so much to us and I just act like its a burden. Hippie talk much? It was then that I decided that I wanted to take what the tree was giving (the seeds) and spread them to new places! Specifically, but not limited to, new homes Judson and I will move to in the next couple of years. 

So I collected about 30 of them and looked up directions on how to grow a tree. It was SO COMPLICATED. I mean, these little guys have to germinate underground, a boy tree has to give the girl tree the right pollination for the seeds to be ones that can reproduce (not even kidding. look it up.), they have to be temperature controlled and planted in certain materials, and all this crap. So desperately wanting my dream to become a reality I followed all the instructions on a hope and a prayer that at least one or two would sprout to life for me! Then one morning I walked into my kitchen to see that TWO were coming to life! I was so excited like I had just created a baby or something. Seriously.

THEN a couple of days later 21 seeds were popping up!! AMAZING. Look at that little tiny leaf that is the exact shape the huge leaves are. How do people not believe in God?

This inspiration inspired new inspirations and somehow I ended up ordering like 10 different kinds of oak tree seeds on amazon.com and acquired a baby pine tree too… So.. More details on that later on (I know you are all DYING of anticipation about my tree stories and inspirations). But for now, I am a mother to 38 baby trees.

Okay, if any of you have even stuck around long enough to hear my tree talk, then here is the other inspiration spring has brought to me. The other day I was thinking about how Judson and I have been together for two whole years now. That's a big deal for me! I know we're married so we're gonna be together for a million years, but in my small 23 years of life I have never ever ever never been with a boy for two consecutive years without break ups/"breaks" or really just longer than a couple of months period. I was feeling really great about life. I started being nostalgic about when we started dating. I realized when we started dating I was training for a half marathon! I remember telling him "I'll meet you in like 2 hours because I have to run first" and I would literally run for like an hour and a half OR LONGER.

 

All the sudden, I started to feel really bad about life because I couldn't remember the last time I ran a full MILE as I reminisced about my 13.1 mile race. I wondered why the heck I ever let myself stop running because I truly loved it so much. Then I remembered oh, yeah, I broke my foot running that half marathon because I picked shoes that were super cute and not shoes that had good arch support.

That set me back a couple of months. I ended up getting engaged and married and never really got back around to running.

BUT

I've been newly inspired.

And not just the inspired that I am usually to be healthy and active but inspired to be a RUNNER.

Therefore, I began running a few weeks ago. It was preeeeeettttyy ugly. A lot of slow jogging with walking mixed in and huffing and puffing. I kept at it. Every time I started my legs would start hurting. Not just muscle hurting, I mean my BONES hurt. Everything in my body tells me this is unnatural and that I need to immediately stop. Soon my lungs start feeling like I'm in high altitude. I literally start wheezing (combination out of shape and seasonal allergies). My heart is pumping blood so fast I feel like it will just give out. Then the stitch in the side starts, OH the stitch in the side. Painting an appealing picture, eh? After days of this, I started to get frustrated because all I could think about is how easy and enjoyable this used to be… uh.. two years ago.. 

Here's the thing about running. It's hard. No matter who you are or how long you've been doing it. It's hard, because it is as mentally exhausting as it is physically. The whole time half of you is trying as hard as it can to keep going while the bitch half of you is coming up with a million reasons you should stop. 

And that's why I love it. I got myself a new running toy and a fierce new attitude. 

Y'all, stop being jealous of my "longest run" so far with my Garmin. 

To be continued! 

breaking for spring

Spring break came at a much needed time! Judson and I have been working hard and were definitely worn down. I also just want to give a big AMEN to the fact that we get a spring break for the rest of our lives as teachers!  We started by going to buffalo wild wings and had a great time just getting to relax.

 Then we woke up the next morning and started our road trip by driving to Graham!

Judson went hunting and shot a lot of hogs and then our road trip continued the next day, Sunday, to Throckmorton to celebrate Pop's birthday! Monday we headed to Dallas with my parents and brother and sister-in-law and nephews to celebrate my dad's birthday. This is day THREE in a car driving somewhere, and Judson and I started to get antsy. Hence him twirling me like a baton at a gas station stop.

We finally made it to iFly, which is a sky diving place in Dallas, and it was SO MUCH FUN.

 

Christie and I both slobbered a lot. 

We all stayed at a hotel and it was wonderful for a couple of reasons: the biggest reason was because Knox thought it was awesome and that was so fun to watch and be around. It's always happy when someone thinks ordinary things are magical things. Which is why I LOVE KIDS. Especially this one. He couldn't believe that his mom, dad and brother AND his Lovie and Popi AND his aunt "biff" (me) and uncle Judson were all next door to each other. There was an indoor pool. Riding the "alligator" (elevator) was a thrill. Judson showed him how to jump on a bed (Sorry, Koby and Christie). And another reason is because CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST means FREE FOOD. 

 

Exhausted. Disheveled. In love. 

The next day the boys all went to Bass Pro Shops and all the girls and baby Hayes went to Ikea. I think Christie and I said "I need that." or "I want this." at least 4,000 times.

Judson and I then made our last car trip back to Home Sweet Abilene. We spent the remaining days doing yard work, planting flowers, playing catch in the yard, cooking out, watching the RAIN (thank you, God!), and resting. We also both got fresh spring time hair cuts to welcome this new season! I always love it when the seasons change but spring feels especially refreshing this year.

leaky pipes, busy schedules, and full hearts

February is already over with. What?! I can't believe it. It was a very busy month for the Foster's!

First of all, this crazy weather had caused to have THREE snow days from work. In those three days we were unbelievably lethargic and glutonous. Which, by the way, had already become a problem since we got back from our honeymoon. I firmly believe that just like the freshman 15 is a real thing, so is the newlywed pudge. I know for me personally, after months of being so concerned about what went into my mouth and working out all the time for our big day it was so nice to finally RELAX about it all. We just got a little too relaxed about it. We had both been watching our clothes get tighter and tighter but continued to make excuses for each other like, "you bought the wrong size" or "you probably dried it in the dryer for too long" (by the way, thank you honey, for being so sweet about my growing waste size) BUT on our third snow day, we both looked at each other and decided enough was enough. We decided to challenge ourselves to work out (I use this term loosely. Some days it's just a walk) every day and eat healthier for 21 days in hopes it would create a habit and change our lifestyle.

And I must say, so far so good! We have some slip up days but onward we trek! Because we figured out that it is a downward spiral to give up on being healthy. You eat bad, so you don't have energy, so you don't work out, so you don't like the way your clothes fit, so you eat bad in your yoga pants and say you'll start tomorrow. No more of that!

Now our first married Valentines day was especially fun and sweet. We had decided no gifts because we were trying to resist sweets and didn't want to spend money. But Judson still surprised me with flowers when I woke up and the best coupon book with very handy and adorable coupons like "Elizabeth is right, regardless" "Screw doing the dishes" "Cooking dinner pass" "Free car wash" etc. 

I got him another 5 gallon water jug for our water filter. Before you mutter, "You really suck, Elizabeth". He REALLY wanted that and asked for one multiple times. I also got him a helium ballon because this guy really loves how sucking helium makes our voices sound. 

And the sweetness of Valentines weekend comes to a screeching halt there. The next day we woke up to 2 inches of water in our bathroom because a pipe burst in the night. How? Why? We don't know. But this is how it went over: Judson comes and shakes me at 7:00 a.m. (ON A WEEKEND) and says that our bathroom is flooded but he turned the water off. I spring out of bed and panically try to salvage curling irons, toilet paper, accessories, etc from under the flooded sink that have fallen a victim. All of it, ruined. Then throwing all beach towels we own on the floor trying to soak up the water. What is Judson doing? Oh, he went and got back in bed. I start yelling, "GET UP! WE CAN'T JUST IGNORE THIS!!" Then roles are reversed. I am exhausted by all this chaos and suddenly Judson wants to go to Home Depot RIGHT NOW to get parts to fix it. Long story short, eventually a small man who doesn't speak good English came to fix it. 

You really don't realize how much you need and use water until yours gets shut off for a day. So, we went to Perinis to soften the blow of adulthood problems and kept saying over and over again "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" That's adult, right?

judson is already noticeably more fit!! ugh boy metabolism. 

And finally, we have been adjusting to new and busy schedules. I am getting used to a real life teaching job and Judson is getting used to what it will be like to be a coach. Right now, he is helping coach track and tennis at Jim Ned. We are DECKED out in Jim Ned apparel over here. A couple of weeks ago I went to watch him coach his first tennis tournament! 

I am so proud of him and the man he continues to become! This is NOT the boy who first started pursuing me almost two years ago. He is way more awesome. It was so fun to watch him coach, guide, lead, and encourage these teenage kids. It's so obvious how much they look up to him and respect him when he talks to them. Eeeek! It makes my heart do jumping jacks. I have been fantasizing about this upcoming Fall getting to watch him coach football on Friday nights and see his passion really come to life! I have also been fantasizing about being the best coaches wife ever and bringing snacks to all sorts of sporting events. I can just hear it now, "That Coach Foster's wife is such a nice lady." Ha! 

Until then, I will just say, being a Coach's wife has its hard times with all the late practices, but it sure is fun! I wouldn't trade this life for anything.

Oh, and whenever we get any kind of baby fever, we pretend our dog is a baby. Feel free to be concerned for Rylee.