G r a t i t u d e * S u n d a y

Today I am joining Taryn over at Wooly Moss Roots to give a moment for {Sunday's heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.}

Throughout the week I've felt grateful for: 

* A stay-cation.  We have spent two weeks away from work and schedules and rushes and we have enjoyed ourselves.

* My health.  My ability to run and swim and cycle.  I am grateful that my scan is next week and I can hopefully put that to rest.

* The Olympics!  What an inspiring, amazing two weeks for Britain!!  We have probably watched all the major action and I have LOVED IT! 

* My Mum.  You look after us, puts our needs first, always supports us and you make me believe I can achieve anything! I love you Mummy, I hope I have the same relationship with my children that I have with you, when they grow up x x

* My Dad.  Daddy you are amazing. On the 01st of April you cheered us in after our first 50 mile sportif and hesitated over your own ability to take part in 66 miles in October.  You are now approaching your second sportif - we aren't even at Oct yet and you are easily on 50+ miles - and you wipe the floor with me.  I love cycling with you, I love how you take the lead and ensure I know when the hills are approaching and make sure I am drinking enough.  I love sharing this interest with you - I love your belief in me.  I love you x x

* My friends.  ALL of them.  Friends who I only know online, friends who I don't see as often as I would like, friends who I text daily, friends who live over the road.  Friends of friends.  Friends who I can chat about sport with.  Friends who have recently come back into my life.  Friends who I no longer see but who I have bumped into this week.  Thank you for offering me your friendship.

And here I am going to break the rules a bit, and explain in detail why I am so grateful for Paul 

* Paul.  I don't think I tell you how much I love you often enough. All the little things you do. The 'Shake and Bake' bits - the shake and bake is done by the person who is going to bed second (this is usually Paul, as I am usually in bed and asleep long before he has finished working or tinkering or whatever it is that he does late into the night).  Anyway, whilst I am brushing my teeth and preparing for bed, Paul will 'Shake' the duvet to check for spiders and then 'Bake' it for me by getting into my side and warming it for me.  The 'Shake and Bake' is but one of the many little things that I love about Paul.  I like to think our relationship is so vocal because we are both equals and we both have an opinion that counts.  Sometimes it would be nice to just have it my way, or to not have to 'manage' a situation, but actually when it comes down to it, Paul makes me happy.  Happy to my core.

You do some amazing things with the children - you are all currently being very noisy in the tent you all slept in, in the back garden, last night! 

More than all those things, you inspire me.  You make me want to be a better person, a better human - physically stronger too and I know we have all read about your achievements in all the prominent magazines now that you have discovered your 'sob' story is letter of the month, free kit winning, material.  I have lived the last 10 years with you, we adored our food, and man oh man we loved our sofa.  I have spent the last 3 of those years watching you make all of these changes and achievements and that is what inspires me.  You bought a bike, you got on it, and you rode it.  The first achievement was cycling the 4 miles to the station.  Then you went a bit further, 14 miles to Winchester. Then you got involved with a charity bike ride across Europe.  I cried with pride the first time you cycled the 34 miles home from Basingstoke.  Now you are training for RAB.  Its been the wettest June, July and into August on record and still you are upping your training and going further to train for the ride of your life in Sept - in 5 weeks!

I vastly underestimated the committment this training would take from all 5 us.  7 hours on a Sunday whilst you are slogging it out on the bike is a long time.  The long days are going to get longer, for all of us, before this is over.  So whilst it isn't me out on my bike, I might not be the one peddling, I am part of the team and we all have a valid part to play.  I am your pit crew, making going out and coming in as easy as possible.  This is a once in a life time opportunity and I'm going to make it as easy as I can - around the house anyway, I'm not going to start levelling any hills!!

I love you beyond this life and into the next one xxx

G r a t i t u d e * S u n d a y

I read a lovely blog - Wooly Moss Roots and every Sunday Taryn writes a post entitled 'Gratitude Sunday'.  I thought I would share the love..

This week I have been grateful for :-

~ The start of the school holidays and the inaudible sigh the household felt at the realistation on Friday night, that we are routine free for 6 weeks.

~ A day visit from my parents and all the little bits and bobs they do when they are here, that I never think to thank them for until they have gone home.

~ A weekend visit from my sister in law and the time she spends with the children.

~ Celebrating with my newly babied friends, the ups and downs, but mostly the triumphs.

~ My sister in law staying at our house, and allowing Paul and I to go out on our bikes together.  We often rue the fact we didn't do it before the children arrived, and now we are so grateful for each ride - I can count the number we have done together and alone, on one hand!

~ The NHS and a scan date through to look at my weird menstrual goings-on.

~ Getting a sunburnt neck - finally the rain has stopped!

~ Niamh's total and absolute confidence in my ability to catch her.  She will climb up on a wall and precariously walk along it with her hand shoved in the air, knowing I will take it and make her safe.

~ Brenna's fiesty temper, it is usually shouted about the house, but this week was used in defence of her older brother.

~ Lochlan's generosity.  Nothing is too big, too small, too much effort and he'll even give you a cheeky smile to boot.

~ Paul.  I love you.  I love the shake and bakes, the tinsel and the challenges x x