THE LAND OF THE DEAD!

AAUGH! That's what I felt like Thursday evening. So cold that even sitting in front of the fireplace with a coat on couldn't warm me up! My body pain was so intense that I woke up every 3 hours during the night just to take another advil! If this is what the flu was, I wanted to die! I haven't been sick in a long time, all those years of good health I took for granted. Friday I couldn't exercise now that's sick! I layed on the couch in pain. However, Friday night I couldn't sleep either, so I decided to go run 12 miles. I figured I couldn't be in any more pain! Saturday I actually felt better after I ran! Andrew gave this to us. He came down with it on Monday. Friday I picked up Jeewon at school with the same flu like symptoms. She's been deathly sick ever since. She's by far the worst out of all of us. I'm doing pretty good now. I still am congested, and have a cough, like Andrew's, but Jeewon has the rocky mountain two step every time she eats. I feel so sorry for her. I've tried everything I can think of to get her well. Tomorrow we'll visit the Dr's office if she hasn't improved. I made my own probiotic yogurt and made smoothies for her then I've given her acidophilus. I'm hoping this will work! I thank Heavenly Father every day for my health. When you have your health you have everything.

GROUNDED! The chronicles of pain!

Plantar Faciatis stinks! After last weeks marathon, I've had an annoying pain in the side of my foot. After being in denial thinking it would go away, yesterday I ran 10 miles! It was 12 degrees! My water I was carrying had ice crystals floating in it when I got home, and I couldn't keep my hands warm except by keeping them down my pants. I even had hand warmers?! Fun Huh! Anyway, my foot felt a little painful out on the run, but after one hour, I could hardly walk on it. I was so mad at myself for abusing the injury, I just thought it would go away. Anyway this morning I ordered some heel seats, that are guaranteed to take the pain away. They are orthodics that you stick inside your shoe. I hope they work, or Yakima Valley Marathon is extinct! One other note, Andrew came upstairs limping this morning too. I asked him what he did and he said played basketball with the Elders. His heel hurts so bad he's walking on tippy-toe. Plantar Faciatis strikes the second member of the Larsen Fam! I need to order him some heel seats! Andrew has it worse than me, he can't even walk. These lovely HOLLEY arthritic genes! Everyone beware out there, or PLANTAR FACIATIS might strike you this week! Andrew is so young to have this problem. PF comes from overuse, and I found a ton of exercises to do if you have it, so I'm grounded from running and it looks as if biking and rowing is my new hobby for a while! DANG!

The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful! The Sedona Marathon

Yes! This week I completed my 21st Marathon in Sedona Arizona! I've ran a marathon in 4 states so far! I thought this would be an easy run, Ha, Ha! It was an out and back coarse, so everytime I went downhill, I knew I'd have to come back up! 1/2 of the coarse was on dirt the other half on asphalt and everything was either up or down, nothing flat! Even though the coarse was wicked (I have a blood blister the size of the Mt.Everest on the side of my right big toe), the scenery was drop dead gorgeous. Strawberry Clif blocks and prayer was the only way I got through this one, and of coarse imagining myself as a strong Apache Horse?! Your brain goes at about mile 23! It took me 4 hours and 14 minutes to complete, but I still came out with 3rd place in my age group. The winning time was 3:05, fast considering the coarse. Jeewon and Andrew were my travel companions. Sedona is famous for the red rock and unique rock formation that abound everywhere! We were able to make out snoopy, a coffee pot, 2 sisters, the madonna, a cathedral, chimney rock, and Charlie Brown, however we couldn't see the grasshopper at grasshopper point. Jeewon enjoyed the South entrance of the Grand Canyon(even though it was covered with snow), and the warm, sunny weather best. Andrew enjoyed the food, (dairy queen chocolate covered ice cream cones), and watching T.V. in the hotel, (king of the remote)! Not really, he enjoyed the hike we took around cathedral rock teasing Jeewon of rattlesnakes the whole way! We called our car the Yellow Submarine. It was a Chev Aveo, and the gas mileage was unbelievable. Andrew took it on the back roads where the pink jeep adventure tours go and it cruised through the rocky terrain and pot holes. The only problem was Jeewon, since she had to ride in the back, she squealed every time Andrew hit a bump and Andrew made sure he didn't miss one bump on the road! She was thankful to see asphalt again, and so was I, thank goodness for car rental insurance! I enjoyed Heavenly Father's creations! The hue of the sky in the morning, a blue that is only seen in dreams. The aiport sunset shadowing against the rock formations in ripples of golden light and the warmth of the terra cotta earth drawing you in to soak up its healing energy. The marathon was nothing in comparison for the love I felt for my Heavenly Father and his creations. Jeewon asked me how it was made, I told her, Heavenly Father and Jesus!

BUCKET LIST!

Comment on the things you want to do before you kick the bucket!

President Hinckley/Bucket List/My Testimony

Try a little harder to do a little better

is a famous quote President Hinckley once said. I've been thinking about his life this week. He dedicated his whole life to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was free to choose (as we all are in this life) what he wanted to do in life, and he chose to serve the lord. He loved Jesus Christ and had a firm testimony of him. It was clearly expressed through the volumns of service he rendered each day until his death at 97. He knew what true joy was. Joy is not found in the things we have or own that decay with time or are abandoned at death, but in the little acts of love and service we give to others. Jeewon and I went to the movies yesterday. We seen the Bucket List. This movie was about two men who were dying of cancer. They met each other in the hospital. Together they became friends, and made a list of things they wanted to do before they kicked the bucket! At first their list was all temporal, and then it became soon became spiritual. They realized that the things most important in life were not things! It was FAMILY and THEIR STRENGTH OF CHARACTER. One wonderful part of the movie was when they were contemplating life after death. The one said to the other there's a belief that when you die there will be two questions asked: 1."Did you find joy in life?", and 2. "Did you bring that joy to others?" After our family viewed President Hinckley's funeral, we knew he had fulfilled both of these questions. The love everyone had for this prophet of God was evident as we witnessed his funeral. HE LOVED AS JESUS LOVES, he was able to bring joy to others because he had so much joy to give. I loved this prophet, as I have loved the other prophets. They were all true prophets of the Lord Jesus Christ. I would like to bear my testimony. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real, their bodies are made of flesh and bones and that they love each of us very much. They have a plan for each of us that will bring us complete joy, if we choose to follow it. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church on the face of the earth. The other churches are wonderful, and have unbelievable members, but their doctrine has holes in it. The church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the full light and knowledge of the original church of Jesus Christ. There are no holes in this church. This church will guide us through the straight and narrow path back to our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know Joseph Smith restored this church and went through much tribulation even unto death choosing to be obedient to the our Father in Heaven and his son Jesus Christ in bringing this the only true church to the earth. I know the Book Of Mormon is the word of God. It is a perfect book that teaches us (with the help of the Holy Spirit) everything we need to know to gain exhaltation. I know Joseph Smith translated this book from gold plates with Heavenly Father's help. I know we are led by a true and living prophet now being President Monson. I will pray for and support this man of God to the upmost of my being, as like the other prophets the lord has ordained. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. He is my brother, my Redeemer, the rock in which I am built. I could do nothing without him. I have complete faith that we will have joy in our lives and be able to give joy to others if we try a little harder to be a little better in following our Savior, Jesus Christ. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. What would be on your Bucket List?