'Congratulations Scott Combs from Clarksville TN! You ARE an Ironman!'

Thanks for your support, encouragement, prayers, thoughts, good vibes, and energy! Scott had a 16 hour workout and completed the Ironman Endurance Event. He was in the top 1/3 of swimmers (2.4 miles of open water swim) and did excellent on the hilly bike (112 miles) and survived the run (26.2 miles)! That was his first marathon, by the way. He is now one of the few in this unique and prestigious fraternity. Knowing about your support, carried him through the race. Thank you for your friendship!

Although it is an individual sport, it sure takes a community to help an athlete preserve in training, preparation, and the event itself. I know I’ve said this before, but if you have never had the pleasure of witnessing a Triathlon, make it your goal! The Tri community is like no other sporting community. In ways, I think it is even more tight-knit. Also, the fans are relentless. Fans will NOT let you give up in a Tri.

The one aspect I love is the unspoken bond of triathletes…..especially Ironman Triathletes. They give each other a certain nod as if it was a secret handshake. And sometimes, words are not spoken but energy and acceptance is. It’s a fraternity of an elite few who choose to test the limits of the human body, defy the odds and bleed with determination, guts, and stamina.

If you ever see the Ironman symbol, congratulate that athlete. Not only did that person endure such a fantastic event, but also a year+ worth of intense training. Ironman is a journey, not a destination! The ‘M-dot’ symbol is that of determination, endurance, and hope that anything is possible. Anything! Obstacles are just excuses…and neither have to stand in the way of goals and dreams.

I’m proud of Scott for enduring this. It’s an amazing life goal and huge accomplishment! I am counting down the seconds till it’s my turn! (PS. If you recall to a blog post a year ago, I lost the coin toss on who was going to participate in this event! Ah!)

Thanks again! If you are ever near me and my lap top, let me know and I’ll walk you through detail by detail with the 400+ pictures that were taken=) The 20 hour day went by incredibly fast, and Scott says the same. It was fantastic. I can’t wait till the next Ironman I get to witness or participate in. Definitely a huge highlight in life!

Ironman Pics

Ford is a proud sponser!




#1 cheerleader!
getting marked w/ his #
making last minute facebook checks
resting right before the swim
the swim course
the 3,000 bikes
survived the swim!
leaving bike transition. see you in 8 hours!
Go Scotty Go!
He's back...and still smiling!
on to start his 1st ever marathon
a view of the finish line
entering the finish line
the official finish line. 11:30 pm...16 hours of Ironman-ness!
FINISHER!
a treat I had made for him

encouraging...WOW!

so it's not as bad as the dismal news makes it seems...Halleluiah for truth!

CLICK HERE to read whole story!

title: Autos, Aircraft Lifted July Durable Goods Orders
A surge in demand for autos and aircraft drove orders for long-lasting manufactured goods higher in July, easing fears that the U.S. economy might be on the verge of another recession. The rebound in the auto industry helped offset a decline in orders for most other factory goods. Demand for autos and auto parts jumped 11.5 percent, the most in eight years.

ALSO- what a compliment to our leader:
title: Obama calls Buffett, Ford CEO for advice
President Obama on Monday reached out to billionaire investor Warren Buffett and Ford CEO Alan Mulally for advice as he crafts a major jobs plan to be released after Labor Day.

to read the whole story CLICK HERE!

catching up...some more

the newest member of our family!
our fav playgound....Centennial Park in Nashville

feeding the ducks..... can you hear the shrieks and squeals in this picture? Ducks excited for stale bread and CKC excited that the Ducks are excited=)

starting early

after re-organizing my shoes 100 times, i decided to let that go..as ckc thinks that my shoes are also her shoes and she loves to play with them. the other day, in the car, as we we already late for a wedding...i looked down and noticed that i had 2 different shoes on! thanks to my little helper.... my shoes are a mess and i just grabbed 2 that i thought were the same. Ops!

A real life hero

By living in a Military town, I have the great and humble honor of being around our Nations heroes! I work alongside retired Military and get to serve Military families at work and church…I can think of no greater place to live.
When I was at YL camp in CO in 07, I got the call that one of our neighbors helicopters had crashed oversees….Gary would be paralyzed for life. Why Gary is a hero to me is that he didn’t give up on his active lifestyle. He was a part of a devastating accident and could very easily give up or atleast make excuses. Instead, he remains active and a vibrant part of our community.
Here is an excerpt from their website:
‘In honor of the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, a special edition Ride to Recovery Challenge event will be held and the Linfoots are participating. The ride will be 8 days and approximately 530 miles. The Ride to Recovery American Challenge will begin on 9-11-11 from Liberty State Park in view of the World Trade Center site and head west to the United 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA. From there, the participants will head to the finish at the Pentagon Memorial. Along the way, riders will cross the Delaware River at Washington’s Crossing, stop in Philly, ride thru Valley Forge and Gettysburg and many other historical sites of our Country’s history. The couple is excited to see the sites and meet other warriors conquering life's new challenges.

Gary and Mari are on a mission to support some of the organizations who have helped them through the journey of recovery.’

http://www.teamlinfoot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/TeamLinfoot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ7HQOz2bTo (just a few minutes…WORTH your time.)

Join Scott and I as we support, pray for, and encourage the Linfoot Team!

More than a book/movie

I read ‘the Help’ a few months ago (LOVED!) and saw the movie this weekend (equally LOVED!)…. And my thought as I completed both the book and movie- I sure hope this isn’t just another book/movie/ emotionally captivating entertainment to our world….yet that this EXPERIENCE will forever touch lives. I really hope ‘the Help’ is more than a thought but instead can be an action and reminder the importance of dignity, living with a humble spirit, serving others before yourself, friendship, COURAGE, and humanity. I hope ‘the Help’ isn’t temporary in minds…yet a permanent example of taking a stand to do something right…even if it means creating a stir and making change.

Btw, movies are now $10….can you believe it?