Grayson...wake up

So I've spent the weekend thinking about my belief that all things happen for a reason. I've learned a lot of very valuable lessons and experienced a shift in thinking as a result of those lessons. I am thankful for the opportunity I was given to love and to be loved. I am thankful for all of the help and support I have received. I am thankful for every painful realization that I have made about myself, because I have found that the things that hurt the most are the things I need to remember foremost. Long story short, I have been able to put a positive twist on "the bad things" because I've learned valuable lessons and have grown from them.

Where I struggle is putting that twist on the "bad things" that happen to my friends. That's when my two year old comes out and I start asking why, protesting that its just not fair and demanding that they are given a break. I ran with Lauren last night on her dinner break and she was talking about her struggle. She too has found the good, not in this situation, but in the hard road that she and Grayson (http://www.graysonpointer.blogspot.com) have traveled in the past few years. His battle with cancer tought him to fight for his life, and that prepared him for this. Her stuggle after her accident tought her patients, gave her awareness that there is reward for perseverance and the first hand experience and knowledge about how hard that can be - things that have prepared her to be here for Grayson now and to help him through this. They have been prepared for this and for that she was thankful. I was awed by how positive Lauren is and by her faith and her hope. The lesson...we may not understand the why when we're in the midst of it, but we can be thankful that we have been prepared for the challenge.

I've been reading the Secret and one of the points in there is that like thoughts attract other like thoughts so I am going to let go of the why and my fear. I'm going to on the positive. I am thankful that Lauren and Grayson have been prepared for this, I have faith and believe that Grayson will recover, and I hope that others will send Grayson, Lauren and their family the kind of positive thoughts that Lauren expressed to me. They are wonderful people who deserve the best. Lauren and Grayson - you are both in my thoughts and I am thankful that you are both a part of my life and I am sending you all my love and support!

Snickers...the original energy bar

Today was a good day in the saddle. I took the new Eddy out for a 90 mile ride up Golden Gate Canyon to the Peak to Peak Highway and down Coal Creek Canyon. It's a beautiful ride and I got really lucky with the weather and lack of wind! However, the climb back out of Coal Creek Canyon was a bit longer than I remembered...I was hitting the wall hard until I had a random "Snicker's" thought. Luckily there is a gift shop in Wondervu! Thank you gift shop lady for stocking Snicker's just for us riders and making them even better by keeping them in the cooler with the Gatoraid. You are the best! The delicious candy bar got me all the way home - even up the bike path, where I always seem to hit my end.

only a few more weeks left here in D-town. Looking forward to the big road trip, so I've set up this blog to document the journey. I'm sitting here watching a DVD of the second season on Gray's Anatomy - I'm completely addicted to this show. I took the new Eddy out for a spin tonight - I am in luuuve.