ToddlingAroundTheWorld

Meant to post this a couple of months ago, but didn’t  find my ‘Run The Year’ 2020 medal until tonight. I was able to walk just over 1000 miles every 3 months and finished walking 2,020 miles in 2020 on 6/29/2020.  The goal I have of walking the 7,020 miles from #SeattleToBahiaBlanca over the course of the two years while my son, Austin, has been serving as a missionary in Argentina has been the perfect incentive to keep me moving and on top of this goal. It hasn’t been easy as I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my left knee 6 months back, and there have been so many times that my knees said ‘No!’ and I have had to overcome that pain and keep on keepin on.  It has been very fulfilling to see my trajectory grow nearer and nearer to my destination as I chip away at those miles each day. My son inspires me in the work that he is doing as a missionary, and dedicating this journey to him is the perfect carrot in front of my horse. 😊

Brother Bjorn told me this week about a new additionhe had made to his rock garden, so I walked over to introduce myself.  So fun and awesome. It was a perfect walking day weather-wise. Here is a shot of Trout Lake. I sat down there for a bit to enjoy the serenity and say a prayer 

Had LeAnn drop me off on her way to work and walked this neighborhood over near Weyerhaeuser campus From there, headed over through the campus and down around Walmart. I worked my way to Home Depotto pick up a sprinkler head. Was going to continue onfrom there a few more miles to home. (Was already at about 5 1/2 miles) when I tried to get a hold of Jaylin to see if she was getting ready to get picked up by Kelly. Kelly was going to take her shopping for some stuff for college. When I couldn’t get who’d of her, I ended up taking a Lyft home to make sure I could wake her up before Kelly got there. 

This is what happens when you don’t realize that everyone else has left the house while you are out on a walk.  After trying all the doors, feels like this

Still supporting my home town team. After the game today, walked the neighborhood for a couple of laps and then got on the treadmill at night. 6 plus miles on a Sunday - not too shabby. 

Austin has been teaching and working with a great friend, Usvaldo, in Las Vegas. He recently wrote of some of his experiences with him; “Our friend Usvaldo accepted to be baptized! He has grown so much closer to  Christ and is finding more peace and love in his life. He said that he  feels a strong sense of peace when we visit him and when he prays. We  explained that that’s the spirit and asked him if he wants that feeling to  be with him forever. He said ¡y sí, como no! Haha” This is one of the most wonderful things to see, as a father of a missionary - seeing Austin learn to love another and find joy in the happiness of that person, brings such happiness to my heart.  After hearing from Austin about the great experiences he was having with Usvaldo, I told him I would dedicate 100 miles of walking to Usvaldo over this past 10 days, that he might continue to grow and progress, and feel of Gods love for him.  I finished that 100 miles tonight and made this ...

I have enjoyed looking forward to watching movies in the evenings while I work on getting more miles undermy belt for the #seattletobahiablanca journey. Sometimes it is a bit hard to get up and go upstairs into the bonus room, because it is quite hot already prior to the treadmill workout. (During the summer anyway) Even though we have air conditioning, it gets pretty muggy in that room above the garage. I do have a fan going, that I usually direct straight into me, and keep the window open a bit to pull in some fresh air. This usually helps me from getting too nasty and sweaty. The greatest part is, the movie s keep me engaged, which helps the miles fly by faster. Even though I’m not goingterribly fast at 3.1 MPH, this is the speed that works for me as if I speed it up too much more than that, it makes my surgically repaired, arthritic knee hurt like crazy. 

Jaylin had one of the coolest dates I’ve ever heard of.She met the guy, Zach, on the Mutual app. He asked her if she wanted to go flying.  Walked up to Costco to meet LeAnn after her therap appointment. If was freakin hot! About four miles up. Was fine while the pine trees threw shade.  Jaylin had church friends over tonight. Almost seemed like a normal summer day, where you could forget about Covid.  4.5 miles on the treadmill, 10.5 for the day. 

The latest #treadmillmoviemarathons was 26.4 miles of walking and watching four Pink Panther Movies and 5 of the original cartoons over the course of 523 minutes miles.  It was fun to watch the new versions with Steve Martin and the old school ones with Peter Sellers. They both played the bumbling detective to perfection, while keeping the comedy rolling along the way. I always loved watching the cartoons as a kid and never realized til I was an adult that the movies came before the cartoons, and not the other way around.  These miles have brought me down near Peru on the goal of walking from #seattletobahiablanca while #toddlingaroundtheworld  Today is actually Austin’s 14 month missionversary! Only 10 months to go! (Don’t get trunky 😉 ) He is having great experiences in Las Vegas and working with same fantastic people. He is making special memories that he will forever remember and have such a profound impact on his life.  Seattle to Bahia Total: 7020 Seattle to B...

Walked through Milton and around Surprise Lake to go to the Dollar Store. Grabbed some fun things for a package we are sending to Austin In the evening, hit the treadmill and finished 3.6 miles to reach my goal of 10 miles for the day. 

Walked with LeAnn on the trail and picked a bunch o blackberries. Also started a juice cleanse diet with LeAnn. Lots of smoothies today! 

Went out and walked the trail during our Ward councilZoom meeting. I gave training on ordinances and procedures since I had just been to the Temple in Rexburg and participated as a Witness during My nephew Crue’s baptism in Utah this past week. 

Slept in to recover from the 16 hours of driving yesterday.  Was able to get 10.5 miles of walking in, so good to get back on track. 

Built a new garden wall along the deck. Scurvy Dogs tonight. 

Jaylin dropped me off at the Milton Trail. This allowed me to get 4 miles in.  The met Kelly and Ruth for dinner at the Banyan Tree at Kent Station.  Drive in of Ghostbusters 

Left Park City at 6 to get to Rexburg by the 10 to pickJaylin up. Had another Microsoft Interview at 11:00.  Then another 15 hours of diving home. Got back around midnight 

Had an interview in the late morning then took LeAnn down to meet Lisa.  They went to a late lunch at a place calle Ruth’s up immigration canyon. I went to Deseret book and got Crue a present for his baptism. The. Went to his baptism. Ice cream after. 

Was finally able to participate in one of the Brothers lunch outings with my brothers in Utah. Met Brandon atAstro burger to pick up the food. Then went to momand dads. Helped mom with her Storyworth photos.  went over to Brads and he got ramen and we took the dogs on a walk. 

We stayed the night in a Holiday In. In Springville. Then we went and held sacrament meeting with Clay, Autumn and Jaylin at a nearby park. Jaylin went with clayand Autumn back to Rexburg and LeAnn and I went and got lunch at Habit Birger and drove up Provo Canyon. We stopped at Bridal Veil Falls and then continued on thenPark City, where we stayed at a condo with LeAnns parents. 

Today was the day the Autumn and Clay were sealed together for time and Eternity in the Rexburg temple. 

Hit the road at 3:15 am so that we could get to Rexburg in time to check in to the Airbnb and then go over to see Autumn and Clays apartment before heading toClays parents for dinner. We got a place big enough to have my parents, LeAnns parents and us and Jaylinstay in together. Had a great dinner with Julie and James Lauritsen and their family and then came back and got to video chat with Austin. He told us this special story of how their ‘Free Prayers’ video on Facebook actually touched a lady who was planning on committing suicide that day. She saw these happy missionaries and their message of hope and it gave her the strength to carry on. What an amazing impact you can have on people you may not even realize that are looking for and needing your help.  Since we were driving for 13 hours and all of the other events of the. Day, just walked a little 1.5 miles today.  These two were reunited. 

Today was mostly spent getting ready for our trip to Rexburg. Autumn and Clay will be getting sealed in the Rexburg temple on Saturday. What a great experience this will be amidst all of the Corona chaos. Since we were so busy packing up, I didn’t get a chance to get my evening walk in. Did hit the Jovita trail and also walk home from the library.  Saw these Street chickens on the way back!

During my morning zoom meeting for church, I decided to get two birds with one stone. I walked the trail during the 9:00 meeting, so that gave me a good start to the days miles.  The front lawn is looking good after being vigilant with the fertilizer this year. 

Went up through Milton into Edgewood and up past the chicken coop trail. Comes in around 4 miles. Mowed the lawn in the afternoon and got a bit more walking in. Then walked the neighborhood at night for a bit to get my 10 mile goal. It was nice to be outside for a spot instead of on the treadmill at night. 

Mixed it up a bit with my morning route. Walked up to5 mile lake and took a lap at the lake. On the way back, stops at the lakeside store and grabbed a hostess pie and chocolate milk for breakfast. A good day of walking. Though the osteoarthritis was rough in the left knee, made it back home with 5 miles under my belt. 

Recently finished another #treadmillmoviemarathons while walking and watching five Herbie Movies over the course of 511 minutes and 26.3 miles.  The Herbie movies started in 1968 and continued through 2005 after a 25 year hiatus between Herbie goes Bananas and Herbie Fully Loaded.  Through them all, they brought life to a car that we all grew to love. He was fiesty and loyal, loving and determined. I hope that each of us can develop these traits in our personal lives.  These miles have brought me closer to the goal of walking from #seattletobahiablanca while #toddlingaroundtheworld  Austin is doing great in Las Vegas while keeping cool in the 116 degree heat. He is a fine example to me of some of those same characteristics of Herbie: Courageous, diligent and faithful. Seattle to Bahia Total: 7020 Seattle to Bahia Completed: 4225.1 Seattle to Bahia Remaining: 2794.9

Was LeAnns 46th birthday. Slow walking day.  Austin called. He is an amazing man. Such compassion for the work of the Lord. We prayed together. He loves his family so much as was evidenced by his prayer of faith. 

Getting a bit shaggy again. 

Elder Watanabe from the Sendai mission shared this scripture.